Getting a Good Swallow

When was the last time that you had a good swallow? Do you ever think about swallowing, or do you take it for granted unless you have a sore throat? Does having a sore throat make you appreciate your ability to swallow under normal circumstances, or do you forget all about it after you’ve healed and moved on?

I personally think about swallowing a lot…like every day a lot. I call it a double swallow because it seems like I have to try it twice to make it works once, and even that is a half-assed attempt to get it right. The MS Society states that it is a “Delay in triggering the swallow: “I can't get my swallow started.”’

I can't get my swallow started????? What kind of stupid ridiculous crap is that? It makes no sense, but it sounds a lot like my so-called double swallow, which doesn’t make sense either.

Even with a sore throat the swallowing function works. The body is a complicated piece of machinery (not talking cyborgs…yet), but moving food, liquid, gum, pennies, saliva, or anything else that you put into your mouth from your pie hole to your stomach doesn’t seem like the most complicated piece of the machine (just pissed off a bunch esophagus junkies and smart people with that one).

The problem is that I know how to swallow, or at least thought that I knew how to swallow because I have been practicing it successfully my entire life. How do I know that I have been successfully swallowing my entire life? I’m alive and not dead from choking…point for me.

So since I know how to swallow, this double swallow crap sucks. It’s hard and it takes work. I’m not fully afraid of hard work, but I want to take my swallow for granted like I used to.

Seriously…a good swallow is a memorable thing when you don’t get very many of them. I had one, two days ago. We were in the car heading home. My wife was driving because neither one of us felt safe with me behind the wheel. I was in the passenger seat playing on my phone. We were stopped at a red light behind a few cars, waiting to turn right, off of Fourth Plain onto Andresen. Right then and there, as we were stopped in front of some check cashing place waiting for the light to turn green, it happened…I swallowed…a perfect “normal” swallow. It felt so good, so indescribable, and so incredibly perfect.

I wanted more.

Why did I have to be greedy? Why couldn’t I be happy with what I got? No, I had to press my luck and try to duplicate the swallow. Maybe I was better, and my double swallowing days were gone; maybe not permanently, but for a while at least?

Disappointment set in…the normal everyday take for granted swallow was nothing more than a fluke, and trying to duplicate it sort of cheapened the memory of it. It was a good moment, and I’ll remember it for a long time; maybe not the specifics, but that I still had a good swallow left in me and that I could still do it.

I know that I’ll have a lot more swallows in my days to come, both good and bad. I can deal with it because it won’t kill me (this one might actually, but I’m not going to tell anybody that…including myself). Yes it is a hindrance, but it’s not a game changer. You always have a choice on how you deal or react to every situation in life, and I choose the positive path.

 

 

 Let’s hear more about what the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has to say about this:

Common swallowing symptoms

These problems are typically mild or transient. But when chronic, they can lead to dehydration or poor nutrition. In severe cases, food or liquids can enter the lungs, which can lead to “aspiration” pneumonia. Common issues include:

• Delay in triggering the swallow: “I can't get my swallow started.”
• Residue left in the throat due to weakness: “It feels like there is still something stuck in my throat.”
• Inadequate airway protection (with possible aspiration) due to weakness or timing problems: “It goes down the wrong tube and I cough.”

Swallow more safely

• Take care of your mouth. Brush your teeth and tongue twice daily to reduce bacteria and the risk of pneumonia, should aspiration occur. (Regularly visit the dentist also.)
• Sit upright at a full 90-degree (or right angle) position when eating or drinking.
• Take small sips and bites to safely control the amount of food you’re ingesting.
• Take follow-up dry swallows to clear any residue left in the throat.
• Cough or clear your throat and swallow again to protect your airway.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/Library-Education-Programs/You-CAN!/Speak-More-Clearly-and-Swallow-More-Safely

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/

As always…please check what else I am up to at:

 

http://chrisallreddesign.com/

Who in the Hell is Allergic to Chicken

I’m not…well sometimes…when the mood calls for it.

I love chicken and eat quite often (a few times a week). Chicken is very versatile in the food world, as it basically can be paired with lots of different ingredients; not to mention that it is relatively inexpensive (for the most part).

So why would I eat something that I am allergic to? To save money…that’s stupid because I just wouldn’t buy it.

The truth is, I’m not allergic to it (nor have any other food allergies).

However, there have been a number of times over the last few years that chicken makes me really sick. I can’t explain it. I don’t know if it’s MS related or not. What I do know is that I am fine, and then one day I eat chicken and it makes me sick, but not food poisoning sick.

The “allergy” will last a week or two, and then go away for months at a time. Most of my Multiple Sclerosis issues come and go as they please, and so the chicken thing fits right in.

 

(I guess that I could stop eating cartoon chickens…laugh that was supposed to be funny)

According to one website:

Doctors are not sure exactly what causes multiple sclerosis (MS). An autoimmune disease affecting the brain and spinal cord, MS causes sufferers' immune systems to damage their own central nervous systems. Although individuals have to be genetically susceptible in order to develop MS, once they have this genetic predisposition, onset of the disease can be triggered by environmental factors, including diet. Data indicates that food hypersensitivities, including food allergies, may initiate, exacerbate or aid in the progression of the disease.

