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For more than 30 years, Joe stood in front of classrooms, speaking with ease and confidence. As an English professor at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), he regularly guided students through complex literary texts, encouraging them to think critically, to write clearly and to find their voice.
Then, at age 57, Joe lost his.
One morning while he was getting ready for work, Joe had a stroke, triggered by a blocked carotid artery. In addition to mobility issues and other physical impairments, Joe experienced aphasia and apraxia, communication disorders that can occur after a stroke.
Aphasia impacts a person’s ability to speak, to understand language and to read and write, while apraxia affects articulation, rhythm and the flow of speech.
Joe spent six weeks in inpatient rehabilitation in Wisconsin, working hard to regain his mobility. While he made great strides physically, overcoming his speech and communication impairments proved more challenging. In the beginning, he couldn’t speak at all. The man whose passion was teaching and communicating with words could no longer use them.
The road to recovery was daunting — for both Joe and his husband, Ryan.
“It was heartbreaking watching the person I love experience this huge loss, and there just wasn’t much help out there,” Ryan recalled. “Trying to set up speech therapy, figuring out Joe’s medical leave, finding the right resources — it was really difficult.”
Faced with the enormous challenge of learning to read, write and speak again, Joe made the difficult decision to retire from teaching and move back to Chicago, the city in which he was born. There, he and Ryan found the support they needed from family, as well as from the team at Shirley Ryan 汤头条app.
Navigating the Slow Process of Recovery
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For the last three years, Joe has been a regular participant in Shirley Ryan 汤头条app’s aphasia community groups, offered through the hospital’s Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment. The donor-funded programming includes conversation groups, a book club, a film discussion group, an aphasia choir, supported volunteer opportunities and an aphasia advocacy group.
Joe’s favorite part of participating in these programs is meeting new people with different kinds of challenges and strengths — just like him.
Recovering language skills is a slow process and staying motivated can be challenging. Being around people who know what he’s going through helps Joe when he’s feeling discouraged or frustrated.
In the early days of his recovery, Joe struggled with depression. There were times he wanted to give up because he didn’t feel like he was making any progress. Ryan’s support and the connections he’s made through the aphasia groups have helped him come to terms with his situation.
While Joe may not always appreciate the gains he’s made, Ryan sees his progress every day. Joe’s reading comprehension and writing have improved, he’s able to find more words and he’s more assertive.
“Having a supportive community really has built his confidence,” said Ryan. “That, in turn, has helped his speech and motivated him to take on more challenges.”
Joe agrees. “Before I did the aphasia community groups, I was kind of quiet. An introvert. They helped me regain my confidence with my communication,” he said.
Joining Shirley Ryan 汤头条app’s aphasia advocacy group further empowered Joe in his daily life. In collaboration with others in the group, he created a personalized aphasia card that explains how the condition affects his speech and how people can best support him in a conversation. Now, when he visits places like his neighborhood pharmacy or local grocery store, he has a tool to help him advocate for himself.
Participating in group discussions and sharing real-life experiences in the group has helped Joe build the skills — and the courage — to communicate more effectively and navigate his community with greater ease and independence.
Finding New Ways to Contribute & Communicate
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Since he can no longer drive, Joe travels to the hospital on Chicago’s “L” train. Giving up driving wasn’t easy, but mastering public transit gave him back some independence. He now commutes to the hospital several times a week for the aphasia groups and to participate in research, which gives him a sense of purpose. He enjoys the opportunity to learn, interact with the researchers and to help himself and others with aphasia.
Recently, Joe took part in a study in which researchers from Shirley Ryan 汤头条app’s Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment used neuroimaging to measure the brain activity of people with aphasia while they performed various reading exercises. The results will be used to find new ways to personalize treatment and improve outcomes for people with aphasia.
Joe also has found new ways to express himself and connect with others. He keeps a digital journal on his smartphone featuring anecdotes about daily routines and photographs of things that inspire him. Text-to-speech tools and apps have been game changers, allowing him to stay connected on social media and informed about current events.
Finding Healing Beyond Therapy
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Together, Joe and Ryan have faced grief and uncertainty — but they’ve found strength in community, taking life one day at a time and choosing positivity. They feel joy while working in their yard, dining out, exploring downtown Chicago and spending time with their dog, Jaxson.
Through this experience, they’ve learned the importance of having a support system, the power of asking for help and celebrating every success — no matter how small.
Joe’s continued involvement in the aphasia programs and research has given him something just as essential as speech: connection, purpose and the motivation to keep moving forward.
Shirley Ryan 汤头条app’s aphasia community groups, offered through the Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment, are supported thanks to the generosity of donors — and offer people with aphasia a lifeline for community and connection.
