See My Ability: Just because you can't speak doesn't mean that you have nothing to say

Lucas has a recumbent bike that he likes to ride on the Calgary pathways near his home in the southeast.​

See My Ability: Just because you can't speak doesn't mean that you have nothing to say CBC.ca

These are the lives of real people with real, compelling stories to tell. We hope these stories shine light on the diverse faces that make up Calgary and highlight that there is lots to be learned. Read the first story in the series below.

Thank you to everyone who shared their story. Your story matters.

Lucas, 25
Hometown: Cardston, Alberta
I was involved in a car accident in 2016 and as a result of a misdiagnosis - not the accident itself - I suffered a non-traumatic brain injury and have been non-verbal since.

Although I have physical impairments, communication is definitely my biggest obstacle day-to-day.

For me, I can communicate quite well if you know how I work.

A lot of people assume that because of my physical disabilities I have a cognitive deficiency and can't live on my own. Because of my disabilities, people initially think it's impossible. It's far from ideal but it's definitely doable and for me independence is crucial for my mental health.

I live on my own with the aid of a few public services, but communication remains my biggest obstacle and keeps me from being able to enjoy many of the activities I would like to be involved in.

I think people first notice my physical impairments and I think that's quite common for the general public but I wish my personality was easier to display.

I really admire the British neurologist Oliver Sacks. Along with being a neurologist he was also a naturalist, historian of science, and a writer. A lot of his writing has really resonated with me after sustaining my particular injuries.

Communicating in the general public is definitely the biggest obstacle as noisy and busy areas make it even harder than normal. If people take the time to understand me it makes it much easier for both of us.

I like visiting the Foothills hospital because I have spent a lot of time there as a patient and on the whole, people are educated about people with different communication strategies.

With my particular injuries, there are services I ...

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