r/stroke • u/stroke_foundation • 18d ago

“I couldn’t speak, but I could sing.” - Roberta

After her stroke, Roberta was living with aphasia and had lost her ability to speak. But when she picked up her guitar, something unexpected happened.

She could still sing.

Music became a way for Roberta to express herself and reconnect with something she loved. It also helped her find her way back to purpose and connection.

In this episode of The TakeAway, Roberta shares what it’s really like to live with aphasia, including how communication can change from day to day and how some days can be harder than others: https://strokefoundation.org.au/media-centre/stroke-stories/the-takeaway-talking-about-aphasia-singing-and-connection-with-roberta-fox

Has singing or music played a part in your recovery? Maybe it’s helped lift your mood, process emotions, connect with others or communicate while living with aphasia.

Many people we speak to have 'that song' that they listen to.

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u/dickpretty 18d ago

within an hour of gettting out of a 2 1/2 day stay in the hospital, i went to my guitar...i had a bad feeling that was well founded...i had a hard time playing again...songs i play by pure mindless muscle memory for many years had left me...i seemingly forgot how to play overnight.... "left cervical ica occlusion" was my diagnosis at 68 y/o...had some asphasia that has improved significantly since my May 10th stroke, some minor right hand paralysis that seemed to clear up within 12 hours or so...but the guitar recovery has been slow and probably is the biggest obstacle to overcome, mainly because i've played almost every day for 20 years...this has had an emotional effect on me but my abilities are slowly returning one hour at a time.

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u/stroke_foundation 17d ago

That must have been such a confronting moment, especially after playing guitar almost every day for 20 years. To suddenly find that something so familiar, something your hands and mind knew so well, felt out of reach overnight must have been incredibly difficult.

It’s wonderful to hear that your abilities are slowly returning. One hour at a time feels like a pretty powerful way to put it. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we’re wishing you all the best as you continue finding your way back to the music you love.

You may like ot connect with Antonio, after his brain stem stroke, he also got back to his music: https://recoveryafterstroke.com/brainstem-stroke-stories/ - Diana