Jody,
I'm sorry you are having swallowing problems as I know how frustrating that can be.
What is the specific cause of the problem? Since you are on a liquid diet, I assumed that is NOT from vocal cord paralysis (which was part of my problem). Initially, I was not allowed anything other than thick liquids and pureed food.
After the first of three vocal cord injections that allow me to speak (albeit very quietly) I was able to start drinking normal liquids. It took quiet awhile before I essentially learned enough about how to eat again before I could do it without choking at every meal. What I did was learn the following:
1) Eating was time I had to sit at a table and focus on that one activity. Eating had to be intentional, not casual, no wondering through the house eating cookies.
2) Pick foods I could handle. Some were obvious, others it was by trial and error. Rice, cracker, cookies are all things I still have to be very careful about.
3) Small bites. Insanely well-chewed.
4) Sip liquid after almost every bite if it was any food without a liquid base.
5) Patience.
Not quite 10 months later, I can be a bit more casual, but the autonomic swallowing processes (the smooth muscles that drive peristalsis) still does not work me. Don't let this scare you though, I had largish tumor and long surgery, and I was born to do things the hard way. ;-)
What do the doctors say about the nature of your problem? There is a good Wikipedia article about swallowing that may help you understand how it is supposed to work which in turn may help you compensate.
I hope this is helpful,
Tod
