NAUGHTY, LAZY EPIGLOTTIS!
Looking again at the video from yesterday’s modified barium swallow, something finally caught my eye. Something my wife noticed yesterday when I first played it. (“You never listen to me,” is what I THINK she said, but I don’t think I caught all of it because there was a reflection of sunlight on my computer screen that distracted me.)
Watch the video. And MARVEL at the LAZINESS of a NAUGHTY EPIGLOTTIS that doesn’t even TRY to close until most of the barium-laced applesauce is past it.
Yes, the epiglottis is controlled by muscles attached to the hyoid bone which is attached to other muscles and ALL muscles are affected by Parkinson’s disease. That’s why so many of us develop swallowing problems. This isn’t actual “aspiration.” You can only call it that when the stuff gets into and past your vocal cords. This stuff is just penetrating my larynx (hence the term, “laryngeal penetration”) and gets swept out before it can do any real harm.
But it’s NOT even supposed to GET in there!!!
Do you HEAR ME, epiglottis?
BAD epiglottis! NAUGHTY epiglottis! You’ll be the DEATH of me YET!
(Probably…)
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P.T. Reveals the Current Extent of PD Spazzery
So far, through my physical therapy, I’ve learned little things about myself, little tricks I can use to make my life with Parkinson’s disease easier. She’s showed me ways to unfreeze myself when I get stuck. She’s gotten me to try to keep my arms and torso loose when I walk. She’s even loosened up my painful left shoulder.
Today, PT revealed the extent of what a frickin’ spaz I am.
Every time, they add a little something new. Today, in addition to walking my “big boy” walk, taking large steps, leading with my heels, she had me look to the left and to the right with each step.
It was a nightmare.
I noticed this more than a year ago, that I was having trouble walking with someone, then turning to say something to him. Today as I walked in that hallway, turning my head back and forth with each step, I froze, I had to grab stuff to keep from falling. The therapist had to hold on to the back of my belt. I was a total spaz.
Then she had me do it again, this time looking first up and then down as I walked. Same thing. Freeze. Grab something to keep from falling. Stumble. Spaz.
She also had me stand with one foot directly in front of the other, first the right foot, then the left, between some balance bars. I wove back and forth like a drunk. I had to grab the bars to keep from falling.
Every now and then, it just slaps you in the face. All the stuff you used to do without even thinking about, now you can’t do it without falling or freezing or looking brain-damaged.
Not a good day. Not at all.
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And The World Keeps Turning…
So, no major exams coming up. I have physical therapy this afternoon and tomorrow morning. I’ll see the speech therapist next Wednesday. And life goes on.
Made coffee this morning, then did my exercises, followed by 20-minutes on the bike and a shower. Now, to knuckle down and do some of the work the government expects me to get done.
At some point I have to fill out this affidavit I got from Howard County about the evil dog across the street. No rest for the weird.
Speaking of weird…
Here’s a cute video of Shiloh inspecting our laundry!
Parky Bill's Parkinson's Place 