Book excerpt: This voice-driven, narrative, non-fiction book relays the stories of seven courageous women whose lives have been greatly impacted by a loved one’s stroke, resulting in loss of language ability to one degree or another. Aphasia leads to varying degrees of problems in speaking, understanding, reading, writing, gesturing, and using numbers. Aphasia can be extremely stressful for both the individual who had the stroke and for their family and friends. Speech is such a significant part of human interaction, and it’s something that most people take for granted. It’s hard to be able to communicate if you’ve been dependent upon verbal communication and yours is suddenly impaired. Fortunately, some recovery from aphasia is possible, and there are still ways to effectively communicate, even with aphasia. The stories contained in the book are intended to help others feel less alone as they navigate their loss and the confusing healthcare system. The stories are told from the advent of a stroke of their loved-ones and describe how these caretakers persevered to find quality medical services and to provide home care. Caring For a Loved One with Aphasia After Stroke is written for people who are going through a similar crisis, or for those in the medical and/or speech/language field who are interested to learn more about perseverance and hope that are critical to aphasia.