Having a communication disorder doesn't make me stupid

The following story is written by a very brave young woman. She has cancerous tumors in her brain and one of the effects is that she now struggles to communicate. She has what is called Broca’s Dysphasia, a type of Communication Disorder that means she is unable to translate what she thinks into clear messages, and finds it equally difficult to process other people’s messages. It does not however affect her intelligence, or her strength of character! She tells her story below (with the help of a wonderful friend!)

Having a communication disorder doesn’t make me stupid, it just means it’s harder for me to tell people what I think. I communicate and receive messages in ‘short hand’. I miss out heaps of words in sentences and get the order of words and letters mixed up. It happens when I talk, read, write, and listen, even send sms messages!! I think using sign language and talking at the same time is the easiest, but most people don’t sign!!

Sometimes I get really angry that I can’t get people to understand what I am trying to say. And it means I can’t do things I used to do. I find it a little bit hard to talk on the phone to people I don’t know. My friends can usually work out what I am trying to say, but if I try and book an appointment or something it’s really hard!

When I am out in the community sometimes people act weird around me. Once a taxi driver started talking in German to me because he thought I had an accent! Some people think I am deaf and try writing notes- but that doesn’t help because I can’t read properly!

When it first started to happen I didn’t want to leave the house because I didn’t think I’d ever be able to get anyone to understand me. But I have a really cool speech therapist who helped me work out ways I could communicate.  Then I started being brave and doing little challenges. I started with things where I wouldn’t need to talk much, like doing the shopping at woolies. Then I did scarier things, like meeting friends for coffee and ordering by myself. Now I am so brave I can do just about anything!!

I know I can get my message across it’s just a matter of trying to find the best way to do it. If I can’t get the words out, I try signing it, pointing, spelling the word and I usually get by. I carry a little book around that has an alphabet chart and ‘key words’ that I can point to if I need. It also has pictures of things like faces with different emotions, and pictures of places (with the addresses).

To start with I would go into a café and get really cross that I couldn’t get the words out to order. Now I just point to the menu. And when I get in a taxi, instead of trying to explain where I want to go. I find the picture of where I want to go and show the driver and if I need to I can point which way I want to go.

Now I get a buzz out of getting my message across. When I went to the hairdresser I did it all by myself. I took pictures and did lots of pointing and she did exactly what I wanted. I was on a high all day!

I miss being able to sit with friends and just ‘chat’, and it has meant I can’t really work and that makes me cross. But I don’t let it stop me doing things, even if I have to work really hard to get people to understand me.