Randy, a retired engineer and electronics technician, has been actively participating in various virtual TAP groups since April. He openly shares his stroke journey and emphasizes how TAP offers a meaningful way to connect with others who share similar experiences. Randy has even coined his own term, “word anxiety,” to describe a unique aspect of his experience with aphasia.
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12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 8
Haren experienced a stroke in March 2023 and has made remarkable strides in her language abilities since joining TAP a year ago. She actively participates in both in-person and virtual groups each week, embracing every opportunity for growth. This year, Haren received the TAP Values Award in recognition of her uplifting attitude and the unwavering encouragement she offers to those newly diagnosed with aphasia in the TAP Newcomers group in Cary.
12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 7
David, a father, grandfather, and retired IBM vice president, reflects on his journey after suffering a heart attack at a concert last year, followed by quadruple bypass surgery. Just five days after surgery, he experienced a stroke that resulted in aphasia. Over the past year, David has made significant progress in his communication abilities. He credits his participation in the weekly virtual TAP groups with providing valuable support, noting how much he has benefited from connecting with others who share similar experiences with aphasia.
12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 6
Today we are sharing the perspective of a care partner. Lisa shares her TAP experience below.
I don’t know where we would be right now without the Triangle Aphasia Project (TAP).
It’s been a little over a year since Frazier was officially diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). As I think many of us do, after Frazier’s initial diagnosis I dove headfirst into researching PPA.
To put a name to what was happening was a relief, of course. It did not, however, alleviate the heartache of watching the most outgoing person I had ever met go from radiating joy and lighting up every room with laughter to someone who rarely smiled, never laughed, and became crippled by sadness and insecurities.
In talking to others and reading about PPA, a common theme that began to emerge was the importance of Community. Diving a little deeper led me to the website for the Triangle Aphasia Project (TAP).
After the initial client intake with TAP, we started joining the Virtual Progressive Aphasia Group with Olivia on Wednesdays and I began joining the Virtual PPA Care Partner Group with Abbe. I cannot overstate how instrumental these groups have been in helping us navigate this complicated new world.
The Wednesday group has allowed Frazier to find his voice again. He has a safe place where perceived challenges aren’t judged but, instead, embraced as opportunities. Olivia meets each person where they are at any given moment. She has such positive energy and has an innate ability to fully engage with each individual and make everyone feel validated.
The group is intended to include care partners for which I am grateful. It has been such a joy to watch Frazier not only laugh again but to see him reminded of the joy that comes from making other people smile.
The Virtual PPA Care Partner Group with Abbe has been equally important for me. It’s somehow freeing to spend an hour with a small group of people who share in the confusion of the PPA diagnosis. There is kinship in knowing that we are all doing our very best in each moment and admitting that we sometimes fall short, and that it’s okay.
It’s easy to concentrate on what has been lost and sometimes it’s difficult to find peace in this new reality. Abbe does an amazing job of recognizing these feelings while encouraging everyone to celebrate the small victories, helping us find creative alternatives, and reminding us to always nurture Self.
We have found Community with TAP. And for that we are both deeply grateful.
12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 5
Sophia reflects on her journey with aphasia and how TAP has given her the opportunity to enhance her reading skills through its weekly virtual book club. She acknowledges that an aphasia diagnosis is life-changing but emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community like TAP, which reminds you that you’re never alone. Sophia is working with a vocational therapist to return to work in the new year.
12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 4
Mike experienced a stroke caused by a blood clot while living in New Jersey in 2022. He shares insights into his rehabilitation journey and his recent transition to life in North Carolina. Mike credits his consistent participation in virtual TAP groups with helping him develop effective communication strategies and live a successful life while living with aphasia.
12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 3
Marvin, a proud husband, father, and grandfather, shares his experience as TAP client in Wake Forest. He explains what the weekly groups include and highlights the active role of the group leader and speech therapist, Kim, in guiding the group.
12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 2
Janice, a former nurse, floral designer, and antique shop owner, shares her journey of resilience. Last fall, just three weeks after back surgery, she suffered a stroke that led to aphasia. Since joining TAP, Janice has found tremendous support and credits the virtual TAP programs with greatly enhancing her ability to communicate with others.
12 Days of TAP 2024: Day 1
Charles joined TAP this past June. He had an unexpected stroke following heart surgery in May. Over the past five months, he has made remarkable progress. In the video, Charles highlights the many benefits of TAP groups, especially the friendships he has formed. Charles joins groups in Cary, Fuquay Varina, and Raleigh.
12 Days of TAP: Day 12
Today we share an update from one of last year’s 12 Days of TAP posts featuring James Washington and Byron Stallings. James and Byron are very involved in TAP’s Bible Study group (led by TAP group leader, Julia Canavan), which uses the Bible as a tool for practicing speech, listening and reading. James, Byron and Julia partnered with Synder Center for Aphasia and Life Enhancement (SCALE) Program in Baltimore and invited SCALE members to virtually join TAP’s Bible Study group for fellowship. They both volunteered to co-facilitate this joint virtual group (assisted by SLPs from TAP and SCALE) and meet weekly to practice the skills needed to lead aphasia groups.
This year, James and Byron felt another calling for expansion – so they agreed to take their talents to Jacksonville, Florida where they established another virtual Bible Study group at Brooks Rehabilitation Aphasia Center (BRAC). James and Byron’s collaborations provide opportunities for individuals with aphasia to practice their communication skills, develop leadership skills, and to co-design a model for empowering stroke survivors to re-engage in the wider-aphasia community as group facilitators. TAP is proud of the resilience and leadership that James and Byron continue to demonstrate – what a pleasure to know them!
12 Days of TAP: Day 11
Today brings a message from TAP’s program manager, Olivia Herrmann.
12 Days of TAP: Day 10
Today’s story was written by a caregiver of someone with primary progressive aphasia (PPA):
In the fall of 2020, my spouse, Karen, started to complain about losing words – which we both initially attributed to “aging” coupled with the stress of the first year of the pandemic. But as the months passed, it was clear that something wasn’t quite right. Like many folks before us, we entered what felt like a lengthy phase of medical appointments and testing, only to one day be told that Karen has Primary Progressive Aphasia. Fortunately, before leaving the UNC neurologist’s office that day that we received the diagnosis, she handed us a brochure for TAP and said, “You need to contact this group. They’re great.”
I can’t overstate the importance of the Triangle Aphasia Project. We were able to set up a consultation with Maura Silverman in fairly short order and within a couple of weeks of that meeting we attended – along with a number of good friends – the “Learning to Speak Aphasia” webinar. Maura and the TAP team also provided us with additional information and pointed both of us to helpful resources. We connected with SLP Abbe Simon, who has been working with Karen and me for over a year now. And Abbe then connected me with the TAP Care Partners Group where I’ve received much-needed support as well.
I learned very quickly after Karen’s diagnosis that I was in over my head just trying to understand PPA, let alone how to be a helpful spouse as Karen and I navigate this journey together. I’ve stumbled a lot, but the support of others in the TAP Care Partners Group helps me enormously. I not only learn a lot from others in the group, but I don’t feel so alone. I’m grateful every day for the resources that TAP provides!