So I just got back from my first meeting with the speech pathologist and I have to say I feel good about it. Normally I cringe at the thought of a new medical professional dealing with me, however this gal was intelligent and definitely not the pretentious type.

She was amazed at how good my speech was considering all of the changes I've gone through over the past two years. She was knowledgeable on Vitalstim, actually hit on it before I asked and seemed to have a great grasp on things. Very refreshing, especially in my neck of the woods. I'm really very confident with this and think she'll be able to help me with my swallowing and speech issues. Good times

Eric

Yes my brother, speech therapy can work wonders and the VitalStim at least lets me swallow some of my saliva.
My plastic surgeon who did the tongue flap reconstruction said just today at our meeting that my speech was "EXCELLENT" for such extensive surgery - even though I sound like Dick Clark on New Year's Eve.
The key to success is home practice, each and every day in addition to the therapy visits. You know the drill already from physical conditioning and will do just great
I am so glad to hear some good news for you. You deserve it all.
Charm

Thanks Charm, after reading your posts about your experiences I felt very informed prior to my appointment. I wouldn't mind sounding like Dick Clark though, it would be an improvement, and maybe I could get a gig in radio!

You've been an inspiration to me my friend and I appreciate your posts and insight.

Eric

If either one of you can talk like you type, you will both be fantastic public speakers. You are both eloquent with words.

Charm, Eric and Jim,

All three of you guys are awesome. I follow your posts regularly. (This happens to be my 100the post. Yippee!)

Anita

Jim, I used to have to do a lot of public speaking for work, miss it actually. Although I will say that visualizing people naked while doing it never worked for me...just kept making me laugh.

Anita, congrats on your 100th POST!!! and on my thread no less! It's great to have contributors like yourself, Charm and Jim on these boards...why I keep posting.

I useed to have to do it when I was a Mayor but the worst was performing Weddings. Holding court wasn't bad . Anita,, congrats on the 100 posts and I hope I am around when you do the 1000th.

Eric,
Did you find this speech therapist on your own or did your Drs recommend her to you? I am wondering if I should get one ofr my swallowing issues? I know I just finished treatment, but I have been craving water and really want to drink it. I love ice cold water.

Angelia,
If you are not choking or sputtering, it is going down correctly and drink all of it you want. Keep that swallowing going. It will allow you to eat sooner. It will also keep you hydrated.

Take care,
Eileen

Angelia

One of the benefits of getting a speech pathologist is that they will arrange to have a modified barium swallow test (MBS) done for you (although you will need your ENT to "prescribe" it). This easy test shows graphically how you are doing swallowing and exactly where anything goes. I have failed 4 of them so far which is why I am still on a PEG. This clearly won't be your problem if you can sip water already. Although the first time around, I did not get any speech or swallowing therapy nor MBS since I went thru that TX with no PEG and swallowed the entire time.
Charm

And no Angelia,, Barium swallows aren't bad at all.

Angelia,

I asked for the speech pathologist myself. Where I speak OK, I made a living talking basically and do not feel confident trying to return to "business as usual" until I get my speech issues dealt with. I also new that if I wanted to eat like I used to, a must now that I'm working out again, I'd need to get help with swallowing.

Eric,

I wanted to ask you if you use a PEG? I noticed your comment about Aly's tamales on FB (yummy!) and didn't realize you are eating by mouth. How much can you eat in one sitting and how long does it take? Can you eat just about anything? Was it always like that or did you have to work your way up with different foods/textures?

I see my speech drs at MDA in 2 weeks with another MBS, I feel like I've hit my best with trying to eat and its not getting better. It's only been a little over 4 months since tx ended so I know its still early, just getting discouraged, I'm hungry!!LOL

Elizabeth,

I did use a PEG for well over a year but had it removed about 9 months ago. My diet right now consists of mostly Ensure Plus (chocolate!) as eating is still rather difficult.

I have limited tongue mobility and can only chew on one side...and that side I have problems "pushing" the food to. Once the food is chewed the hard part of swallowing begins. I find I can get most things down if well chewed however it takes a lot of liquids and the process takes painfully long. Due to the facial paralysis my face get's tired after long bouts of talking or chewing. The whole process is rather tiring so there are times when I just rely on a shake because I don't have the energy to try.

