David McClure, a writer from Versailles, Ohio, is working to regain his sense of identity after a stroke impacted his ability to communicate. McClure experienced the stroke in January while at work at MidMark Corporation. Despite rapid treatment, he was diagnosed with Broca’s aphasia due to permanent damage in the part of his brain responsible for speech.
“This was tragic for me. My thoughts exist but words fail me. They didn’t use to. I spoke well and often eloquently. It was part of who I was,” said McClure.
McClure initially attended outpatient speech therapy but felt he only regained about 20% of the language ability needed to return to work and a full life. His sister, an occupational therapist at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, Illinois, encouraged him to enroll in the hospital’s Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP).
“Research shows that intensive speech therapy can help people with aphasia improve their language abilities. ICAP is designed to maximize on neuroplasticity by providing therapy at a high dosage and frequency to make the most progress possible in a relatively short amount of time,” said Michelle Armour, MS, CCC-SLP, program lead clinician of the Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.
Neuroplasticity allows the nervous system to reorganize its structure and functions after injuries like strokes or traumatic brain injuries. These new connections move functions from damaged areas of the brain to undamaged ones.
“There are ten principles of neuroplasticity that have been found to drive positive change. A few of those include ‘use it or lose it,’ repetition and intensity,” said Armour.
Full-time ICAP participants undergo six hours of therapy four days a week for four weeks, while part-time options offer four hours each day. The sessions include individual therapy, group therapy, social participation, and dyad sessions involving one therapist and two clients.
In one-on-one sessions with speech therapist Clare Goodman, McClure learned strategies to overcome what he calls “the cobwebs in my brain.” One technique involves picturing words and associated words in a ring around them.
“Before I was always stuck. It is like a Chinese finger trap. I would get locked. This program taught me to relax, release and think about the periphery of my thoughts,” said McClure. “I can sometimes get back to the word or at least say something close enough to get my point across.”
McClure particularly enjoyed group sessions led by Armour where various topics were discussed meaningfully.
“The fire inside is to have conversation,” said McClure. “If you sat in solitude or just watched but didn’t engage, it wouldn’t clear the cobwebs. To converse intentionally and in a guided fashion is essential.”
McClure received personalized homework each day focused on speaking and writing exercises. He now writes sentences with coherent structure and thinks more clearly while writing.
“What has happened here is breathtaking,” said McClure. “My family came to visit after not seeing me for several weeks and they were aghast at how fluently I was speaking.”
While at Marianjoy, McClure also completed the Driver Rehabilitation Program ensuring he could drive safely post-stroke and worked out with personal trainers at Marianjoy’s Health and Fitness Center.
“My husband relies on his intellect in all his relationships," said David's wife Michelle McClure."Although still intact, his struggle with aphasia seemed to make him feel like a lesser version of himself."
She added: "He leaves ICAP with tools, resources and renewed confidence."
McClure hopes to return soon to his job at Midmark where he writes technical manuals for healthcare equipment but acknowledges he isn’t yet back fully ready.
“I missed feeling like I was able to think things through correctly...but I’m getting there thanks to what they have done here,” he said.
Back home in Ohio now continuing services virtually through Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center at Marianjoy; McClure aims raise awareness about aphasia—a disorder affecting nearly 2 million Americans according National Aphasia Association—with approximately one-third stroke cases resulting into it .
“There are so many people with aphasia who can’t say what they want say,” stated McClure.“The more we talk about aphasia better.”
For more information on Northwestern Medicine Aphasia Center visit nm.org/aphasiarehab.
