About me

PROFILE:
I have been writing poetry and stories since I was a child, and a love of reading was instilled in me from an early age. I am passionate about writing, and hope you enjoy the books I have written. Whilst most of you sleep soundly in your beds, like many Parkinson’s patients, insomnia dictates, so during those hours that sleep eludes me, the house is tranquil and quiet, an atmosphere perfect to immerse myself in writing. My life has been a series of strange events, which have without doubt contributed to my creativity. To publish anything is to bear one’s soul to the world. It is to stand naked and let everyone see who you really are. I have poured my heart and soul out on paper and I hope to share this journey, immersing you in a story, capturing your attention and firing the imagination. Through my writing and public speaking I hope to bring greater awareness to the general public about living with chronic disease.

Friday, July 31, 2015

Coughing & Gagging

If you suffer Parkinson’s you may be familiar with the horrid phlegm problem!
Sherryl Klingelhofer, who took care of her father with PD and has dedicated herself to helping others in his memory, has so much good advice to offer, I had to share the following useful tips with you:

“Here’s an idea if you are already dealing with this common Parkinson’s problem!

We had a Physical Therapist show us an exercise to help the body "remember" how to swallow that helped Dad clear his throat a bit.  Doesn't get RID of the phlegm, but made it easier to deal with.

SIT UPRIGHT, make sure the head is over the torso and the torso is not leaning back or in a concave shape that would curve the oesophagus or compromise the entry in the throat. If needed, put a small pillow or rolled towel behind the spine against the back of the chair to assist upright posture!

Cough. Drink a SIP of water. Cough. (you may need to swallow, do so with or without the sip of water)

Wait and repeat about half a dozen times. Do this a couple times daily in between meals, but also try it BEFORE eating to jump start the brain.

That laying back in a bed or lounge chair is a real booger (we might just as well stay in icky-mode)! It lets the phlegm sit right on the "swallower", so positioning is really important!  Next time you start the choking, shove your hips back into the chair and lean slightly forward to cough/swallow.

You can practice opening and closing the throat if swallowing is being compromised!  And since you never think about keeping the muscles in the throat active, until after the fact, begin these now to avoid future issues!

Say “X” then “R” several times (yes, out loud so it can be heard!)---do it slowly and pretend you telling someone how to enunciate and say them correctly!

Say “QUICK-QUACK-QUIRK” several times as above

Make a fire engine noise by saying (loudly!)  “rrr-RRR-rrr-RRR-rrr-RRR” and make it go up and down as they do:  you will feel your throat at work!”

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