My cooler was packed and ready to head to the hospital. Taped inside the lid was our stickers that show what my 'current medications' are. We just peel one off and hand it to the nice nurse so she doesn't need to write down all my meds.. and she gets their names spelled correctly with the right strength and dose. Of course "thicken up" can, my nosey cups, my honey bear with the straw, a bowl of cherrios w/milk, and mandarin oranges (mmm).And a truck. In case I get bored.
The swallow study is done at our local hospital which is a lot closer than Seattle Children's. The therapist mixed barium into all my munchies and I tried my usual best to eat them without choking or aspirting. This was my third swallow study and it showed the best results. I ate mandarin oranges with a lot of extra juice and didn't aspirate! And I ate cheerios with milk and didn't aspirate! And then mommy pushed the envelope a little with a nosey cup and down the hatch that thickened milk went and I didn't aspirate!
I got REALLY tired of the lights flipping on/off to see the 'swallows' on the big picture machine. AND the highchair was for really small babies so my bum didn't fit onto it and my feet were all dangling. I couldn't get comfy. So I decided I was done. Mommy sang more songs and tried to get me to change my mind. Mommy, the therapists, and the dr talked a whole bunch on how they wish I wasn't done. So I yelled louder to remind them I said I was done. They understood.
On the way home mommy was saying 'hooray' a whole bunch. I don't think she ever thought I would be able to drink orally. Now she thinks my gtube may have an end to it.... probably summer time? I will start trying to take my evening milk by mouth. Last night I drank 6 ounces.... tonight I would have nothin to do with that cup. Mom is persistant though. Tomorrow night she is going to try again. Stay tuned.