Tim went in today for the dilatation. It's a procedure to widen the esophagus. His esophagus was closed up due to radiation treatments. Not even water could go down, hence, his months of aspiration pneumonia caused by spit going into his lung (a common cause of death with head and neck cancer). During the procedure a tiny wire with a balloon is put down the throat into the stomach. The balloon is filled and the esophagus is cracked open. It was successful!

There is another side to aspiration. Tim cannot swallow. Hasn�t since surgery nine months ago - pre radiation and chemo. Tomorrow he starts VitalStim therapy. VS involves applying an electrical pulse to the throat muscles. The jolts of electricity remind the muscles how to work. If this works as well as the dilatation did, then Tim may actually be able to start swallowing and eventually eating. VS takes weeks of treatments until the muscles are strong enough for eating, but if it won't work it only takes a few sessions to realize this.

The procedure was outpatient. Tim was given a general anesthetic. He coughs and chokes on his spit so much that he doesn't sleep well, but now he's sleeping off the drugs and breathing easily. He coughed up wads of bloody loogie after the procedure, and I was told that huge clumps of mucus were suctioned out during. This is the first time in months that he's slept for over an hour straight! I hope that's a sign that some spit is actually going into his stomach.

Tim isn't recovering from cancer; he's recovering from cancer treatments. Please, pray that the VS works.