Losing speech ability

5 years ago I started having problems being understood because of halting sentences and after several Doctors were still unsure of my illness I found a Neurologist that performed additional tests and determined it was Aphasia.

He has prescribed aricept with speech therapy which allowed me to work again, but I did retire from teaching because of the necessity for long periods of lecturing. I’m now working in a customer service role that allows me to speak less and listen more.

The symptoms are stable but PPA is the diagnosis and it will require me to retire completely within 3 years. I’m staying optimistic but am a realist when it comes to the progression. Unfortunately I also had a fall that resulted in a concussion early in 2012 and that caused a short of memory loss of that day and the events immediately following the accident.

My family has been understanding and supportive for the entire period. I hope that others around me can continue to accommodate my disability until I’m unable to work any longer.

I no longer tell stories and jokes with coworkers in the same manner and volume as only a few years ago because of my feelings of being unsure of my ability to be comprehended while speaking because of the halting and skipping of my speech.