Jane’s Story: Helping Others Starts with ‘Hello’ for this Stroke Survivor

Jane Milas, an attorney specializing in construction law, was 67 and a self-proclaimed “workaholic” when her life changed in an instant.

After wrapping up a long day at work, she had just pulled into her driveway when she was blindsided by a sudden, explosive headache. She managed to crawl inside, dialed 911, and said calmly, “I believe I’m having a stroke.”

She was taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered a ruptured aneurysm in her brain. After surgery and days in a coma, Jane began the long road to recovery at Gaylord Hospital.

Her mobility remained intact, but speech became a monumental challenge. Like many stroke survivors, Jane developed aphasia, a communication disorder that can affect speaking, understanding, reading, and writing. She began intensive therapy with a speech language pathologist who tailored a plan to help her regain those skills.

She remembers one of her early sessions at Gaylord. Her therapist placed a flashcard in front of her that read, “My name is Jane,” and encouraged her to say the words out loud.

In her mind, Jane scoffed at the simplicity of the task.

“Oh my God,” she thought. “Are you kidding me? Of course I can do this.”

But when she spoke, the words came out jumbled - a startling disconnect between what she knew in her mind and what she could get her mouth to say.

“It didn’t make sense,” Jane recalls.

Though the moment hit hard, it lit a fire in her. “I told myself, ‘Now I really have to do this. This is what I’m going to do. And it’s okay.’”

The next day, she tried again. Still, the words didn’t come out right. But she kept at it. Again and again. Over time, her speech started to return.

Jane spent nearly a month at Gaylord Hospital before transitioning to the Traurig House - Connecticut’s only residential facility for people recovering from acquired brain injuries - for continued rehabilitation. There, she worked daily to regain more of her communication skills and independence.

Her outpatient speech-language pathologist, Shannon Masella, MA CCC-SLP, admires Jane’s progress:

“Jane is one of the most motivated and hard-working patients I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” she says.

“Watching her improve in all areas of speech and communication has been amazing.”

Today, Jane volunteers as a peer mentor for other Gaylord Hospital patients recovering from stroke.

At first, she wasn’t sure she was ready for the role. But after trying it, she realized how meaningful it could be for her and the patients she meets.

“Every week is different,” she says. “You never know who you’ll see or what their story is. I start with ‘Hello. I’m Jane, and I was here, too.’”

For Jane, mentoring isn’t just about helping others, it’s also a way to continue her own progress and stay connected to the community that helped her heal.

“I tell them to keep going,” she says. “That’s what we’re all doing. Just keep going.”