CeCelia R. Zorn, PhD, RN, is a Professor Emerita from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. In her teaching and research, she integrated humanities into nursing and authored more than 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals, several book chapters, and three books: Becoming a Nurse Educator: Dialogue for an Engaging Career, Angels Don’t Get Tattoos, and Devils Don’t Wear Velvet. Her husband, Wayne, was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia four years ago. Now CeCelia is continually learning supportive communication strategies, confronting the challenges of a changing relationship, and facing a descending progression. She finds meaning in the following: Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s learning to dance in the rain.
In a fascinating, creative account, Tania Riske, MS/CCC-SLP, and CeCelia Zorn, PhD, RN let the voices of a patient, his wife, and his speech/language pathologist describe the challenges, small triumphs, and human connections involved in the treatment of primary progressive aphasia—a rare neurological disease that causes the total loss of speech.