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@markymarkfl

In my mom's battle with thymoma --> myasthenia gravis --> glioblastoma, I remember all the frustration with eyelid ptosis (MG) and then aphasia when the brain tumor (and surgery) affected her Broca's area.

I don't have any useful medical information to share, unfortunately... but was just thinking about the aphasia part. Part of her post-stroke treatment should include speech therapy, and if they haven't offered it (sometimes slips through the cracks), be sure to request (demand) it.

As part of that, ask the speech therapists and neurologists if they have any kind of devices (e.g., tablets and software) that can help with communication. If not, maybe there is a protocol or "language" that can be mastered which reduces the errors in communication. In dealing with brain damage in that area, you can't always be sure the patient understood your question, or did understand it and simply replied with the wrong word(s). Some way of asking the same question twice in different ways, or getting a confirmatory answer with eyes blinking, finger movements, etc seems logical. I have no idea if there are standards addressing that, but I would expect anything in that space to be more successful if you start early.

FWIW, a book called "The Brain That Changes Itself" (Norman Doidge, M.D., 2007) had several interesting takes on post-stroke therapy. Many other do as well, but this one was understandable by a layman like myself. https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100

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Replies to "In my mom's battle with thymoma --> myasthenia gravis --> glioblastoma, I remember all the frustration..."

Thank you again for your reply. Yes, therapy is lined up. Her aphasia seems to be improving. I am looking forward to her labs and scan this week, with all of the fears and "scanxiety" present.
Her onco suggested if her cancer is progressing that he may want her to consider IV chemo again. Of course, her platelets and kidney function being as it is may not allow for that.