Tracy dropped me off at the hospital, as I got out of the Jeep, fell flat on my back. Fell between the jeep and the curb. No ice, no loose gravel, just dry pavement. Tracy rushed out of course, tried to pick me up. She couldn't do it, a stranger ran up to us and helped. Embarrassing. Thought to myself that I really need to use my cane.

 

Appointments were with a social worker, followed by an appointment with a speech therapist.

Social worker asked why I don't use an aid. I answered honestly saying that I know there is a wheelchair in my future. I am in no hurry to use a cane, walker or wheelchair. The longer I put off the cane, the longer the wheelchair is at bay. We (Tracy, social worker and myself) then discussed other things.

 

We then changed rooms and we were with the speech therapist. We discussed my struggles with speaking. I speak much slower than most, I struggle to find the words when speaking. If I speak alot, I am out of breath. I became aware of this in the fall of 2017 when I had to buy a tanker of oil while at work. I could not say the word 'oil' when speaking to suppliers. Three letter word! Speech therapist told us that it is due to two vowels being together, making my tongue work.

 

We then discussed an upcoming appointment with the Swallowing Clinic.

Take smaller bites, chew food more.... Common sense I thought, but hard for me to do. Oral hygiene was also stressed (a struggle for me to be honest)

 

Do I choke on my own saliva she asked. Yes I do, often. Do I cough after eating or drinking she asked. Almost every time I answered.

She then proceeded to show us how to do the Heimlich on myself using the corner of a table.

 

Idle chit-chat and then we're done.

 

Tracy has been with me for every appointment. She's amazing, but it's so hard on her.