Two-tier machinery
Hi, I’m Michael, and I’m a stroke survivor.
They talk about two-tier economies but my brain feels like a two-tier machine. Thankfully, cognitively, I’m fine. I’ve been tested thoroughly—not just medically but by our Board, advisors and others in my work to make sure I could still do my job. The second tier, the slower one, is my speech.
Hard Quiz
Before the ABC News at 7 pm, I sometimes catch the last 15-20 minutes of Hard Quiz with Tom Gleeson. I love trivia and know quite a few of the answers but I realise I couldn’t process my answer into speech quickly enough to hit the buzzer first and answer. It’s frustrating—not a big deal when it’s just the “Should I apply to be a contestant on Hard Quiz?” decision, but it’s different in real-world conversations.
Founders Circle
I’m a member of a tech founders group. Not surprisingly, there are some very smart people in the group (I struggled to keep up even before the stroke!). They speak quickly, often making mental leaps and connecting multiple topics at once. It can be humbling to see this speed in real time. Unfortunately, this speed also leads some to interrupt frequently.
I’ve had to raise my voice and ask them to let me finish. Usually, my directness works, as they quickly remember that I can’t respond as rapidly or to as many people at once anymore. If they truly want an answer, they need to let me finish speaking. Fortunately, this approach works in our group; they respect my situation but sometimes get carried away.
In the community
However, out in the community, people don’t know that my brain is fine and they can’t see my disability. Some speak over me, unaware that I can’t keep up verbally. Others hear my slower speech and assume that I am stupid. Either way, it’s often a frustrating experience.
See the Person campaign
It all reminds me of the See the Person campaign by SCOPE Victoria in 2010-2011. The scene shows a guy in a wheelchair on a train platform making strange sounds. The camera zooms in, revealing he’s wearing headphones and singing along to music. Then the line appears, “Relax, just another Radiohead fan’.
Watch the clip here: See the Person campaign - YouTube