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Author Topic: Scary Lunch Out  (Read 5345 times)

Doc

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Scary Lunch Out
« on: February 19, 2010, 03:07:05 pm »
I had a very scary choking incident at lunch today that was only resolved when a waiter gave me a good squeeze around the chest and cleared my wind pipe (H-Manuver / SP).  I tried eating rice which turns out is still very difficult for me to manage...yes, I still have impaired swallowing function even now, nearly seven months after surgery.

Word of caution...be happy, eat carefully! On a side note, I closed the deal; a sympathy order I'm sure from a shocked client who probably still has clods of rice stuck to his shirt...he was in my line of fire...ha!

Take Care!
  ;)
Doc
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Left-Translab July '09. Cyberknife Jan 2010. In Apr 2017, four more tumors found; three in the brain and one, 7cm long, on my spinal cord; it was surgically removed. It was cancerous, and so are the others. I've been receiving Chemo since June '18, and I'm still in treatment.

Jim Scott

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2010, 04:09:57 pm »
Doc ~

I'm sorry that choking incident occurred but glad the waiter had the presence of mind (and knew how) to perform the Heimlich maneuver and as a bonus, you closed a deal with a likely sympathetic client.  Ironic.  Your warning to those with swallowing issues is well taken.  Thanks. 

Jim
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Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

lawmama

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2010, 04:12:54 pm »
That is so scary!!!!  I'm so glad you are ok.  Be careful and next time try not to cram the entire bowl of rice in your mouth at once.  (Just kidding, of course, haha).  At least you closed the deal, so the day wasn't all bad. 

Lyn
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9mm X 7mm tumor (left side), diagnosed 10-15-09
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Doc

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2010, 05:23:46 pm »
Thanks Lyn and Jim. Good thing that waiter knew what to do...might have gotten messy otherwise. Rice and, yes even hamburgers are still a real problem for me. Oh well.

Take Care!
  ;)
Doc
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Left-Translab July '09. Cyberknife Jan 2010. In Apr 2017, four more tumors found; three in the brain and one, 7cm long, on my spinal cord; it was surgically removed. It was cancerous, and so are the others. I've been receiving Chemo since June '18, and I'm still in treatment.

nancyann

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2010, 08:51:49 pm »
Hi doc:  I sent you a message on your blog.  Scary incident indeed ! !  Glad you're still with us !
Always good thoughts,  Nancy
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2.2cm length x 1.7cm width x 1.3cm  depth
retrosigmoid 6/19/06
Gold weight 7/19/06, removed 3/07
lateral tarsel strip X3
T3 procedure 11/20/07
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lateral canthal sling 11/14/08
Jones tube insert right inner eye 2/27/09
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right facial paralysis

moe

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2010, 11:55:26 am »
Doc,
Scary indeed. I'm sure you handled it graciously with a sense of humor to boot.
Gentle chewing  and swallowing thoughts going your way ;)
The "journey" continues!
Maureen
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06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

Kaybo

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2010, 01:46:23 pm »
I had trouble with Angel Hair Pasta for a LONG time...

K   ;D
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saralynn143

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2010, 02:39:26 pm »
Does Devil's Food Cake go down OK, Kaybo? If so, maybe your food is telling you something . . .

Sara
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lori67

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2010, 11:27:47 am »
Wow, Doc, you really go to any length to close a deal, don't you?   :D  Now that's dedication!

Glad you're doing well.  I have a problem with rice sometimes too.  No problem with Devil's food cake....hmmmm....   :o

Maybe next time you should just take your clients out for ice cream.

Lori
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Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

Doc

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2010, 02:52:37 pm »
Hi Lori,

I would love to take my clients out for Ice Cream, but like a lot of us, the extent of the Facial Paralysis I still have precludes me from opening my mouth very wide, thus making eating Ice Cream messy. I actually had a bowl of Ice Cream in the privacy of my own home last night and destroyed two or three napkins in the process...constantly wiping my face and nose...yikes...can't take me anywhere!

I don't know about everyone else, but anytime I eat, my nose starts running like its in a marathon...not a pleasant site for innocent table mates! Just recently in fact, my son had to point out a booger stream that was running freely from my left nostril at the dinner table...the paralysis effects my left side to the point I can't feel it when it runs. 

Take Care!
  ;)
Doc
« Last Edit: March 08, 2010, 03:05:02 pm by Doc B »
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Left-Translab July '09. Cyberknife Jan 2010. In Apr 2017, four more tumors found; three in the brain and one, 7cm long, on my spinal cord; it was surgically removed. It was cancerous, and so are the others. I've been receiving Chemo since June '18, and I'm still in treatment.

lori67

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2010, 03:22:05 pm »
I can manage ice cream - I would no matter what kind of mess I made - but soup is definitely not something I can eat in public!  That's ok - I can live without soup - I can't live without ice cream.  Besides, since I have my 7 year old and my 3 year old with me, I'm not always the messiest one!   ;D

We'll have to have an AN ice cream outing - and bring along a few cases of napkins!  If we all make a mess, we won't look too bad!

Lori
p.s.  love your profile cartoon!
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Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

Doc

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2010, 05:37:42 pm »
Isn't that a good one....Poke Poke, at least it's not Snowing...legs kicking wildly! I second the Ice Cream Party idea...count me in!

Take Care!
  ;)
Doc
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Left-Translab July '09. Cyberknife Jan 2010. In Apr 2017, four more tumors found; three in the brain and one, 7cm long, on my spinal cord; it was surgically removed. It was cancerous, and so are the others. I've been receiving Chemo since June '18, and I'm still in treatment.

Soundy

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2010, 08:01:30 pm »
there are things I still have problems with ... only paralysis issues I have are throat ...right side and left don't work together ...rightside being surgical side just stops or rather pausses in sending stuff down

rice , spaghetti and oddly enough liquid are te biggest choke hazzards for me ... rice just seems to hang in throat and not know where to go ...spaghetti will get half way down and decide it rather go up one side while other side of throat still trying to make it go down ... liquid goes down too fast ... didn't conciously know that my throat slowed the desent of liquid before surgery ... I have developed a way of holding liquid in my mouth and letting a bit at a time go down ... can't really explain that ...

as for nose drip ... I thought I was the only one ... my nose drips and my right eye runs too ... most of the time it is dry and I have to carry drops with me ... but let me eat and it looks like I am allergic to everything and very sad and teary ... bland food causes less a reaction ... sour stuff like leamon ade seems to cause the strongest raction

who would have thought all the oddities that become our norm would arrise from removing a brain booger ???
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Cheryl R

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2010, 10:17:28 pm »
Soundy, Have you had a swallowing study done by a speech patholgist?            Sounds like thickened liquids which we gave stroke patients would be an option for you.    There is a powder which is mixed in liquids to do this.     I hate to say this but a pureed diet might be good for you too but that gets old after so long.    I don't know how much you have been checked out for this.
                                                      Cheryl R
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Kaybo

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Re: Scary Lunch Out
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2010, 07:57:02 am »
Soundy~
I know this sounds crazy, and the last thing you need is another medical issue, but I had LOTS more trouble until I had my thyroid removed a few years ago!!  I had growths all over it and I guess that was affecting my swallowing!  Just a thought...

K   ;D
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Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!
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