A Singer of Words

He was 60 when he had an ischemic stroke; a blockage in the blood flow to the left part of his brain. With the left side damaged from lack of blood flow PatientX was unable to come up with the right words to form sentences; in medical terms called "aphasia".

After two years of intensive therapy PatientX was still only able to communicate through small words and scribbles on a mini chalkboard. However, his complex verbal communication continued to remain elusive. One day during his standard therapy session. The therapist asked PatientX to sing. Claiming to not be much of a singer, he was encouraged to start with something easy. " Happy Birthday" seemed easy enough, so he gave it a shot. It was the clearest verbal sentence he was able to produce in 2 years.

While PartientX's left hemisphere of his brain was damaged by his stroke, the right side remained fully intact. While the left hemisphere is most largely responsible for speaking, the right is used for understanding, and also processing rhythms and melodies. Through melodic intonation therapy PatientX was able to tap out rhythms and repeat simple melodies through his intact right hemisphere. Using music to tap into the melodic intonations, it activated an existing ability in the right brain that is there but not usually utilized for speech. PatientX knew the words he wanted to say but had difficulty forming the words on his tongue. Music mapped out the directions of his words, and illustrated the pictures of his language.

Working in the hospital on the Day before the Jewish new year 2015, I meet PatientX. A handsome determined singer of words. Each word he speaks is produced through singing in his mind. He tells me that his words are actually music. He sings and I hear words.

We discuss the Jewish new year. I tell him the story of the little farmer to who prayed to God with the sounds of the farm animals. All the members of the synagogue wanted to send the boy out, as his sounds were disturbing their own prayers. The rabbi had them all quiet down and listened intently to the boy's farm animal praying sounds. When the farmer was finished the rabbi said that there was to be an evil decree on that town, but that boy's prayers were so sincere that his sounds reached the ears of God and the decree was annulled. 

PatientX turned to me with tears in his eyes; I hope God hears the tunes of my singing and annuls the decree of my cancer prognosis. 

Much of the Jewish new year is spent praying. While some use prayer books to guide our communication with God for prayers for the new year, others may sing it.  Some of us pray through tears, others through speech, some through music, but to God what is heard is the sincerity of his people seeking blessing for the new year.

Happy Jewish New Year from - #AStrivingNovice  #lunchbreakscribbles