If you’ve talked to me lately, you may have noticed a few “glitches” in my speech. I might get stuck on finding a word, or I struggle to physically say a word that starts with the letter “S.” For a long time, I just knew it was frustrating. But after looking closely at my brain MRI, I finally have a “why.”
First, What is Aphasia?
Before we get into the details, I want to define the word I’ve been using a lot: Aphasia.
Aphasia is a communication disorder that happens when the language centers of the brain are injured. It’s like a disruption in the “translation” between your thoughts and your voice.
The most important thing to know is that aphasia does not affect intelligence. My brain is still “me”—I understand everything you say, I have the same thoughts, and I’m still the same guy you’ve always known. The injury just makes it harder to get those thoughts out into the world.
The Evidence on the Map
I wanted to share a piece of my medical journey with you. If you look at the MRI image below, you’ll see a small, lighter, brighter section on the right side of the image. Because MRI images are mirrored, that is actually a scar on the front-left lobe of my brain.
That specific spot is called Broca’s Area. It acts as the “Command Center” for speech delivery. My “internal dictionary” is still perfectly intact, but the “wiring” used to ship those words out was damaged during my TBI on October 13, 2024.
It’s Not My Memory; It’s My “Search Engine”
There are two specific ways this injury shows up in my daily life:
- Anomia (The Locked Door): This is that “tip-of-the-tongue” feeling. I know exactly what I want to say, but the gate to that word is temporarily stuck. It’s like my brain’s “search engine” is just running a bit slow.
- Apraxia of Speech (The “S” Struggle): This is the physical side. My brain sometimes struggles to send the “motor plan” to my mouth to coordinate difficult sounds like “S.” It’s like my mouth’s “GPS” lost the signal for a second.
How You Can Help
The coolest thing I’ve learned is that my brain can be “jump-started.” If you see me struggling with an “S” word, making a “Sssss” sound for me actually gives my brain a blueprint to follow. I learned this during rehab with Chris and Derrick. It’s been somewhat embarrassing, but also funny to experience, knowing what’s going on. It helps me find the physical movement I need to get the word out.
My intelligence hasn’t changed, and I’m still the same Tim—I’m just working with a slightly different operating system these days.
I’ll keep sharing updates as I learn more about how my brain is rewiring itself. Thank you to everyone for being so patient and supportive as I navigate this.
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