Speech Therapy UPDATE!

Hello my friends,

I am so excited to tell you all that at me swallow study today, I DID NOT ASPIRIATE anything! I closed my wind pupe, my muscles all worked and moved up. I still have a very slow swallow, so still keeping peg and no food or liquids yet, more therapy and exercising needed to strengthen my swallow. But there is a very bright light now at the end of my tunnel and irs FOOD AND WATER! So that steep mountain wanted to keep this Irish girl down, but by the Grace of God I am sitting pretty at the 3rd rest station!

Thank you everyone for believing in me and praying for me, keep it up its working!


Love to alll,

Rachel

Comments

  • Ingrid K
    Ingrid K Member Posts: 813
    yippeeeeeeee

    good news for sure.

    Did you actually swallow water ?  if so, that's great as water is the hardest liquid to swallow.

    So keep up the good work....do all your exercises..... and you will be graduating to liquids and soft foods before you know it.

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    that's almost

    hard to, er, swallowLaughing

     

    best to you

     

    Pat

  • lorig01
    lorig01 Member Posts: 83
    Congratulations!

    HI. I have been following your trials and have been praying for you.  This is wonderful news.  Keep up the great work!

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    Was that a Mustard Seed?

    Well check that out!

    That mountain seems to have moved a bit! That's great news Rachel. Keep up the good work and God will do the rest :)

    "T"

     

  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898
    fishmanpa said:

    Was that a Mustard Seed?

    Well check that out!

    That mountain seems to have moved a bit! That's great news Rachel. Keep up the good work and God will do the rest :)

    "T"

     

    Awesome!
    It's so funny that only your friends on here can fully appreciate this!
    I'm happy for you, it really is a huge step. I'm just slightly ahead of you in this swallowing process. Most things are easier for me than directly after treatment but some things are still a bit tough. Saw my ENT/surgeon yesterday and we are possibly looking at dilation if I can't get over this hump with the exercises alone.
    Keep on sea ling my friend......
    Billie
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    Rachel, so glad to hear your

    Rachel, so glad to hear your good news.  it will continue to get better.  i've had my throat dilated several times and it does help.  keep up the good work.

    God bless,

    deb

  • rachel12yrsuv
    rachel12yrsuv Member Posts: 435
    Ingrid K said:

    yippeeeeeeee

    good news for sure.

    Did you actually swallow water ?  if so, that's great as water is the hardest liquid to swallow.

    So keep up the good work....do all your exercises..... and you will be graduating to liquids and soft foods before you know it.

    Ingrid,
    NO, they wouldn't let

    Ingrid,

    NO, they wouldn't let me, only let me gargle with water and spit out. Maybe next time, I think they want to do Vitalstem therapy to stregthen, we'll see when she calls.

    So happy!


    Rachel
  • rachel12yrsuv
    rachel12yrsuv Member Posts: 435

    Rachel, so glad to hear your

    Rachel, so glad to hear your good news.  it will continue to get better.  i've had my throat dilated several times and it does help.  keep up the good work.

    God bless,

    deb

    Thanks Pat, Lori, T,Billie,
    Thanks Pat, Lori, T,Billie, and Deb,

    When I found out I wanted to tell those close to me of course, then I couldn't wait to tell me family on CSN, I knew you were all praying, I knew others where in my boat and wanted to give them hope. I also wanted a little feel good for my buddies going through tx now, T! So many positive caring people on here, you don't have to be battle the beast directly, you could be like me and battling the aftermath, it doesn't matter we are here because we fight to survive and help each other out.


    You are all the best people I never met!

    Love to all my brothers and sisters,

    Rachel
    Praise God!
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member

    Thanks Pat, Lori, T,Billie,
    Thanks Pat, Lori, T,Billie, and Deb,

    When I found out I wanted to tell those close to me of course, then I couldn't wait to tell me family on CSN, I knew you were all praying, I knew others where in my boat and wanted to give them hope. I also wanted a little feel good for my buddies going through tx now, T! So many positive caring people on here, you don't have to be battle the beast directly, you could be like me and battling the aftermath, it doesn't matter we are here because we fight to survive and help each other out.


    You are all the best people I never met!

    Love to all my brothers and sisters,

    Rachel
    Praise God!

    Rachael

    Pleased to hear your progress...that is a huge step! Keep the good news coming.

    Candi

  • rachel12yrsuv
    rachel12yrsuv Member Posts: 435
    hwt said:

    Rachael

    Pleased to hear your progress...that is a huge step! Keep the good news coming.

    Candi

    Candi,
    Trust me rather share

    Candi,

    Trust me rather share good than bad, so anytime I can I will! I don't want another survivor to get to this point,
    EXERCISE, EXERCISE, DRINK FLUIDS, DRINK FLUIDS AND EXERCISE SOME MORE....AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THANK GOD FOR BEING A SURVIVOR!


    Your Friend,

    Rachel
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    lots

    lots of baby steps and your doing so good with them! such great news

    keep up the hard work

    john 

  • Grandmax4
    Grandmax4 Member Posts: 723
    Happy, Happy

    I also had asperation pneumonia after having my epiglottis removed..I was so scared I never was going to learn to swallow correctly. The exercises and the fact that I don't have to tuck my chin have brought me to the point I no longer even have to concentrate on what I'm doing, it's just become a part of the "new me". I do the exercises still and probably always will...Blessings to you...mmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! 

  • peggylulu
    peggylulu Member Posts: 375
    YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so

    YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so happy for you !That is wonderful news ! I was feeling so bad for you . I was thinking you would never be able to eat again and know how I would hate that !!! Keep up the good work!

    Peggy

  • peggylulu
    peggylulu Member Posts: 375
    YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so

    YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so happy for you !That is wonderful news ! I was feeling so bad for you . I was thinking you would never be able to eat again and know how I would hate that !!! Keep up the good work!

    Peggy

    Guess I got to excited and posted twice Lol

  • George_Baltimore
    George_Baltimore Member Posts: 303
    peggylulu said:

    YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so

    YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so happy for you !That is wonderful news ! I was feeling so bad for you . I was thinking you would never be able to eat again and know how I would hate that !!! Keep up the good work!

    Peggy

    Guess I got to excited and posted twice Lol

    Congrats

    It's news like that that keep me from giving up.

  • ToBeGolden
    ToBeGolden Member Posts: 695
    Awsome

    It's amazing how many things we take for granted. But each little victory is MAJOR. Your success boosts all of our spirits. Rick.

  • patricke
    patricke Member Posts: 570
    AWESOME

    Congratulations Rachel, that's great news!  Pretty soon you'll be measuring your progress one sip at a time.  Keep it movin forward!

    PATRICK

  • rachel12yrsuv
    rachel12yrsuv Member Posts: 435
    patricke said:

    AWESOME

    Congratulations Rachel, that's great news!  Pretty soon you'll be measuring your progress one sip at a time.  Keep it movin forward!

    PATRICK

    John,Peggy,George,Grandma and

    John,Peggy,George,Grandma, tobegolden and Patrick Thank you so much. Thanks for praying, still need them. All the encouragement I get here I couldn't express with words! I will keep fighting, sooooo looking forward to those sips, the no fluids NO salvia(mine didn't come back like a lot of you, what did come back is very thick and not at all refreshing so I would give anything for a drink! Soon, soon! Love, Rachel