Like MS, allergies are related to the immune system. When you have a food allergy, your immune system identifies the food as harmful to your body and tries to fight it off. Different people have different reactions to foods they are allergic to, ranging from rashes and itchy skin to gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms to life-threatening anaphylactic shock. Components of some common food allergens, such as milk, legumes and grains, are known to cause autoimmune diseases. The proteins in milk even cause degeneration of the central nervous systems of mice in a way that closely resembles MS.

Food allergies are much more common in people with MS (50 to 75 percent) than in the general population (one to two percent). The most common food allergens among people with MS are dairy, grains, yeast, eggs and legumes. (Among the general population the most common food allergens are dairy, wheat, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish.)

The avoidance of allergenic foods has been known to help control MS symptoms (and the reintroduction of those foods to cause the recurrence of symptoms). Avoiding food allergens is actually recommended as a form of treatment.

(Taken from: http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/allergies/food-allergy/information/can-food-allergies-cause-multiple-sclerosis.htm)

So what does that all mean? Nothing…they don’t know. MS is different, yet the same, in everybody that has it. So am I allergic to chicken? It depends on the time of the month.

http://chrisallreddesign.com/

Tremors…Not Just For B-rated Movies

The tremors in my legs started a few months ago, and at first it was just a one-off kind of thing, meaning it didn’t happen very often (or enough to report it to my wife).

As most things do, it became more frequent. It happens quite often now, usually when I am sitting down. I would say that 95% of the time it happens when I am sitting down, usually during the evening when I am relaxing with the family, just hanging out. It has also happened quite a few times when I am standing in the same place for a moment (I guess my body just doesn’t want me to queue). A lot less rare, but more violent, is when I am lying down in bed, usually really tired and ready to go to sleep. My wife has reported that for the most part I am calm during the night, but of course there have been nights when I am restless and things are not going to well with my body.

Tremors (MS or other types I’m assuming) are not fun, but I can live with them. I have worse symptoms (that come and go and/or stay), but more importantly I’m not going to die from a tremor.

Worst case scenario: I am relaxing on the couch, have a violent tremor, which causes my leg to kick the coffee table. Kicking of the table causes my glass to spill, pouring my drink over the extension cord that I have my phone charger plugged into. Liquid and electricity have a baby named fire, and fire burns my house down. I die in the fire (worst case scenario remember) but no matter how you spin it, the tremor didn’t kill me; I died by smoke inhalation and/or being burned up. POINT MADE BY ME…tremors don’t kill unless they happen in a movie…

 

 

… my cheesy promotion of a Kevin Bacon flick.

Tremors suck, but here is more information about them from the professionals:

Many people with MS experience some degree of tremor, or uncontrollable shaking. It can occur in various parts of the body. There are several types of tremor:

• Intention tremor — generally is greatest during physical movement; there is no shaking when a person is at rest. The tremor develops and becomes more pronounced as the person tries to grasp or reach for something, or move a hand or foot to a precise spot. This is the most common and generally most disabling form of tremor that occurs in people with MS.
• Postural tremor — generally is greatest when a limb or the whole body is being supported against gravity. For example, a person who has a postural tremor will shake while sitting or standing, but not while lying down.
• Resting tremor — generally is greatest when the body part is at rest and is diminished with movement. More typical of Parkinson's disease than MS.
• Nystagmus — produces jumpy eye movements.

Tremor occurs because there are plaques — damaged areas — along the complex nerve pathways that are responsible for coordination of movements. People with MS who have tremors may also have associated symptoms such as difficulty in speaking (dysarthria) or difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) — activities that are governed by many of the same pathways involved in coordinating movement.

Tremor can have significant emotional and social impact, especially when people choose to keep to themselves rather than be embarrassed by tremor. Isolation can lead to depression and further psychological problems. A psychologist, social worker, or counselor may be able to help a person with MS deal with these issues and become more comfortable in public.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Tremor

Getting Caned Like an Old Man

I remember when canes were for the old, not the young (yes I’m still young…not to my kids, but in the scheme of things).

How does one pull off a cane? I don’t think people question it, or even look twice (as they say) when an elderly person uses a cane or some other type of walking aid. There are definitely younger people that need assistance when they are moving around, and it is obvious to why they have a cane. But what about those of us that only need a part-time cane during the times when a little (or a lot) of extra walking support is necessary?

Do people look at you and think, “There goes a fashion disaster…that dumbass?” What do you think of when you see a younger person with a cane, when you are not noticing an obvious “disability”? I know that I look at people differently then I used to…actually it’s not that I look at people with canes differently, it’s that I notice them now.

Multiple Sclerosis is a tricky way of life with its different hurdles. Personally I don’t always need a walking aid, but when I do, it is a needed friend and is very beneficial. So that begs the question, how does one pull off a cane?

