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American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 24, No. 2, 141-143 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1049909106295296

Disappearance of a Stutter Shortly Before Death

Phuc H. Duong, MD

CESCO (Centre of Continuous Care), Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, 11, Collonge-Bellerive, Switzerland

Gilbert B. Zulian, MD

CESCO (Centre of Continuous Care), Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, 11, Collonge-Bellerive, Switzerland, gilbert.zulian{at}hcuge.ch

A patient with a stutter caused by the trauma of the death of a loved one was able to recover normal speech 1 week before her death, which resulted from intestinal obstruction caused by ovarian cancer. The stutter appeared to have been overcome using a combination therapy of sophrology, self-regulation, and drug therapy. During a genuine resilience process, the patient was able to overcome an earlier existential fracture. In this final phase of life, health professionals and the family fully respected the patient's independence to remain in control of events. She repeatedly refused to have a nasogastric tube inserted to extract fecal matter from the stomach. This patient consequently repossessed her own language of expression in a body that was shattered by cancerous illness and the consequences of treatments. She thus managed to find a successful balance between the body, the spirit, and the brain.

Key Words: stutter • palliative care • sophrology


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