Hi, Phyllis ... and welcome from one newbie to another.
After 2+ years of bulbar symptoms, my speech is most often unintelligible, esp. as the day wears on. I'm learning to use the type/speech gizmo, but am not getting much use out of it yet, as my husband has learned to listen very attentively to what I'm trying to say. I don't have a way to carry it around with me when I go out ... it's way too big for my purse. It's faster at home just to jot down a word or two and gesture and slur something out, and my husband usually gets it. We are developing sign language.
I eliminate all unnecessary words ... "the" "and" etc. and try to use the shortest words possible when I have to talk. The biggest problem is on the phone, when I can't use gestures, and am talking to strangers. The first thing I say is "Please ... ex .... cuse ... spee ... ch ... I have prob ... lem." This way, they will usually slow down and work with me. Don't know how long this will work, as my speech continues to deteriorate. Wish I could use a type/speaker on the phone ...
My answering machine still has my original message on it from two years ago when my speech was normal. I'm scared to death to lose that message! But the answering machine turned on yesterday while I was "talking" to someone, and when I listened to the tape later, I was surprised to hear that I was somewhat more intelligible than I thought. I sounded both stupid and drunk, but I could make out what I was saying, which is all I hope for at this point.
Mostly, I just avoid speaking situations as much as possible. I do as much as possible by e-mail. When companies don't have websites or e-mail, I write letters. I write letters to my doctors and even my dentist now, instead of trying to leave messages to make appointments or ask questions. (And one "advantage" of all this ... after just one labored phone call from me, people recognize my horrible voice instantly on the phone when I call, which saves a LOT of explaining.)
It's a learning process every day. I think PALS must be the most creative people in the world to figure out how to cope with all this.
Don't know if any of this helps, but we're all facing these things together, and I'm glad you have found the forum. I am getting a lot of reassurance and support just reading questions and responses, and sometimes just "venting."
Beth