James Stephens

James is a New Zealander. He was a teacher, musician and music director, a journalist and event manager - as well as a husband, father and grandfather. He was a voracious reader, a fluent writer and confident speaker.

In 2015, he suffered a hemiparesis, a middle cerebral artery territory infarct.

In a word, a stroke.

He collapsed, paralysed on his right side, and couldn't speak or write. The hospital intervention was rapid and his limbs were free but his speech was absent.

He had/has aphasia.

Aphasia is the loss of a previously held ability to articulate ideas or comprehend spoken or written language, resulting from damage to the brain caused by injury or disease - in this case, a stroke.

He has semi-recovered with expert therapists in speech, music and eurhythmy.

He has a positive and optimistic outlook, electing to view his stroke as a 'stroke of luck'.

"My aphasia forced me to look at my life differently and to re-invent myself. Now, I am an author - apparently!"