Ventura woman tries to take back words a stroke stole

By Tom Kisken Ventura County Star July 11, 2011 - USA

In her head, the letters make sense. The B doesn't get confused with P. The I is no longer hit and miss. She knows the computer monitor in the study is a "computer," not a "TV." The bridge between N.J. Windroth's mind and her eyes, mouth and hands was washed out two years ago - a stroke took away her short-term memory and the ability to read and write. Now this woman with three shelves of books above her bed is trying to take back her language. week. On the other days, she finds a quiet place in her home. Then she drills herself with flash cards on words like "ride," "said" and "make." "I asked her what her goal was," said Patrick Murphy, director of the Huntington Learning Center in Ventura. She said I want to be able to read. In essence, 'I want my life back.' " Windroth lives in a home in the hills above Ventura and works as a volunteer. S he calls her husband of 42 years, retired architect Bill "my sweet". She was a court reporter. She now takes reading classes 90 minutes a day, four days a

On Jan. 6, 2009, she was having lunch with friends. A blinding pain hit the side of her head - the menu turned into a dark blur. She was having a stroke. She had to have brain surgery and then two months of rehabilitation. Everything changed. When she returned home, she didn't recognize the neighborhood. She remembered many of the big things, but the small things were gone. She wasn't sure about her age. She had to relearn where the light switches were in her home. She's always been a reader, a fan of legal novels, suspense thrillers and inspirational books like "Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light." She relied on her home computer to write emails to her three daughters. She also worked on recording family history and tracking finances. The stroke took nearly all of that she could only remember a little of this. With all other reading and writing, she could see letters in her mind's eye but couldn't get them out. "Every word I see, it looks right, but I can't read it," she said. The gaps are caused by damage to the part of her brain that controls language, called aphasia. The condition can affect people's ability to understand and express information. Recovering depends on the severity of stroke and the amount of time that has passed. Much of the healing comes in the first several months after the injury.

"Someone who is extremely motivated does much better," the speech therapist said. Windroth's quest began shortly after her stroke. Her husband used flash cards to help her relearn the alphabet. This helped, but they needed other help. Bill Windroth didn't know where to go. He finally found the Huntington Learning Center - it helps young people struggling in school or trying to get ready for college. "They said they didn't have any experience (with strokes) but they would do what they could," he said. At the centre, Windroth drilled letters with a retired teacher. Shown a G, she traced the letter on a tabletop, closing her eyes to better visualize it. "G," she said. Some days, the alphabet is almost easy. Almost. Other days, everything is a struggle. "Stop it!" she said to herself after a mistake. The progress comes in stops and starts. But there is progress. The centres director Murphy came into the lobby one day to find Windroth reading a newspaper. She drills at the center, at home, at the mall, everywhere. "I'm in awe of how much work she puts in," Murphy said.

Windroth doesn't think about quitting. She enjoys the good days Ask what she will read first and she doesn't know how to answer. Her husband grinned. "We have a hold on 'War and Peace' just in case," he said.