Second Chances Bring Celebrations
After my stroke in April 2003 I could eat regular food, but the doctor saw that I was having trouble drinking thin liquids. He told me I could aspirate and develop pneumonia. While I was still in the hospital, he suggested I have VitalStim Therapy to learn how to swallow thin liquids again. After the second treatment I said, 'That's it, no more!' I didn't like how it felt, as if someone were grabbing me by the throat.
After I went home I was allowed to have tomato juice or soda because those did not give me trouble if I swallowed them. But before I could drink water or coffee I had to mix them with powder to thicken them.
Don't ask what that tasted like. Bad enough that I stopped drinking water.
After three months of drinking only tomato juice and soda, I decided to try the VitalStim again. It was nothing and the hour -- during which I licked lollipops to help me learn to swallow liquids quickly - went quickly. After 12 treatments I failed a barium swallow test, so I had another 12 or 13 treatments. After that set, I finally passed the swallow test.
To celebrate, my daughter took me to a restaurant where I had a good, long drink of water and ate ice cream. I'm fine now and glad I decided to try VitalStim.