Ataxic Dysarthria speaker give Toastmaster Speech 4 w/minimal reading or notes

I got ataxic dysarthria with a cerebellar AVM/ stroke last year and am relearning to talk via toastmasters and going to the UW Speech clinic, where I do speech therapy and the Lee Silverman Voice Training method of relearning to talk. This speech was a small triumph as I barely used my notes. The video is hard to understand because the mike on the camera was screwy, and hey, I still talk to fast. When I don't read something, I talk faster...Do you have dysarthria? Please write me and tell me how you are doing. I am alone here and feeling my way toward progress alone, every day. I would like to share your growth and experiences with dysarthria...I hear that dysarthria without aphasia is rare, and ataxic is even rarer...write me, please -

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• dysarthria
• ataxic
• speech 4
• toastmasters
• breathe

[344Alice]

Thanks for writing. I have long been seeking a support group amongst people with dysarthria, but to no avail. I just learned that the ataxia community in seattle is very active, as you indicated in you post. And I do have ataxia. I need to keep muscles strong and exercised, but that doesn't mean they behave in a coordinated fashion, as you know first hand. Still,my neurologist tells me that is I don't use it, I lose it. And I've seen it to be true. The more you try, the closer you get. Thanks!

[344Alice]

Thanks to all who commented - I am still in speech therapy and Toastmasters 15 months after this video was done.  People know say I sound like I have a German accent, but I am much more understandable. Better an accent and sounding like a foreigner than slurring my words and sounding like a derelict drunk. It's a small promotion, but I 'll take it. Thanks for the words of encouragement, and the note about 100% recovery. It has been done before, and that is good to know!

[chechepolina]

thank you for sharing this! best of luck with your recovery.

[jace0362]

I have cerebellar Ataxia, I have severe walking gait, balance and co ordination loss and slurred speech. On the American Ataxia Networking support site our motto is use it or loss it, keep it up!

[SebAGITATED]

Inspiring stuff

[turner3rentz]

my wife had a cerebellar stroke, developed speech difficulty and recovered to 100 percent of her previous capability. keep the faith 344Alice.

[vcarreon04]

don't give up, you're doing awesome :)

[soniong]

You've done a good job!! Keep it up!!

[stickywithhoney]

Good for you! Well spoken!