From paramedic to aphasia advocate

Hello, how are you? So just saying, first of all, Dodge is awesome. So one year ago-ish, she, Dodge, the boy, and I was working with Canine Companions for Independence. By the way, Canine Companions for Independence is amazing.

Look it up. It's free and it's really very, very amazing. So yeah.

Wow, that's okay. Okay. So before, so I have a stroke at with, at, with 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 years ago, but before I was a critical care and flight paramedic in many ambulance. So it's, Right.

A lot of stuff to do, and Israel, and my mother also is Israeli, so I was speaking Hebrew and English, and then unfortunately after the stroke, I understand Hebrew, but I don't speak, read, or write any longer, but you know, whatever, it's maybe later, maybe not, who knows, you know, whatever. And then I was going to go to medical school, but first I went to surgery, and in the surgery I have a stroke resulting in aphasia, so one or two percent has complication, and I'm here, and it's awesome.

So basically, four months I was in the hospital working with OT, PT, and speech pathology, and I'm still working today, even today, with a speech pathology every day. And it's getting better, and better, and better, but it's very slow for me. I have Broca's aphasia, so I understand everything, roughly, for you, so you can speak, and I can speak with them, so yeah. So basically, aphasia is frustrating, and also fun, because it's funny.

So I have difficulty with names, numbers, letters, reading, writing. It's very confusing for me. But help me, so hearing the first sounds, or semantic cues, Nuance Dragon, thank God I speak. I don't write any longer, because I don't know how to write for small words, very small words.

Very, very, very frustrating. Very, very not understanding at all. But I go every day. And it's with a speech pathology, and it's getting better, but the small word is so frustrating.

But thank God I speak, and Nuance Dragon listens and writes. So it's texting, and email, and stuff like that. It's fine. Again, sorry.

Do you have any questions, comments, concerns as well? No. Okay.

So after the stroke and aphasia, I went to the website, and I see a lot of stuff to do. And it's really very, very cool. So basically, EMS, police, firemen, and the hospital, I speak with a speech pathologist together, talking about aphasia. And it's very, very good.

And it's really very, very cool. And also, I love to do a lot of sports, disability sports before the stroke. Not football, so that's like stupid, like skydiving, scuba diving, hiking. And then after the stroke, I went to the website, and I see a lot of things to do for disability sports, and it's great.

And you can email or call me and ask a lot of stuff. And it's three hours or less, and it's in New York City. So it's really very, very, very cool. After the stroke, you know, it's very hard.

All I can say for one year was Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael. And I have no idea, even today, who is Michael. Maybe my cousin, maybe whatever, Michael, whatever. And then after the stroke, I write, and you can see is, well, it's garbage.

And now it's garbage, but it's very good garbage as well. So yeah. North Shore LIJ. In New York City is called Help, Help, Help, 1013.

So like EMS polices rushes with Batman or whatever. So three months after the stroke, an EMS police fireman has benefits for me. So friends, family, EMS, you know, stuff like that. So it's really very, very cool.

And yeah. Yeah. And I like ties a lot. Cartoon ties.

So it's really cool. So bear, bear, anywhere. It's really cool. Anyway.

So after the stroke, I went, I say, all right, I want to see what aphasia is. Because before I know what aphasia is, but I don't really understand. And I don't care because like trauma is awesome. A heart attack is awesome.

But aphasia is like, eh, whatever. So I went to the website and I see it's four words. Difficulty naming object correctly. And I say, what the, you know, like what?

So thank God, like EMS, police, fireman, I email or I call and I see and I see and I talk with them and I say, is okay to speak with a speech pathology about aphasia. And it's really very, very cool. Also zoo Bronx Zoo. Do you like Bronx Zoo?

Okay, good. I like Bronx Zoo. Awesome. So a lot of people, me, went to Bronx Zoo and I see the ambulance.

And I said, I'm going to the ambulance. North Shore LIJ. So I said, Ooh, Michael, Michael, stop. Michael, Michael, ambulance stop.

So somebody stopped and I have a lot, but I and I, and Mike, who is my friend and Danny was before a driving with me together. So Mike, and then he's like, Hey, how are you? Nice to see you. What's going on?

