ACQ Vol 11 No 1 2009

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46 Sp eech Pathology Australia
MULTICULTURALISM AND DYSPHAGIA
reasonably. That was the best news I had heard for quite some
time and I recall her asking that the operation be put off for
two weeks while she “worked on me”. Cindy had me doing
endless throat exercises, often with pulsating wires attached
to my neck, swallowing practice, etc., etc. I remember doing
endless tongue exercises both in hospital and later at home.
Of course Cindy had more to do than look after me. She was
ably assisted by two or three others whose names escape me,
although I recall Alana being one. All of these staff members
went out of their way to help me and their kindness and
professionalism is very much appreciated.
After lots of intense and regular daily practice and hard
work, I could feel improvement and then Cindy came one
day with some thick water (yuk) and some ice cream (which I
love) and taught me how to swallow again without the liquids
(or solids) going down my throat and choking me. That was
one of the most scary moments, having something in my
mouth … like “what do I do now”? I had not swallowed
anything for about two months. Thankfully I did not choke!!
Slowly I found I could manage some pureed food and as I
could shower myself by then, I went home (just before
Christmas 2006). Before my discharge, Cindy had arranged
further treatment for me at GARU (Geriatric Assessment and
Rehabilitation Unit) in the new year. I went to GARU as an
outpatient, practising with various foods (lunch with Cindy),
gradually progressing from “mush”, to finely ground food to
eventually being able to manage several of the coarser foods
such as minced meat, fish and the like. Although I am still
selective and careful about what I eat and frequently have to
cough back some foods which try to “go down the wrong
way”, I am grateful to be able to eat without having one of
those dreadful “pegs” in my stomach.
Following assessment, I was then scheduled for further
intense speech therapy, to hopefully improve my loudness, as
some of my vocal cords were also damaged. Again that
therapy has involved a lot of effort both on my part and the
part of the staff members. In particular, I have to thank Jane
and Penni who also took a keen interest in my case. They
would be able to quantify the amount of progress I have
made over the four weeks of treatment (four days per week).
For myself, I can say I have learned to communicate again at
an acceptable level, much better and clearer than before, to
the point where life is that much more enjoyable, much, much
better than it was before treatment.
Although I can never be “the same as before”, I know I am
that much better off having been treated and cared for by
such professional people as Cindy, Jane and Penni, together
with the friendly nursing staff, Claire and Julie, in particular. I
am ever indebted to them and urge any other patients with
similar problems to ask for their help and put in the effort.
The outcome will be well worth it.
This is my story of my involvement with the speech therapy
staff at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.
After I semi-retired in early 2006 from my occupation as a
building surveyor, my wife and I hooked up our van and went
off “around Australia”. We had been on the road for six months
by the time we arrived at Perth, WA. Our grandchildren were
missing us (and we them), so our youngest son, his wife and
their two children flew to Perth to meet us for the Queensland
school holidays in September/October. They hired a car and
we travelled along behind them, south of Perth and towards
the Margaret River district. There we all went off in their hire
car one afternoon to see the sights and became involved in an
horrific road accident. All aboard were badly injured and
sadly our (only) grandson survived on life support for only
another four days. The remainder, although with ongoing
problems, have thankfully survived.
I recall nothing of the accident, the minutes leading up to it
and nothing of the next two weeks, as I was in an induced
coma for that time. I was in the Royal Perth Hospital for all of
six weeks until I was deemed able to fly to Brisbane (with my
wife as carer) and then by ambulance to the Royal Brisbane
Hospital where I spent another six weeks. I had been told in
Perth that as I had sustained fairly major head injuries and
had nerve damage affecting the right side of my throat and
tongue, I would be unlikely to ever eat or speak normally again. I
was fed with a nasogastric tube.
Whilst I have clouded memories of my time there, I can
clearly recall not being able to communicate, except with a
pad and pen. I could not even swallow my own saliva, let
alone any water or food. I had not had a bowel movement for
weeks (but that is yet another story).
So my story of my involvement with the speech therapy
staff starts from my arrival in Brisbane. By that time I had lost
about 15 kg (from about 81kg to 65kg) and was quite weak. I
had been reasonably fit prior to the accident. So I was
determined to exercise by walking around the ward. I can
remember falling a couple of times as my balance was (and is)
affected but I made some progress there, with the aid of a
walking frame.
I was feeding myself by bottle and tube but was still unable
to swallow, which was very frustrating. Even the pills I needed to
take (for all time) as a consequence of the accident had to be
crushed finely and force-fed through the same tube. I was
told I could have a “peg” placed in my stomach area and I
would need to feed myself that way for the rest of my life.
Although that was quite a daunting prospect, I resigned
myself to the “peg” idea as the best (only) option and I was
“booked in” for the operation the next week.
Meanwhile, I had a visit from the speech pathologist, Cindy,
who examined me and after a short time told me she believed
she could get me swallowing again and perhaps speaking
A Consumer Speaks
Ken Rauber
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