I was using a cane the other day and my neighbor pointed it out. Made some sort of comment about trying to bring it back into fashion. He felt like an ass when I told him of my MS and I needed it sometimes, but that is my point; I have seen my neighbor a handful of times over the years, but obviously never with a cane.

So you needed a cane to walk yesterday, but not today? It almost comes off as an excuse.

“Chris, can you help me move tomorrow?”

“Yeah sorry, I have a feeling that my legs are going to be weak and giving out tomorrow throwing off my balance and coordination, resulting in the use of my cane. This usually happens around…sorry, what time are you moving again?”

You can argue the point of who cares what people think, and that is a good argument for no one because people really care about what others think of them (there are different degrees on this, but people care).

My issue isn’t people seeing me using a cane, especially complete strangers. My issues are from the people I know treating me differently. Which we all know happens, even if they say they didn’t realize that they were doing it.

The end of the day, I use my cane sometimes…less than I probably should, but more than I used to. In fact I now have a collection of canes…two of them to be exact (that counts as a collection…right?).

Still, no matter what, I don’t know how to pull off the use of a cane. Can you use a cane while wearing shorts? I feel that there needs to be a certain dress code when one uses a cane. Jeans are acceptable, but what about a moustache…beard yes, but a moustache?

I feel like I’m missing the cane guidelines and user manual.

All joking aside, I’ll use my cane when I absolutely (sometimes) need it; no matter what I am wearing (sort of), or if I have a moustache or not. I know that no one is going to say something, and if they do I’ll make them feel like crap for making fun of somebody with MS…stupid bastards.

So here at the end of my post I haven’t learned anything new or answered my own question; so basically this post served absolutely no purpose. Well at least you get to see a picture of my cane collection.

Happy walking!!!!

 

http://chrisallreddesign.com/

Boxing Day Knockout

One of the hardest and most frustrating parts of my life is the fatigue that comes with just being alive. You may have lots of other issues that strike you harder in your daily existence of what we like to call MS, and I do to, but there are things that you can deal with better than other things.

Let me explain…I have a family and we like spending time as a family. Just as important (sometimes even more important) is my relationship with my wife, and when we’re not with the kids we like to spend time together as a couple (it’s what we signed up for).

To me, MS is a very painful disease and it hurts just to be alive, but I know what to expect. I also know that my balance and coordination isn’t what it once was, and so I play my activities on a much safer playing field (for the most part). There are other issues that come and go and we as a family plan accordingly; plans change, we do this instead of that, and so forth and so on...no big deal (years ago it bothered us more…yes, but now its second nature).

My point is that no matter what issues come and go and what issue stay for good, that we are able to adapt and still go on with our lives; except for that one little word that some people have a hard time spelling…FATIGUE.

Fatigue is a killer of plans. I’m not talking about being worn out from being out all day…we plan for that. I’m not talking about planning a big activity on Saturday knowing that I’ll need to take it easy on Sunday because I’m done and need to recover…we plan for that.

I am talking about being so exhausted that you can no longer function. I have never been up for a week, but imagine that (crack heads don’t count as you’re imagining this scenario). Imagine the most tired that you have been and then multiple it by 10, by 100, by 1000. Imagine that you fell asleep while driving, wrecked the car, then continue sleeping; not because you’re injured, but because you are too physically tired to get out and save yourself (hopefully the car is not on fire because you will die).

“But officer he only hit a bush.”

“Yes ma’am he did, but the Secret Service wasn’t too happy with him so they lit is car on fire. I don’t understand why he just didn’t get out.”

“He has MS.”

“Couldn’t walk?”

“No, just tired.”

(That “joke” was for my friend who absolutely hates the Bush family)

I went to bed really early on Christmas Eve, which means before midnight; something unheard of being a parent. Christmas was pretty low key. Up early, but not earlier than normal. I cooked breakfast and Christmas dinner for everyone (in fact I cook the majority of the meals in our home…so nothing new there). Christmas was filled with opening presents, cooking, eating, and board games; nothing that a “normal” person should get tired from. I knew the big day was coming, so we didn’t plan any big days out prior to the 25^th because I knew that I needed to play the role of host and lead the charge.

That afternoon I started dragging and felt a little tired. Christmas evening…BAM it hit me. Out of literally nowhere, for no reason, exhaustion hit. I laid down on the couch and took a nap. Hours later I woke up to go to bed. Slept all night, and woke up the day after Christmas. I forced myself to get up because I was still very tired, but I needed to get up. I made it to the living room, but couldn’t maintain being awake. I went back to bed and slept. I slept through Boxing Day, and on the morning of the 27^th I woke up, tired but functioning. Later that day I napped again.

It was somewhere in the neighborhood of 36 hours I slept (not including my nap on the 27^th).

Being tired is one thing, but MS (at least in my case) takes it to a whole other level. A level that can’t be described or understood.

As a family we can overcome pretty much anything, but when exhaustion and fatigue set in, its game over and that is why it is one of the hardest and most frustrating parts of my life.

 

http://chrisallreddesign.com/