I say, Michael, Michael, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike. So it's really very, very cool. So National Aphasia Center is called the aphasia training awareness. So, So, Ellayne Ganzfried, a long time ago, was a speech... is a speech pathology, but is a president, a long time ago, and Steven Symbolik speak about aphasia with EMS, police, firemen, and one or two or three people who has aphasia speak about their story.

So, like EMS, Smithtown, USA, or New Jersey City Center, or... and then I go either driving or flying or Zoom and speak with a speech pathology. So, it's really, really cool. And also, for me, I love doctors, nurses, PAs talking about aphasia.

So, it's really very, very cool. So, yeah. So, before I was going to go to medical school, then I have a stroke. So, 10 years later, I say, is it okay to speak with a medical resident about aphasia?

So, the guy said, yeah, yeah, please, okay. So, Gail Weissman is a speech pathology professor in LIU Post. So, she spoke about aphasia. And then Dr. Peter, sorry, long name, and I have aphasia.

So, blah, blah, blah. She was a neuro MD. She... Pediatric MD.

And then he has a stroke and aphasia. So, he spoke about his story. So, it's really very, very cool. And then I speak with three or four people who has aphasia.

I speak about their story. So, it's really very powerful for me and OT and PT and speech. You know, so if I got kids as well. Like four years, four months ago with Dodge, I went with EMS World Expo.

EMS, whatever. And a lot of people talking about aphasia, EMS. But maybe in the future, aphasia as well. Maybe not.

Who knows? But, you know, whatever. I went twice to L.A. And I spoke with...

One time I spoke with Dr. Sorry, long name. . She...

He and I spoke with Radio TV about aphasia. So, it's really very, very cool. Twice I went to ASHA. And one time I spoke with students, speech pathology students about aphasia.

I mean, my story. And then Expo. Expo is really very, very cool. So, it's really very, very cool.

So, Alon, Sherry, Dafna. Dafna and me. A long, long time ago. Like in high school.

Was together. Friends. And now Dafna is a Colorado House of Representatives. So, Dafna says it's okay to speak with EMS, speech pathology, and professor, doctor about aphasia.

And I said, Michael, Michael, yeah. So, yeah. So, basically, doctor, neurologist talking about aphasia. Three people who is a speech pathologist speak about aphasia.

And then Michael, who knows. And me. They speak about their story. So, it was really very, very cool.

Oh, in Zoom. Because it's after the, in the viruses. So, yeah. And then twice I went to ASHA.

And I spoke with EMS talking about aphasia. So, it was really very, very cool. Again, Israel. Many times I go to Israel because cousin, a lot of cousins live in Israel.

So, many times. And then after the stroke, I speak about aphasia. So, it was really very, very cool. We'll skip that.

We'll skip that. Brain injury support is different classification, but is the same idea. So, me is aphasia. Brain injury support is people.

People bump their head, and then they have aphasia. They have brain injury support. So, it is very, very cool. Or not.

I don't know. We'll see. So, yeah. And then amputee.

Sorry. So, again. Anything. Do you have any questions, comments, concerns as well?

Okay. So, now it's disability support. So, a lot of newspaper or article. Whatever has a lot of things to do like amputee, wheelchair, handicap.

You know, stuff like that. And people talking about aphasia. People who has a disability speak about their stories. It's really powerful.

A lot of stuff to do. Also, I go to hospital to visit patients who have stroke. So, Joe, who a long time ago was, who has aphasia. I spoke.

I spoke about my story. And then I said, so what's going on? How are you doing? And I, and he said, you know, whatever.

So, yeah. It's, it's good. It's, it's really very, very cool. Carl McIntyre.

I think so. Maybe not. He was an actor and then he has a stroke and aphasia. So, he's like 10 years ago.

He said, you know what? On a bill. I want a movie, a movie called my story. So, now.

They have a movie called Aphasia: The Movie, for 40 minutes. And then he speaks about his story. So, it's really very, very interesting and is really cool. And then Chepell Chase.

He has, he has aphasia now, but before he was a director and he was directing a long time ago with Hillary Clinton. So, ooh la la. So, yeah. All right.

So, things to do, things to do. Like, I love to do a lot of sports, disability sports and is really very, very cool. So, moonlighting, riding horses in the winter, the summer, polar parachute, whatever. It's scary, but it's awesome.

