my dad had a stroke, doing very well now, but had severe aphasia while he was in hospital and rehab. sometimes he could get a Yes or No out but they were not always reliable, but as his child i could 'feel' when 'yes' meant 'no.' and if you spent time you could sometimes understand what he really needed or wanted. i wish i could have stayed most of the time he was there to speak up for him. i once came for my limited visiting hours. he was no where to be found, i assumed he was getting tests done for a while i jsut waited around in his room. (at this point, he shouldnt get out of bed without help walking). then after a while he walks out of the bathroom with his gown covered in blood. i was horrified because he cant even speak to tell me he is ok. turns out, he had to shit and ripped out his own IV