Month: May 2020

As a speech-language pathologist, I am a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association of America (ASHA). May is deemed Better Hearing and Speech Month. The goal is to raise awareness about communication disorders. This could include a multitude of disorders affecting speech, language, voice, and hearing, but today I would just like to address communication not classified as “disordered,” but perhaps broken just the same.

Communication is more than just talking. It’s about connecting with people. In the busy, fast-paced, high-tech world in which we live, people can become invisible. With our time-bound agendas driving us ever forward, we may find ourselves moving from one task to another without connecting to anyone in the process. This can result in many people feeling unseen and unheard, including ourselves. Some can feel socially isolated even in the midst of a crowd.

This leads me to reflect on an encounter I had several years ago. As a college student studying in London, England I met an elderly man in Regent’s Park. I noticed he was feeding birds directly from his hand, not just the ducks gathered at his feet, but songbirds as well. Finches and pipits would fly right into his hand, take some seed and fly off again. As the gentleman and I engaged in conversation, he quickly identified me as an American. He informed me that American’s were “mad hatters, always running from one place to another.” Then lowering his voice and shaking his head, he added, “Sad state, those mad hatters.”

Recent events have slowed many of us down, giving us an opportunity to re-evaluate our priorities – what and, perhaps more importantly, who really matters. Stay-at-home orders and social distancing have caused us to be more intentional about connecting with others. As we gradually move toward resuming our day-to-day routines, let’s choose not to return to our previous “mad hatter” state of mind. Instead, let’s make a point of seeing and listening to those around us. Let good quality communication skills help us connect with one another and truly put an end social isolation.

~April Bluck, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS

When Sherry was first diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), she initially felt worried about what life would be like in the future. Sherry, an avid bird watcher, walker, travel guru, and dog-lover, wanted to make sure that she had the ability, time, and energy to keep up with her most valued hobbies. It has not been an easy road to getting where she is today, but she has made a point to “live in the moment” and prioritize her activities to make the most out of life.

When Sherry started to have difficulty with her right-hand function, she wanted to make sure that she was still able to take pictures on her walks. Losing function in her dominant hand would prove to be difficult. But, with a little creativity and some help from Norman Camera, a local store, she was able to fashion a strap that allows her to hold her camera, press the shutter, and focus all with her left hand. She stated that she also has started wearing a lower leg brace to help stabilize and keep up her strength, while on her long walks. She states, “It helps me taking pictures, actually. It all ties together.”

When asked about how she manages to make time for the activities she’s passionate about, she says it’s all about learning to prioritize. “I had to learn to let someone help me clean my house so that I have time and energy to do what I want to do.” She also states that, “With all of my appointments, I make an effort to limit how many I go to in one week. It’s important, but I want to make sure it doesn’t take over.”

Lastly, Sherry’s advice to anyone going through a tough time or a new diagnosis is to “Live in the moment and do not let the possibility of the future ruin the present. Enjoy what you have, because it is so easy to worry about what might be coming. Enjoy every moment as it comes.”

~ Nicole Olson, PT, DPT, NCS