You know, moonlighting or horse, moonlighting or riding horses in winter. I like winter. Is it planning? Paintball.

Guns for hire in New Jersey is really very, very cool. Scary and, but it's really very, very cool. And they, people with aphasia also have a good time one handed and is really very, very cool. So, yeah.

Impossible Dream. Very, very cool. And every year in the summer. They go to Miami all the way to the main up and down in the summer.

So, look it up into possible dream catamaran and maybe next year come and it's free. And it's really, really very, very cool. And a lot last year or four years ago, whatever. A lot of people who has aphasia come and have a good time and it's really very, very cool.

So, look it up. Awesome. And again, it's free. Helen Hayes Hospital and Burke Rehab has tons and tons.

Of disability sports. And also, it's very, very exciting. Tikkun Olam Makers is creating technology for people with disability. So, OT, PT, speech pathology, computer nerd, help them, help people with disability sports together for three days.

And it's very, very interesting. And it's a lot of fun to do. Also, it's free. Basically, after the stroke.

After disability, it's one, two, three, slash, four. It's free. So, a lot of people have a good time. And then 1.4, it's more money, but it's less than normal.

So, it's really very, very cool. Mountain and Ventures, like two months ago, I went to Mexico. And it's really very, very cool.

Is... Boat... Glass bottom boat is glass. So, you can see it's...

And Dodge is glass. So, it's really very, very cool. Or not, I don't know. Whatever, it's fine.

There we go. So, it's really very, very cool. Gliding. So, Freedom's Wings is a disability sports.

Disability flying in New Jersey. So, you can go have a good time and it's free. So, look it up. freedomswings.org.

And then six people who is a pilot. Two of them has a wheelchair. You know, it's fine. Just have a good time.

Have, you know, just really very, very cool. Scuba and pool. And then later, a lot of people and me went to Bonaire and swam with... Well, you can see is a lot of stuff.

American Dream. Dream Mountain in Miami, Maine. Mull. American Dream.

Yeah. Wheels is really... And then two people who have aphasia. And me went to Ferris wheel and big Ferris wheel.

And it's really very, very cool. Off-road... Northeast Off-Road Adventures. Really cool.

So, people with disability have a good time. And then a lot of people coming... Going to the mountain to drive. And it's, again, free.

Kite in the Heights. Okay. Aaron Fotheringham is Wheelz. I...

It's crazy. Do you know Aaron Fotheringham, Wheelz? No. Go to YouTube and...

Go to Aaron Fotheringham. But basically, he has a wheelchair and he doesn't care at all. And he goes to a mountain climbing, driving, flying, flying all the way back. And it's crazy.

Just look it up. It's awesome. And then this is like a small, you know, is like whatever. Crazy.

Rock climbing. Rock climbing. So, disability in Queens or Manhattan. Climbing.

And it's really very, very cool. Boxing. Disability boxing. Again, Helen Hayes Hospital.

Hand cycling. Surfing. Life Rolls On. So, a lot of people with disability have a good time.

And it's really very, very cool. And every year in the summer... Saturday and Sunday. So, you know, have a good time.

And it's really very, very cool. Sailing. Nyack Boat Club is sailing. So, disability free.

And it's have a good time. And it's really cool. And then after lunch. You know, so, hey, whatever.

It's really very, very cool. Alpacas In Harmony is really cool. And it's a dog with a wheelchair. You know, whatever.

Yoga. I have... I don't like yoga. I have a baby.

So, you know, whatever. But a lot of people with disability have a good time. And Sam, who has a wheelchair, he doesn't care. So, he goes to a wheelchair.

And he is yoga with a lot of people with disability. And it's... No Barriers Summit is the best ever. So, it's three days for $100.

And it's amazing, amazing, amazing. Skydiving. So, it's really cool.

Is video or not video? This one, I think the others were. This one probably is. No, I'm saying is it time or not?

Yeah. Okay. All right. Good.

So, let's go.

Oops. Oh, I see.

Here we go. Yeah.

So, I'm going to go...

And I'm flying up. But it's really cool. Salivation is like, you know...

All right. So, and then indoor skydiving. So, no problem. You can go to indoor skydiving and have a good time.

