Life in New Zealand with a Stroke

In August we started off the second half of the year with talks given by speech therapists from the Lower Hutt Hospital. Speech therapy is a very important part of the stroke survivors recovery. Some of our members have speech difficulties to varying degrees. For example our vice-president is a very accomplished pianist but his stroke has not impaired this. His ability to carry out a flowing conversation is badly restricted. On the other hand I can converse with anyone with little or no problem but even though I was once a good pianist playing mainly in a dance band, I can no longer tickle the ivories as it were. I am told that there is music written for one armed people but have yet to try it. Other members of our Stroke Club suffer from similar or other type of speech desirability and the therapists who addressed us, gave us examples of how to improve our lot, and encouraged us to do exercises to improve the way we talk.

At our second meeting for August we received a most entertaining talk by a previous member of the National Symphony Orchestra and also a member of a local brass band. He was a member of the New Zealand Symphony for a number of years playing the trumpet and similar instruments. Because his situation in the orchestra was in front of a very loud percussion instrument his ears were badly affected to the extent his hearing was affected and that was the end of his orchestra playing. He also became a member of the New Zealand Brass Band which toured England and Europe. On that tour the band played at the Edinborough festival and won a number of band contests in Great Britain and Europe. During his talk he played on CD excerpts from the National Symphony Orchestra and the Nation Brass Band.

That his session and the many questions that were asked of him went on over the normal time we allow for our fortnightly programme reflected the interest in his subject. We have found that these talks followed by a general discussion are very beneficial especially for those members who either live on their own or in Retirement Homes. Next month our daughter, who is the manager of an organic grocery shop, will give us a talk on the benefits of eating and living organically.