Turn and Swallow

I’m taking a day off writing about my daughter’s eyes.   I don’t have any substantially new information to report but when I do, I’ll report here in detail.  For tonight, let’s talk about my esophagus.

I’ve had two spinal fusions from C5-C7, the first one anterior in which a butterfly plate was put in the front area of my spine and the second posterior, which consists of two metal bars in the back of my spine.   All this extra metal including the accompanying screws is behind my esophagus, resulting in that same area being pushed forward a bit more than the rest.

For years (the fusions were in 2005 and 2006) there was no noticeable side effects but in the last few I’ve had swallowing issues.   I was concerned there was something wrong and ultimately had a scope done to verify.  The good news is there’s nothing wrong.   The interesting news is your esophagus doesn’t have to be straight to function.    And mine has a hitch in it.

That irregularity has left a shelf on which food gets stuck.   The number one thing being apple—and I eat a lot of apples.   Getting something unstuck has been an ongoing research project with no definitive results yet in.   It’s too far down to cough back up so I end up moving my throat around, swallowing hard, drinking liquids, making myself cough from the discomfort not to mention other unpleasant sounds.   But so far nothing is consistent.

Then yesterday I was looking to the extreme right (or as far as I can turn right with my fused neck) and when I swallowed the food unlodged and went down.   Could the solution be that simple?   I can’t get things stuck on demand, so it’s going to take some time to verify if I do have an easy out in the future.   But I’m hopeful.

The Big Boy Update:  We ate at our new favorite Mexican restaurant tonight.   My son informed us, “salsa and guacamole together are super powerful.”

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter was at a park today, attending two birthday parties.   I was pushing her on the tire swing when she sighed and said, “my oh my it’s a wonderful day.”  I agreed.  It was.