Word Finding Problems with Hughes and possible TIAs

Hello there!!

I thought that I would try to add more information to this blog on how Hughes can affect you in very different and very strange ways...I am a talker, always have been, always will be...I have worked in sales for the last 16 years, I am one of 5 children who all talk ten to the dozen, the noise is deafening if we are all in the same room! Our Mum and Dad were talkers, Mum was a natural sales woman, loved a gossip and would chat for hours and recall anecdotes of what us kids have done or said over the years. Dad talked - at people sometimes, but he liked to debate and put the world to rights! I spent a few years with him as an adult one to one, Mum had died and all the rest of my brothers and sisters had left home, so that left me and Dad, we rubbed along pretty well for those years and talked a lot.

When I met my husband, we hit it off straight away. Even so, he is not a talker, he is not a very good listener either, he will admit to that, but I have got used to silences from him and of course, they are comfortable silences, because he is my husband. My children talk, both of them talked early in the their development, they laugh, scream, shout and chatter most of the time. I talk a great deal with them, there is always noise and talk in our house...

December 2008 I couldn't talk for about a minute - I wanted to talk, but nothing would come out...the words were in my head, but the sounds wouldn't come out, only for about a minute..but boy was that scary!! I was tired and feeling very poorly at the time. I possibly had a TIA (transient ischemic attack - mini stroke) we shall never know for sure because the symptoms were there and then were gone as quickly as they came...

When I get fatigued, I can't think of words for items, or I say the wrong words for things...much to the amusement of the children!! I sometimes get through half a sentence and then can't finish it!! the children do!! This works well for them if punishment is the last half of the sentence, they can give themselves more lenient sentences!! If I had got the full sentence out, they would have been grounded for a week and not sent to their rooms like they finish my sentence with!! They work the system at times, I get frustrated, but it is funny at other times also...It wouldn't bother me as much if I wasn't a natural talker I suppose.. When you are used to talking all the time, being witty, sarcastic and clever with words, it takes a bit of your personality away, when you can't do it any more and that is sad!! Timing is everything in comedy they say and if I can't get the punchline out, the joke is not funny any more!!

The strange thing is that I type much faster than I can talk and I complete sentences without problem when I either type or write them down??? All very odd and obviously a different part of my brain is being affected by my sludgy blood which affects how I talk, but not how I type??

It isn't a life threatening or painful symptom of Hughes, but it is a frustrating one and something that chips away at your confidence and gives you a daily reminder of being a Hughes sufferer.

Thanks for reading!

Much love
Wendy x x x x