Jay's Story
Meet Jay, a HGV driver and talented airbrush artist whose life changed forever when he experienced a devastating stroke three and a half years ago.
“Before I had my stroke, I was working as a full-time HGV driver. I enjoyed my art and was accomplished as an airbrush artist, painting everything from engine covers to murals. I had my stroke three and a half years ago, and I realised it changed my life forever.”
From Hospital to Home
After his stroke, Jay completely lost his ability to speak. As he lives alone, the hospital initially wouldn't discharge him. With support from his fiancée Marie, he was eventually released from urgent care and went on to receive a burst of intensive therapy from the NHS.
“I could not talk and I was getting frustrated that I couldn’t explain simple things, like wanting to go to the toilet. When I was discharged from hospital, I got ten weeks of physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy every day. When that came to an end, they referred me to Aphasia Support.”
Accessing Long-Term Support
It wasn't long before Jay began receiving 1:1 support from the charity. With help from a volunteer, Jay embraced speech and language therapy apps, using the charity's iPad loan scheme to work on his communication goals. Together, they focussed on speaking and understanding. Jay shares:
“I am most proud of how far I’ve come, and I’ll not let a stroke win.”
Jay was offered more long-term support through the charity’s twice-monthly group sessions. He's now a regular attendee, enjoying the social connections and ongoing support he receives from his peers and the group's session leader.
“I enjoy the Aphasia Cafe. It’s been a good way for me to meet people who have the same, or similar, issues to myself. I find it hard to speak and understand, but they don’t judge you. I would tell anybody, if you’ve just been diagnosed with aphasia, join your local Aphasia Café.”
The Struggles of Everyday Life
Whilst Jay's communication has come on leaps and bounds, he still finds it incredibly challenging - making everyday life a struggle.
“I find it hard to speak and understand, and people don't know what aphasia is, so I carry a card explaining that I’ve had a stroke and have difficulty communicating. Even then, I've met people who don't know what a stroke is."
Three and a half years on, Jay’s diary is still full of lengthy medical appointments resulting from his stroke. With no choice but to return to work, he had to reduce his hours to fit in multiple trips to see specialists. He was used to driving long distances overnight, but now he drives a 7.5-tonne HGV two days a week, often on 15-hour day shifts. Making life manageable takes careful planning and effort.
"Today, I've been to 4 appointments already and it's not even lunchtime. I've got another 2 this afternoon!"
“Balancing work and my recovery is tough. I have to plan around appointments, deal with fatigue, and pace myself, or I just can’t manage. What once felt like a simple task, now feels like climbing a mountain. Like doing my food shop. I have to shop down one isle, pay for it, sit down and rest. Then I'll go back in, shop down the next isle, rest, and do it all over again. It takes forever, but I live alone, and it's the only way I can cope independently.”
A Brighter Future
Jay is a huge advocate for the aphasia community, raising awareness about the reality of the condition whenever and wherever he can.
"I don’t know what I would do without Aphasia Support because there’s no other help.”
At every Aphasia Cafe, Jay brings uplifts his peers, helping them to stay positive, make progress and be the best version of themselves. He's a constant inspiration to us all, proving that there are many different ways to stay connected to the things and people that matter most.
At Aphasia Support, we're so proud to be able to offer personalised speech and language therapy to wonderful people like Jay. We'll always love watching our clients grow in confidence, improve their communication skills, and work towards a brighter future.
If you, or someone you know, has been affected by aphasia, please get in touch with our team. Email info@aphasiasupport.org or call us on 0300 102 3500 to find out how we can support you.