I can't "bite" so sandwiches are out and breads unless really "soaked"...if I can get it in with a fork or by hand in pieces then I can "flush" it down with enough water. I tend to stick with softer foods and easy to chew. Meats like chicken are hard for me, white meat especially, but red meat (yay!) and dark meat I find I can get down. The tomales were shredded pork, very moist and accompanied by Aly's homemade guacamole (heaven).

One of the biggest issues I have is food getting stuck in the paralyzed side of my mouth so I have to brush and rinse. I also get the "dribbles" as my lower lip "droops" on the right side and doesn't completely close, so eating and drinking can be a messy process. I have found that since my nerve graft to repair the facial nerve that I do not dribbble as much...but I still wear darker shirts and shy away from eating in front of most people.

I've had to really pick up on eating more solids however, since getting off the pain meds and exercising more my appetite has soared and I'm starting to put back on some weight. The picture currently on my Facebook page is a little misleading as it was taken almost a year ago when I only weighed 140lbs. I have it up for dramatic effects so my friends can see what OC does to a person and motivates them to vote for the Pepsi grant. I'm currently at 185 and look much different.

Anyway when I first started trying to eat, it was much harder and as I've kept at it I've found ways to overcome various issues...but there are still things I just can't eat (burgers, pizza, sandwiches). What keeps me from getting discouraged is the people like Jim, Christine and Charm who can't eat anything, so I find it to be my duty to eat things for them. That sounds funny, but I had a thread last year when I started to eat solids again, however I hated trying to eat in public as I would get stared at quite often. Jim put things in perspective for me by saying if he could eat anything he wouldn't mind the stares...in fact after looking at him they would probably feel so bad they'd buy his meal.

Keep at it Elizabeth, you'll get there. When you're ready I'll ship you some tamales!

Eric

Heck yeah on the tamales Eric!

Thanks for the info! I totally relate to some of your issues, I can only chew on one side too and biting something is hard because I can't feel the front right side of my teeth. I actually was trying to open something for the girls and couldn't so I naturally went to use my teeth to open it and was shocked when it just wasn't happening!LOL

I get tired of eating after a while but what makes me stop sooner is the pain I get on my good side of my jaw, it tends to lock up and not want to stretch. I use to have the dribble problem too but it has resolved.

I can't wait to eat meat! I think I could eat more things if I didnt have to wash it down with something because I don't have the greatest control of trying to swallow the chewed food with the liquids in my mouth at the same time. While trying to swallow, the liquid tends to make me choke because it goes down too fast before the food does.

I too need to just be thankful for being able to eat something and thankful that I'm just alive. Thanks for the reminder, I need to hear it to put things back into perspective.

Elizabeth,

It's ok to be frustrated and to voice it here...if you can't bring your issues here where you have people that can relate to you...where can you? It does help me cope to know that there are others that have had a harder road then I've had.

You really are doing remarkably well for how long you've been out of treatment. I too had jaw pain on the good side of my jaw, it's gotten better.

Keep the great attitude

Eric

Eric, Im glad you are doing so well. Your eating is really coming along!!!! Great to see someone who has struggled so much and now is finally starting to improve. Im still the best chocolate pudding eater anybody ever saw Now if it were only nutritious.

eric-im glad to hear of the positive experience with the dr. u deserve some good experiences!

christine--its ironic how u didnt lose ur taste for chocolate. thats one of the first things that went with andy and he used to love it, more than me, and that is saying alot! eat some for me!

I drank yoohoo thru my first round of OC. Even with radiation messing up my taste I still drank it. It felt soothing to my aching throat.

Christine,

I'm a pudding eater myself, sadly chocolate has lost some of it's luster for me so I'm a banana cream pudding guy myself. Ensure is the only chocolate that tastes decent for me and it's sort of tragic as I loved good chocolate before.

Thanks for all the well wishes, it's good to be feeling good again, gaining weight and eating real food (somewhat). I'll take the improvements over the alternatives anytime.