I think so. The mind is mysterious and things can happen unpredictably. It seems that the scientists, doctors, therapists and everyone else tells us what can be done, and what can't be done, but usually say things like "perhaps" or "maybe", and that's fair. They really don't know. The "professionals" have learned so much in the brain, but they have not even started yet. The doctors can look at a broken bone, touch it and most of the time just "fix" it. Today, they can put our heart on a table, fix it and put it back in and it works...but the brain? Nope. It's still in the "experiment" stage.

I do not want you to think I don't like doctors or therapists. They are good people and they do whatever they can, but now that I have said that, I don't trust them. Today, they rush so fast, doing the same things over and over. How many people afflicted with aphasia eat pills everyday to take care of the depression? How many doctors or therapists tell us it's "clearly" permanent, and do not expect to "get better" too much? How many people tell us that they just "can't do anything else" for us?

For those that want a quality life, and go forward and learn or relearn, we must get rid of the smoke and mirrors in the mind, and I believe those that use pills to "fix" the depression just conceals the real problem. I believe (remember my disclaimer!) the worst thing for those afflicted is using medicine to fix the depression. These pills simply shield the depression, but it also makes it impossible to relearn. Earlier, I said I had to create a plan and I had to have a Code of Life, and the most important part was the depression. I did the same thing that most do...stay home, get deeper and deeper into the depression, do almost nothing, waiting…

For those that want a quality life (everyone does, of course) throw the pills in the garbage, get up in the morning, take a shower, look good, feel good and know that this is a beautiful world. Forget about the disability and start with a clean blackboard. Turn-off the television and turn-on your computer! Just because our conduits are broken there are other avenues. To relearn, we walk before we can run: it is a journey, but it's simply worth it. It can be done! I did, and I believe most people can also.

I wish there was an easy way to do this, but, as far as I know, there isn't. It is not easy, but, on the other hand, most people don't even try. Too many doctors or therapists believe the "typical" or "conventional" therapies are the only ways to relearn. Too many people believe "this is the way it is" but I don't think so. All of the conventional therapies did not work for me, but my plan did. All of the therapists  told me that I had to keep doing the same thing: read the newspapers, try to read books, keep trying to "stretch" and "search" the numbers, names, etc. They told me to keep trying, and I did...and it didn't do anything for me.

On the other hand, my plan, or my strategy, worked! I said this is not easy, but really, it is. The process is not hard, but it must be done in the right direction...it can't be done "backward" or it will not work. This means that we must get rid of the depression first, start with a clean slate and then start using the computer. Several times I have said the computer, and the right programs will give us an opportunity to relearn...quickly, and that is true, but if the depression is just sitting there in your mind the computer may not help you at all.

I believe the new Journey, at least my new Journey, is separate from the aphasia and depression and the aphasia and the computers. Of course, all of this is related, but there is a line between the depression and the journey. My Journey started when my depression ended...that's where the line was. I couldn't even think about going forward, or the new Journey, until I had to get rid of the depression...and I did. That was a process, but an easy process: understood that depression is simply a motion; started by pretending that I didn't have it, doing something positive, and very soon it was not "pretending" anymore. No doctors, no pills...just life. We must be healthy emotionally, and we can do that anytime we want to. Again...it's a mind-set...our mind-set. Just decide to do it, and we can then start to do anything we choose to.

Enough of the depression...that was yesterday. With the new, blank pages, I started my Journey. I was going to write...one way or the other! I wanted to be able to write because I always could, before the aphasia, but there were other reasons. I also wanted to be able to speak "properly" and I knew that the best way to talk again was to write. I found that trying to speak anything, using words only, did not work fast or, perhaps, not at all. The speech only requires one sense, but writing requires to accept the word in our brain, listening, seeing the word, write in down and then saying it again. It's a different process, and this works great!

I tried several programs, including all of the "typical" processors, and many of the for-profit aphasia companies and programs. The bottom line, of course, was Microsoft programs, especially MS Word. For anyone that has any kind of communication problem, especially aphasia, there is nothing better than Word. It seems like they know that we have aphasia problems and they seem to be able to help us. I know...that's not true, but is just feels that way. The times that I needed helps in my programs or Operating Systems, the personnel did the same thing...took their time, tell me things several time if I needed it and never complained...never. The Journey continues...next...