rose
Extremely helpful member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2008
- Messages
- 2,925
- Reason
- DX MND
- Diagnosis
- 7/2008
- Country
- US
- State
- Maryland
- City
- Anytown
Okey dokey, I've got aspiration pneumonia again... I'm not sharing this for sympathy, but rather seeking some feed back. I'd already sent BethU a message, about some other things we were talking about, and also wrote this to her ~ I'm copying and pasting because its easier....
...today when my larygologist purposefully touched the opening of my wind pipe with the scope (she was doing the videostroboscopy to check out my vocal cords) she said I had almost no gag, it was weak and very delayed. She said it took me a full 10 seconds after she touched it to have any sort of reaction, when I should have had an instantaneous cough. Now, how the heck am I supposed to keep liquids and food out of there if I don't even have the urge to cough when she's prodding it with a hard object! She said until I can get in to the speech pathologist for a repeat swallow test and swallow therapy she wants me to give a sharp cough every two bites of food or liquid that is swallowed. (that should go over well in restaurants, right?)
Seriously, what am I going to do, if I can't sense stuff entering my trachea!
I'm so not happy about this. It isn't any big surprise, I knew it already, but nothing like having it confirmed. You know how if we drink a large drink that is cold, eventually we can be aware of our stomach feeling cold? ... A couple of days ago I was drinking a smoothie, ~ it was a "double" I'd made a huge one.... I actually could feel the coldness from it spread out diffusely in the left side of my chest I kept trying to convince myself that I was imagining it, except that this is something I'd never even considered (feeling the coldness). But this is just an example, I think all liquids are making it in a little bit, and what with taking in such a long drink all at one time I think I messed myself up more.
Still waiting to be scheduled for follow up swallow study, and for the swallow therapy afterward.
My question is, is this a genuine bad thing, or just something else that I'll be able to find ways to compensate for. :| and any suggestions are welcome. (I'm already tilting head forward, leaning forward - when I remember to of course) does anyone here really make themselves cough sharply after a few swallows, and if so, how well does it work for you?
thanks
Going to try to eat/cough some soup now ...
...today when my larygologist purposefully touched the opening of my wind pipe with the scope (she was doing the videostroboscopy to check out my vocal cords) she said I had almost no gag, it was weak and very delayed. She said it took me a full 10 seconds after she touched it to have any sort of reaction, when I should have had an instantaneous cough. Now, how the heck am I supposed to keep liquids and food out of there if I don't even have the urge to cough when she's prodding it with a hard object! She said until I can get in to the speech pathologist for a repeat swallow test and swallow therapy she wants me to give a sharp cough every two bites of food or liquid that is swallowed. (that should go over well in restaurants, right?)
Seriously, what am I going to do, if I can't sense stuff entering my trachea!
I'm so not happy about this. It isn't any big surprise, I knew it already, but nothing like having it confirmed. You know how if we drink a large drink that is cold, eventually we can be aware of our stomach feeling cold? ... A couple of days ago I was drinking a smoothie, ~ it was a "double" I'd made a huge one.... I actually could feel the coldness from it spread out diffusely in the left side of my chest I kept trying to convince myself that I was imagining it, except that this is something I'd never even considered (feeling the coldness). But this is just an example, I think all liquids are making it in a little bit, and what with taking in such a long drink all at one time I think I messed myself up more.
Still waiting to be scheduled for follow up swallow study, and for the swallow therapy afterward.
My question is, is this a genuine bad thing, or just something else that I'll be able to find ways to compensate for. :| and any suggestions are welcome. (I'm already tilting head forward, leaning forward - when I remember to of course) does anyone here really make themselves cough sharply after a few swallows, and if so, how well does it work for you?
thanks
Going to try to eat/cough some soup now ...