Swallow Study

Lily and I went to the hospital again today for a repeat Modified Barium Swallow Study. We're old pros at this test, and the staff at the hospital know us. But today might have been Lily's last swallow study! She drank the thin liquid without aspirating at all. There was shallow airway penetration, but nothing alarming. We didn't even try the nectar thickness because Lily did well enough on thin that she didn't need any thickening. The speech pathologist is comfortable with Lily trying thin liquids at home! We'll start with water for a few days and see how it goes. We'll be watching for any changes in vocal quality, choking, gagging, and low-grade fevers that may indicate aspiration. If there are no changes, we'll be able to start giving Lily milk without thickener. All of this is pending the pulmonologist's approval, of course, but these are the plans we've discussed.
I really wasn't expecting this news today. Going to swallow studies had kind of become a routine chore for us, with always the same results; so I wasn't anticipating the great news! The doctors have always insisted that Lily would outgrow her dysphasia, and I had decided not to worry about it anymore. This was a very, very nice surprise!
While we were waiting today, we played in the sunroom. I really love Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital. They do a great job of making kids feel at ease, and the doctors have always taken wonderful care of Lily. As much as I hate having to take Lily to the hospital, I always feel at home when we arrive. It's a strangely comforting feeling. Anyway, like I was saying, we played in the sunroom, and I took pictures! I took the camera with us today intending to take a photo during the swallow study, but I didn't get a chance because Lily didn't want to drink the barium and I had to coax her to do it. So we only have playground pictures. Enjoy.