So, again, is indoor skydiving. So, it's really cool. And the guy... who has aphasia, also has a good time.

And is really... They're very cool. Row New York in Queens in extreme kite, whatever. I love snowboarding.

Sailing... I mean, ski is like stupid, but whatever. And then a lot of people have a good time. So, Kyle and Chepell, who has aphasia, have a good time together and, you know, is guides together.

So, it's really very, very cool. Tennis. Water ski or snowboarding. So, Leaps of Faith.

Have a good time. And it's free. It's free. So, in New York.

Connecticut. It's like one and a half hours away. So, you know, have a good time. Whatever.

Hot air balloon. Zoo in Vermont. And snow. Because I like snow.

But I hate summer. Winter. No. Summer.

I hate summer. I like winter. But that's me. Not everybody else.

Don't worry. It's all good. Snowmobiling. So, I...

It's two things. Number one, it's very, very, very cool. Like in the winter. Like freezing.

It's winter. And also, I did not know it. It's very, very fast. 55 miles per hour.

So, I'm screaming. And nobody noticed. Because I'm... The motor is there.

So, thank God I'm here. And whew. Thank God. All right.

So, snowboard. Skiing. Skilboarding. Oh.

Sorry. Swimming. Swimming. Thank God.

Swimming. Swimming. This is a ski bike. So, it's really, very, very cool.

And you can see. This is me and two people together helping. Together. It was really, very, very cool.

Golf. Really cool. Oh. For people who is blind.

See the dogs? So, I say, I'm sorry. I have a question. You are blind.

And they said, yes. So, I said. How do you do that? You know, so he said, Oh, yeah, it's no problem.

I golf and then I say, fetch dog, fetch. So yeah, it's really very, very cool. And then I went to Cancun Dolphins in Cancun. And I swam with dolphins, sea lions and manta rays.

It was really very, very cool. Stingray City, I swam with Stingray City is really very, very cool. No, yeah, it's really cool. So I was going to go, I swear, look it up.

I was going to go to Pig City in Colorado, not Colorado, whatever. Unfortunately, what's that? Yes, yes. Unfortunately, the weather is very hard, very foundling, very scary, very scary.

A lot of wind, a lot of wind. So they canceled. I'm so mad. Because I say, what?

You know, swimming with pigs, like what? So yeah, so I am doing it again. So yeah. And then, yeah, it's really cool.

And then scuba and pool, scuba and scuba. So you can, you can eat oxygen. So you have a good time. And you can go swimming with oxygen.

So it's really very, very cool. Archery. So it's, you know, one arm. So it's really cool.

Okay, bye. All right, whatever. Thalkery. So it was really very, very cool.

So a lot of people. Very, very is biting. So don't bite. So yeah.

Dog sledding in Glacier in helicopter. So I like dogs. And many years ago, now it's Dodge. And then helicopter.

So I will show you.

That's me. And then tandem swim. So it's really, very, very cool. So you can go to like two people and have a good time.

And it's really cool.

Swamp is basically alligator, a lot of alligators, just sitting waiting for every and they is like two meters, two feet away. That's, but they don't care. So, hey, whatever. It's really very, very cool.

And then West Chester is disability sports. So a lot of people have a good time. So it's really cool. And things to do like dancing or rugby or, you know, things, dancing.

And then also together helping everybody together helping whatever. So train show, or natural history, or polo. Polar Bear Club in the winter. Awesome.

Yeah, you know, bathing suits, and a lot of people is cartoons, cartoons, not cartoons, cartoons, yeah, cartoons together, swimming in the cartoons. Yeah, it's really very, very cool. And then also, you can go to Abilities Expo in New Jersey. And it's really cool, and it's free, and it's very, very, very cool.

And you also have six or seven different locations around the USA and in Canada. I don't know who is Canada, whatever, but whatever. So yeah, so look it up. Intrepid or, you know, have a good time, you know, stuff like that.

And then... And then this is Sky Combat Ace is really very, very cool. And it's... You can go to Google, not Google, train Google and go to Kate and Nate laser, playing laser tag in airplane.

So it's really very, very cool. And it's awesome. Or you can go to me and you can... I can email with you with Combat Ace.

