After intensive work with the speech pathologists at Bathurst Base Hospital the 49-year-old is back at work in the Lands Department call centre. 

He is thrilled – but not all stroke patients are so fortunate. 

Mr Wilson reunited with speech pathologists Emily Davis and Lauren Fisher this week to celebrate Speech Pathology Week.

The theme for the week was “Tell Your Story”.

Mr Wilson said he was completely paralysed immediately following his stroke, but gradually everything came back except his voice.

Even though he wanted to go home, he stayed in the rehabilitation unit at the base for a month where he underwent four weeks of intensive speech therapy three times a day.

Ms Davis added, however, that no matter how much therapy they do sometimes patients just do not get their speech back.

In those cases the speech pathologists look at other ways people can communicate.

“If it wasn’t for these girls I wouldn’t be working today,” Mr Wilson said.

“I am now back at work four days a week and as of this week I am back on the phones.

“My employer has been very supportive.”

He admits he was determined to get back to work as soon as possible so he did all the exercises and homework he was instructed to do. Sometimes, however, this isn’t possible because patients need someone with them. 

Mr Wilson also set some very specific goals – answering the phone and texting, for instance.

Ms Davis said she was initially very concerned because Mr Wilson’s communication skills were so severely affected by his stroke that he couldn’t speak, read or write.

“Some days were terrible,” he admitted. “My neurologist said it will be five years before I am back to where I was before the stroke.

“Luckily I was with people when it happened.

“Immediately after the stroke is the best time to have therapy.”

Ms Davis said Tell Your Story is all about raising awareness about speech pathology and the methods used in communication.

There are speech pathologists in community health and the hospital as well as private speech pathologists.