When I was growing up my parents made sure that at every given opportunity I continued to learn. I mentioned before in Number problems after brain injury, how weekends included spelling and arithmetic tests. Part of me found it laborious, whilst the other part enjoyed the challenge. I couldn’t spell as well as I could do maths, but I was still pretty sharp compared to my peers.
My mother, the human dictionary.
Actually I was probably better than I realised, but I was using my mum as the benchmark. However, her grasp of the English language was astounding! She could give you the meaning of, and spell almost anything! It was a true talent as this was a lady who left school at 15. She needed to get a job to help support her mum and pay her own way. So she had no qualifications, but you were the fool if you thought that was anything to go by!
I credit her with my understanding of how English words are constructed. Yes my school teachers did their bit, but she had drilled it into me before they got a chance to have a go. So whilst I was never as accomplished as my mum, I still was one of the best spellers I knew. She’d given me confidence and the ability to break words down into their sections, so I could build words in the same way.
But my brain injury undid much of her hard work.
When my brain injury first happened, I couldn’t read or write. (Actually the last conversation I had with my mum before she died was about how I didn’t know what would become of me as I’d lost these essential skills.) But in time, I slowly improved, thank goodness.
My progress meant my confidence grew too. But that also gave rise to a false sense of security. For years I had been the person in the office you could randomly ask how to spell something and I could give you the answer, just like that. But I’m not that person anymore, although my confidence thinks I am.
Let me give you a really lame example that happened just the other day. My partner, James, and I were talking about the pronunciation of the word ‘full’. I over annunciate the U in it because it annoys me how often it is pronounced ‘fall’ or ‘fool’. James tried to point out that I can’t just base my assumption of how to say a word based on spelling. He pointed out ‘Gull’ makes quite a different sound, despite being only one letter different.
I immediately retorted that there was a reason for that….. “it’s only got one L.” I was absolutely certain of that ‘fact’ as I said it. But as the conversation went on, doubt started to creep in. And so it turns out I can’t even spell a 4 letter word.
My brain must be in denial.
If you have never been a confident speller, you’re unlikely to ever overestimate your ability to spell. You probably wouldn’t give yourself enough credit to begin with. Where as because I had previously been confident, and it was pretty much warranted, my brain is prepared to believe it is again. However, that just makes me look like even more of a fool.
I know that with continued practise I will improve my spelling. Just writing this blog is helping I’m sure. But I can’t tell you what I would give for my mum and her laborious spelling tests now.
9 replies on “My ability to spell, stolen by brain injury.”
I’ve been misspelling words too. I haven’t told anyone. Sometimes I can’t think of the right words for a conversation. I can’t get it in my brain, to come out my mouth. People jump in and try to find the word for me. It’s embarrassing. When I leave a note for someone, I have to change my words around sometimes so my sentence makes sense, because I can’t think of how to spell a word. Thank you for this site. It is a place I feel at home.
Colette
Yes I’m the same. And it takes so much effort always trying to find different ways to say the same thing.
I’m so glad this site makes you feel like you can just be yourself and talk about the things you are always trying to disguise.
Thank you for caring.
Thank you for another Great Story
Glad you enjoyed it ?
after my brain injury soon after few months i started facing stamerring problem. one day i met one of my friend but due my stammering, misspealling struggles i coudnt even say hi to her……i hope that if the girl read this she could understand my circumstance…..i m proud to be a brain injury surviour…
That’s so heartbreaking that you couldn’t speak to your friend. The frustration and embarrassment that must have caused you! I sincerely hope that you have come through that phase of your recovery.
Not only can I not spell I can’t count my mini strokes were 2019 between June and when I was diagnosed in august I lost my penmanship n still can’t write it affected my left side my dominant side I’m totally upset
I’m sorry Rachel and I can hear how much stress this causes you. I hope that your strength and control will improve. My handwriting was unrecognisable after my accident and I was devastated that I seemed to have lost my ability to draw and paint. Thankfully, with time it did get better, and I think it’s back to normal now. An occupationally therapist should be able to suggest exercises to help regain your strength and coordination.