So it's really very, very cool. No Barriers Summit is a disability sports. So in the three time, three days in the morning skiing, snowboarding, hiking, whatever you want. And then in the evening, people with disability or Wounded Warriors or kids speak about their story.

So it's really very, very, very powerful. Again, you know, Erik Weihenmayer, who is blind. He climbed to Mount Everest or, you know, stuff like that. It's crazy.

And it's really cool. Kyle Maynard, he has no arms, no legs. He doesn't care. So Erik and Kyle went another mountain and climbed.

So it's really like crazy. So, you know, you can go. You can go with No Barriers Summit and have a good time. And it's really very, very cool.

Just have a good... A lot of people. A lot of things to do.

So after the stroke and aphasia, I have aphasia. So every year, tomorrow, I go... I am going... Adler Aphasia Center has a play.

So I am... Sound of music. And it's really very... So people with disability...

People who have aphasia have a good time. And it's really cool. So whatever. Don't go.

Or do not go. But it's really... Very, very cool. All right.

It goes there. Don't worry about it. And... After the stroke, I really do want to...

I am... I was... I have it. I am doing it again.

Like EMS. Volunteering with EMS. So it's really very, very cool. So...

Blah, blah, blah. And that's it. So, yeah. That's it.

So... Yeah. Any questions, comments, concerns? Avi, thank you so much for coming to share.

I'm just curious. Besides the Special Olympics, Paralympics, are there any, like, sporting festivals for people with disabilities? And what are some organizations, aside from Achilles Heels, that people with disabilities... That allow the athletes to participate in sports?

Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Again, it's... In New York City or three hours away is a lot of...

People who has... Who have disability sports. So, I... Again, I can email with you, because I don't know who your name...

Who you're doing it, but... And you can... I can email with you with disability sports, and you can see a lot of stuff, including... USA and three or four in...

Around the world. So, yeah. It's really very, very cool. All right.

And... You know...

Avi, you're amazing. Thank you so much for being here and sharing. I have so many questions, and... I'll just start with one.

Were you this adventurous before your disability? Yes. Yes. Not...

Basically, is... Sports... Again, not... Say...

Football, baseball, I don't like it. But, like... Skydiving, scuba diving, before the stroke. And after the stroke...

After the stroke, I went to a lot of hospitals to work with experiment, a lot of experiment. And I saw the sign, a disability gliding. I said, what the hell is that? Michael, Michael, what?

Michael, what? You know? So, I went to the website, and I said, no. So, I went to the Abilities Expo.

Nope. Flying. Flying. That's not Michael.

But, I didn't know that horseback riding was an accessibility sport. What's that? Horseback riding is an accessibility sport. Basically, yeah.

Where is that? Right? Come on.

Darn it. Oh, there we go. Yeah. First time after the stroke, and I say, what the hell is that?

So, I went to the website. And I see a lot of people with disability have a good time, and it's free. So, that's the, in the past. So, I went, now I go to website and email and phone number.

And I look, and I say, I call or email. I say, is it okay to come with disability? And I, they said, yeah. Do you have to have certain disability that provides this?

Again, I can, I can email with you. And you can see a lot of website. Or you can go to Facebook. And for me, New York City, NYC Disability Sports.

And you can see a lot, a lot of stuff to do. Thank you so much. Yeah, no problem. Can you hear me?

Good. Okay. First of all, thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate it.

I kind of, like her, also have a few questions. But I'll try to limit it to, like, maybe two. Maybe three. Maybe, yeah.

So, one is, I've only heard of people using a service dog for very specialized things. Like, for sight. Or for, I have a friend where, if someone asks her, like, she'll say it's for alert. Because she can possibly need that assistance.

But, so I'm kind of wondering how your dog helps you with your aphasia. And I'm also wondering if you have, like, any short-term or longer-term goals when it comes to either. Like, that's kind of, like, a broad question. Whether it's about your own aphasia recovery.

Because you said you're still actively doing, like, speech therapy. Or whether it's about awareness. Like, I've been involved with, like... ReelAbilities and other disability, like, events in New York City in the past.

And also, aphasia, I think, if you're not speaking to somebody, also would be categorized as, like, a non-apparent disability. Which often people don't get or respect. So, those are, like, some of my thoughts. Feel free to answer any of them.

Or none. No, no. It's fine. Crap.

