Crossing the Void: My Aphasic Journey

by Carol Cline Schultz
Her Stroke Story

About the Author:

Carol Schultz was an unlikely candidate to become a writer because her preference was always to be active in the outdoors as far as possible from the confines of a desk. Then, her abrupt overnight descent into wordlessness changed all that. Now, having moved from aphasia stroke survivor to author, she is committed to helping others by telling of her recovery.

The author was raised with her two sisters in Boy Scout Camp Bradford (of Indiana University’s Bradford Woods) near Martinsville, Indiana. There they roamed the woods and participated in the day to day operation of the camp. In retrospect, she feels the freedoms she enjoyed there in her youth and the creative problem solving opportunities they provided were important contributions to her being able to conquer aphasia.

Carol graduated from Indiana University with a BS in Recreation. She held various positions in youth camps and the Minnesota Outward Bound School, taught outdoor education, assisted a taxidermist, was a Girl Scouts of America district executive, and a cross-country ski and canoe instructor. She and her husband, with their two sons, operated Base Camp, their family owned outdoor store, in Bellingham, Washington for 31 years, until their retirement.

The author feels a very strong commitment to use her experience to benefit other aphasic stroke victims, their rehabilitation teams, relatives and advocates. Carol regularly tutors an aphasic survivor and is available to talk with individuals and groups. She hopes her experiential insights and learning strategies will increase both the success rate for aphasic victims and the effectiveness of their support networks.

Crossing the Void: My Aphasic Journey is her first book.

“Reading is the visual representation of speech. Reading aloud became speech for me.”