Choking

Choking on food or on one’s own saliva is a common symptom of Parkinson’s. Having difficulty in swallowing is very unpleasant, and although naturally the immediate reaction is panic, this is the worst thing to do. When unable to swallow, I have learnt to throw myself into “relaxation mode” and as soon as I'm calm, I am able to swallow again. Sucking on boiled sweets (hard candy) helps considerably when having difficulty in swallowing, so keeping a tin of these handy is a good idea. I have a nasty sore throat at the moment and occasional bouts of frightful coughing rendering me breathless. Last night I was coughing so badly; the muscles in my throat swollen, I suddenly found myself gasping for air. What started as a simple coughing fit, quickly turned into a frightening situation of not being able to breathe, and despite my resolve I started to panic, which of course made matters worse! My husband, who has taken first aid courses, quickly stepped in, and thankfully due to his clear level headed quick response, he managed to calm me down.  Gasping for air, but finally able to breathe again, thanks to my own personal superman, my hero who doesn't need to quickly change his clothes in a phone booth, I am sitting here writing my blog as usual this morning. In our household, there is most definitely no shortage of excitement!