This happened 5 days ago. She still has a great appetite. And cognizant 80% of the time. Sleeping more now. Watches about 1hour of tv per day and basically sleeps between meals. She drinks about 50 oz of water per day plus 2-3 10 oz cups of decaf coffee. Her bloodwork is very good. She’s on thinners so we get it done at least once a month. She has to wear depends all the time now. But I’m worried about dysphagia and don't want to rush to doctor too soon but also wonder if I should make appointment. Thank you.
One thing I learned as a caregiver is that some people can last a very long time in extremely compromised health. My mom was double incontinent, needed to be spoon fed, could no longer ambulate or even reliably hold herself upright in her wheelchair and slept perhaps 18 - 24 hour a day when I finally admitted defeat and sent her to a nursing home and she lasted another 18 months there.
If you continue to be worried, you can ask for a swallowing assessment. It won't be uncomfortable for your mother and it should set your mind at rest. Meanwhile, just encourage her to take her time.
Dysphagia, by the way.
My husband who had vascular dementia, developed aspiration pneumonia, in Nov. 2018, and it almost killed him. His Dr. said that because he had dementia, my husbands brain was no longer telling his throat to close when eating or drinking, thus allowing his food and drink to go into his lungs. He developed sepsis and septic shock because of almost dying, and when I was able to bring him home, he initially had to eat only pureed foods and drink his drinks thickened with the product Thick It. Eventually he was able to eat just soft foods, but he continued on thickened liquids until he died last year.
So it's definitely worth getting her checked out to see if she has dysphagia before it leads to aspiration pneumonia. You can never be to careful. Best wishes.
It also happened to me once a year or so ago, and was recognisably the same thing that happened to MIL. It was very unpleasant. I just couldn’t swallow, salivated a lot, and had to spit out the food and saliva in the bathroom. Once again, no apparent side effects or long term effects.
I hope that your mother isn’t too distressed about it, and that she keeps her great track record of minimal problems! Yours, Margaret
dys·pha·gia
That had to be a scary feeling for you not being able to swallow. Glad it hasn't recurred.
The good thing for my mom is is that she's forgotten that it happened :)
Thank you so much Margaret.