Surviving a brain tumor is only one part of the story. In this episode of Brainstorms, host Renee Garrett, MSEd, CCC-SLP, CBIS, is joined by Ana Hernandez, MS, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist and brain tumor survivor, to share Ana’s lived experience of recovery and rebuilding life after treatment.
Ana shares how recovery has affected communication, cognition, energy, relationships, identity, and participation in everyday life. Together, Renee and Ana discuss some of the challenges that may be less visible to others, including cognitive fatigue, communication changes, adjusting to a new normal, and learning to advocate for the support you need.
They also consider the role rehabilitation can play throughout recovery and why clinicians and caregivers need to see the whole person beyond the tumor, diagnosis, or treatment plan. Through Ana’s perspective as both an SLP and a survivor, this episode offers a personal look at what life after a brain tumor can involve and what meaningful support can look like beyond survival.
Ana shares how recovery has affected communication, cognition, energy, relationships, identity, and participation in everyday life. Together, Renee and Ana discuss some of the challenges that may be less visible to others, including cognitive fatigue, communication changes, adjusting to a new normal, and learning to advocate for the support you need.
They also consider the role rehabilitation can play throughout recovery and why clinicians and caregivers need to see the whole person beyond the tumor, diagnosis, or treatment plan. Through Ana’s perspective as both an SLP and a survivor, this episode offers a personal look at what life after a brain tumor can involve and what meaningful support can look like beyond survival.
