"Speaking with intent"

I never had difficulty with speaking in public, whether acting in school plans or debating , arguing the odds at Student Union meetings, or addressing decent sized audiences in support of causes I believed in. I spent thirty years as a criminal lawyer, appearing before judges and magistrates on a regular basis with nerves not coming into play. When I changed occupation and went into the licensing trade, I had no difficulty making myself heard when calling ‘last orders' or asking the questions at the weekly pub quiz. When Covid changed my life as well as that of others, pushing me into retirement, I still expected to remain fluent in speech and be able to be able to articulate whenever necessary.

Unfortunately, I very soon discovered that i had contracted Parkinson's disease, the diagnosis confirmed around five and a half years ago. Initially, the symptoms were limited to tremors and stiffness of movement, and I was still able to hill walk as I had for many years, but gradually I became increasingly affected. Whilst I still walk my dog for an hour a day, my energy levels are not what they were and I certainly will no longer be looking down from the summit of a Munro.

The majority of physical symptoms were self – evident but in one area , my speech, I had not realised that there had been such a serious effect. Occasional comments had been made that i was talking quietly or with limited clarity, but I put that down to a consequence of old age rather than Parkinsons. When the remarks became more regular, and friends told me that I was slurring rather than talking clearly , I raised the subject with my Movement Specialist , Dr Donaldson. She confirmed that my speech was significantly less clear and quieter than it had been, but that something could be done to help me. I readily agreed to participate in a speech therapy course, and I was referred to a unit based at the DGRI in Dumfries.

Several months later, I was contacted by Emily, the head of the Speech Therapy unit, and a meeting was arranged at the hospital in Castle Douglas, much more accessible to my home than Dumfries. I was given a manual for a programme called ‘Speak Out' and Emily explained the purpose of the programme and what was involved. I was expected to follow a series of vocal exercises on a daily basis, which required warming up of the vocal chords, repeating sounds and numbers, and reading out loud.

Whilst that seemed straightforward enough, I had not expected to be put on video whilst I carried out the exercises on the first occasion, even if I had no hesitation in agreeing to it. What concerned me was how much my decibel levels had declined in the last couple of years, and how lacking in clarity my speech was. I was very happy to undertake the course if it meant that there might be a level of improvement in the long term even if, as I thought, it would take some time for there to be even a limited change for the better.

So, over a period of about a month, I set about the exercise regime with gusto, trying to follow the daily pattern of warming up, counting in a rhythmical way, reading passages from the manual, and undertaking increasingly difficult cognition tests as if speaking across a large auditorium. I had a weekly home visit from Jan, who measured the volume from my voice as I undertook the exercises in front of her, and she was very friendly both to me and my dog, who formed a bond as soon as Jan met him.

After a few weeks, I met up with Emily again, to see how I was progressing. She seemed pleased to hear how much louder and clearer my speech was, even when I counted in French, and I noticed the improvement when I compared the video from my first visit and that recorded when I met up with Emily on the second meeting. I was pleased that my efforts meant that I could be discharged with no more face to face sessions booked, but equally pleased to know that I could call for help if my levels had slipped. I am determined to continue with my daily practice, possibly choosing a fairly difficult text to read aloud.

So can I please thank Emily , Jan and the team for what they have done to help me. I have joined a weekly singing group, even if the numbers may soon start to drop. Most importantly, I have been told by friends and family that my speech has improved since I started with speech therapy. One close friend said she would say when asked, that my speech had improved significantly. I will be very pleased to hear that I can still hold fluent conversations in the years to come, and continue to speak with intent!