On the morning of January 17th, 2013, when being inside my house with my wife, I suffered a sudden massive stroke. Before suffering the stroke, I worked from home. I had three small businesses, logistics, security, and passport photograph services. I spoke fluently in Spanish, English and some Portuguese. I played tennis every day in the week, and I liked the outdoor photography.
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A week after the stroke, suddenly, I wake up, I felt a company (?). Day by day, I began to recognize who were accompanying me; first, my wife…, then… my sons… I felt discomfort in my mouth, foot and hand on the right side. I was transferred to the “rehab house”. There, all alone… at night… I was wondering what is happening to me? Who I am…? As the weeks went by, slowly I realized of what was my problem; that I was physically and mentally disabled; that I could understand when spoken to me… but, unable to make them understand when I spoke…; I could not write…, and the worst was that, I could only “think” in Spanish, not English or Portuguese … I could not express my feelings in any way… I began to realize what is APHASIA …!
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As soon as I perceived the problem I was going through, and the effort of my family to help me “get back to life”… at that time (three months after) I managed to rethink in my situation… I started to do routinely physical exercises…; with help in “learning beginner” mode of my sons, I went back to my computer and to my business areas… Slowly, I could start my business again, smaller and with “some” limitations…
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With the full support of my dear wife Alma, after November 2013 we went to Canada, Costa Rica and Japan… We made security inspections in Washington, Atlanta and Florida; exports to customers in Costa Rica and finally passport photographs daily, at home… and going to natural parks to take good photos…
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My main limitation is English. In Spanish my situation has improved; speaking and writing; write with a keyboard, since the damage to the right hand does not allow me to write… In English, I still cannot even “think” to speak or write…; what I do is “think” and write in Spanish and use “Google Translate” to translate into English… Listening (with some limitations) and reading English, I can do it…
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Right now I’m “learning” to play tennis; and to “adjust” my physical possibilities in the gym … Medicines, dizziness, limp, cerebral noise ..; They are always there .. but it seems that I am getting used to them…
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My advice to my friends at the club … 1) Make all people in your surroundings, to accept that you are able to understand everything around you… 2) Physical exercises are extremely necessary… 3) Attend support events of Aphasia… 4) Be optimistic… try hard, very hard, to recover… 5) Deeply appreciate all the strong support received from your family… 6) “Life is short… learn to enjoy every moment”… and 7) Always forward …!, not to back up even to gain impulse …!