I'm sorry. Back. Two different questions. Number one, what is that?

The dog. Oh, the dog. Yes. The dog.

Not speaking. No speaking. Because he doesn't care. But, like, for example, I have no...

It's very hard to thingy. So, I... Yeah. So, he has...

Teeth? No. This one? Socks.

Socks. And he said, socks. And he gets the socks in the drawer. And...

Yeah. So, it's... Yeah. So, that's number one.

Number two, crap. What is that? Question. I said more broadly...

More broadly, your goals... Yeah. ...whether it's about educating other people or your own aphasia journey or having a somewhat non-apparent disability and, like... Right.

Yeah. So, after the stroke... Aphasia. Aphasia.

First of all, number one, a lot of people who has aphasia go... After the hospital, go to their apartment or house and lock the door and never come out. And I'm so mad because it's... You don't want to work with a speech pathology and that's, yeah, whatever.

And the... And other half of them go to speech pathology and work, work, work. And everybody is different. So, for me, it's getting better, better, better, but very slowly.

Other people is no problem. Other people is very... Yeah. Very hard, but it's getting better-ish.

And number two, I speak with EMS or hospital about aphasia. So they understand what aphasia is, but don't really... They understand, they know what aphasia is because they, the people are, is patients who has aphasia, but now they understand more than before. So it's...

They are the... They are they know more than before. So, yeah.

And...

So, a lot of us, many of us here are in some capacity in digital adjacent work, in some way, not everybody, but... Yeah. When you spoke a few years ago, I know you were using Dragon. Then things like macOS dictation, iOS dictation have evolved, but maybe not sufficiently, at least for atypical speech patterns.

I know things like Google's Project Relate is intended to help support atypical speech. But I'm just curious from your perspective, what's evolved and what still needs to evolve in kind of the digital space for aphasia support? So unfortunately, unfortunately, everybody who has aphasia is different. So that's number one.

And for me, I try like Google thingy very hard because number one, I don't know that I'm wrong or right. I don't, I don't realize that I speak is speaking high or rock or whatever. Very, it's very, it's very frustrating for me. But I still are working with a speech pathology every day and it's getting better.

But you know, every, everybody who has aphasia is different. So yeah, do you understand? Yeah.

I think we have time for one. So thank you. Thank you. As a follow up, are you finding that speech therapy is best when you have them face to face one on one person?

I went through speech therapy for 13 years. I went through hell. I can't tell you how many therapists I made cry and didn't want to work with me. Me too.

But you know, we talk about AI and digital solution and all that. And I think maybe this is more of a comment. There's nothing that will place to the human interaction. And what you're doing here with all these activities, that's a human interaction.

We need the human connection just to help you get through the day through the path. So no question there, just a comment. Thank you. But also AI is, for me, with aphasia, amazing.

AI is like super duper awesome. In what way? So I text or I WhatsApp. And for me, they understand roughly what's going on, what I am emailing.

But AI is like, everyone's like, oh, yeah. But again, aphasia, not everybody else. So yeah. Cool.

Okay. Thank you so much. Theoretically, we have like two minutes more for a question, if anyone has one.

So the question is more technical, because you had in one of your slides, the brain injury. And you said that it's there are different kinds of brain injury. So you have aphasia is one kind of brain injury. Correct.

How do you define that? Like, how do the doctors do tests? Or is it the psychologist or speech pathologist that realized that this is exactly what you have? Actually, both.

Both. Doctor... Awesome. I like doctors a lot.

Doctors say, aphasia. But the speech pathology really goes deeper than the doctors. Meaning doctors is awesome. But speech pathology, who has aphasia, speech pathology know that is very more critical than normal.

So they did it. They are doing it. Every day, every or every two days getting better. And it's.

Well, everybody is different. But yeah. Sorry. Do you understand me?

Yeah. It's like doctors will prescribe physical therapy, right? Yeah. They're not the ones who are there day to day, sensing how you're doing and helping you along your day to day.

Exactly. And by the way, just saying before I was a paramedic, Dr. Nurse's PA's OT. That's awesome.

I did not know it at all that a speech pathology is there in the hospital. Never, never. Yeah. But yeah.

Thank you so much. No problem. Wait. No.

Okay. Thank you very, very much. And... ...