Sunday, May 15, 2011
I Won't Let Go
It’s like a storm
That cuts a path
It breaks your will
It feels like that
You think you're lost
But you're not lost
On your own
You're not alone
I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you’ve done all you can do
And you can’t cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I won't let go
It hurts my heart
To see you cry
I know it’s dark
This part of life
Oh, it finds us all
And we’re too small
To stop the rain
Oh, but when it rains
I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you’ve done all you can do
And you can’t cope
I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I won't let you fall
Don’t be afraid to fall
I’m right here to catch you
I won't let you down
It won't get you down
You're gonna make it
Yeah, I know you can make it
Cause I will stand by you
I will help you through
When you’ve done all you can do
And you can’t cope
And I will dry your eyes
I will fight your fight
I will hold you tight
And I won't let go
Oh I’m gonna hold you
And I won't let go
Won't let you go
No, I won't
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Barium Swallow
Paxton had a modified barium swallow today, which was to be able to better understand Paxton's swallowing dysfunction. This test was last performed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital about a year ago when he still had his cleft palate. Now that it had been repaired and he had been working on feeding therapy, everyone was hoping that they would see a positive improvement with his ability to swallow.
There was a wide variety of items that Susanne had to feed Paxton so that the speech therapist and radiologist could assess his swallowing ability. They looked at everything from the movements of his lips, tongue, palate, and larynx as he was offered different barium infused foods and liquids to eat and drink. The barium, which is a radio-opaque compound, was used to outline the structures of Paxton's mouth and esophagus. It helped them to see how well Paxton was swallowing and if he runned the risk of aspiration. Susanne started with the thickest semi-solid food and ended with a thin liquid that was the same consistency as water. He opened his mouth on cue every time for her. This was an improvement in and of itself. This was proof that he had some understanding as to what she was asking him to do.
By the end of the study, Paxton looked like he had stuck his face in a jar of Marshmallow Fluff. Susanne couldn't help, but giggle. Paxton had done really well. The speech therapist and radiologist determined that the results were comparable to the last study, but he was faster at clearly his mouth. He still had an abnormal oral phase to swallowing. He struggled with knowing how to organize the food in his oral cavity. He handled the pureed foods the best, which wasn't surprising. He was able to have a little more control of food that was this consistency. He proved that he was able to guard his airway rather well while still trying to figure out how to move the food down his esophagus. On the other hand, Susanne was informed to minimize liquids at home because there was still evidence that it would go up his nose occasionally even with the cleft palate being repaired. This really eliminated their need to try to work on getting him to drink from a bottle anymore. Also, since Paxton was unable to chew and swallow properly, solid foods were out of the question. Even the crackers, biscuits, and cookies that were supposed to dissolve in their mouths were viewed as a choking hazard for him. For now, they would be limited to Stage 1 and Stage 2 baby food. Susanne knew that he wouldn't be restricted too much with variety because of all of the flavors that were available now, but she was hoping to find that one magic flavor that would make it all click for him. She had faith, but only time would tell.
There was a wide variety of items that Susanne had to feed Paxton so that the speech therapist and radiologist could assess his swallowing ability. They looked at everything from the movements of his lips, tongue, palate, and larynx as he was offered different barium infused foods and liquids to eat and drink. The barium, which is a radio-opaque compound, was used to outline the structures of Paxton's mouth and esophagus. It helped them to see how well Paxton was swallowing and if he runned the risk of aspiration. Susanne started with the thickest semi-solid food and ended with a thin liquid that was the same consistency as water. He opened his mouth on cue every time for her. This was an improvement in and of itself. This was proof that he had some understanding as to what she was asking him to do.
By the end of the study, Paxton looked like he had stuck his face in a jar of Marshmallow Fluff. Susanne couldn't help, but giggle. Paxton had done really well. The speech therapist and radiologist determined that the results were comparable to the last study, but he was faster at clearly his mouth. He still had an abnormal oral phase to swallowing. He struggled with knowing how to organize the food in his oral cavity. He handled the pureed foods the best, which wasn't surprising. He was able to have a little more control of food that was this consistency. He proved that he was able to guard his airway rather well while still trying to figure out how to move the food down his esophagus. On the other hand, Susanne was informed to minimize liquids at home because there was still evidence that it would go up his nose occasionally even with the cleft palate being repaired. This really eliminated their need to try to work on getting him to drink from a bottle anymore. Also, since Paxton was unable to chew and swallow properly, solid foods were out of the question. Even the crackers, biscuits, and cookies that were supposed to dissolve in their mouths were viewed as a choking hazard for him. For now, they would be limited to Stage 1 and Stage 2 baby food. Susanne knew that he wouldn't be restricted too much with variety because of all of the flavors that were available now, but she was hoping to find that one magic flavor that would make it all click for him. She had faith, but only time would tell.
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