As an adult, I’ve always had just a little swallowing difficulty. It isn’t enough to warrant a medical evaluation, just enough to scare the living daylights out of me about twice a week.
For example, after drinking a milkshake or eating thick soup for many bites, I will suddenly be unable to swallow easily. The thickish stuff gets kind of stuck in my throat. I don’t choke, but there’s a paralyzing second or two when I think I’m going to do just that. I can’t get the food back up and I can’t get my throat to swallow. Then, I realize I can still breathe, and the lump goes down the hatch.
Sometimes, I have to jump out of my chair to get that to happen. It used to alarm my husband a bit, but I think he’s used to it by now. (I did tell him to watch for the international sign for choking just in case my worst nightmare comes true some day).
Anyway, so it’s not just soup or milkshakes, sometimes it’s a bit of chicken, or a piece of green bean, or even a sip of water. But, I just go on about my life, not thinking about it consciously because it’s not a daily event by any means.
The only exception to that is…pills . It’s so difficult for me to consider swallowing a pill whole that I go out of my way not to take medication. When I have to take it, I try to find the smallest and/or most slippery capsule I can.
Every day, I take a vitamin D (very small, slippery pill) and a vitamin C capsule. These have been recommended by my doctor based on blood work, so obviously I can’t skip those. The vitamin C is a biggish capsule, but very slippery.
I prepare myself for these mentally, and thus far, have not had a problem.
Because of my osteoarthritis, I also take a pill for my joints and a magnesium tablet. These are both fairly small, too, so twice a day I manage to get them down. Once in a while, the magnesium causes a little cough because it’s rough, but usually it’s okay.
Sadly, I recently have had to reintroduce glucosamine into my regime. This is a concern on two levels. The first is that my arthritis is worsening and I need the additional support to be able to walk with relatively little (or no!) pain. The second is that glucosamine comes in two forms: huge and horse-pill size.
Now, every day, we have three little cups from our china set that we put out on the breakfast table. I believe the intended purpose of these adorable ceramic dishes is for food such as poached egg or custard. But we use them for pills. My husband has one for his, the dog has one, and I have one.
This morning, I added the glucosamine pill to my cup. It sat there, large and intimidating, on the top of all the others. In fact, it totally masked all the others, it’s so big.
We ate breakfast and removed the dishes to the counter. I went back to the table to take my pills with my water and the cup was gone!
I asked my husband what he had done with it, and he told me the last he saw it, the cup was still on the table next to my coffee. But only my coffee cup was there.
We looked all over the kitchen counter and even in the dog dish. My pills were nowhere to be found.
Finally, I looked in the cupboard and I had – in a moment of pure Freudian mindset – placed the little cup, still full of pills, back into the place it belongs!
Apparently, even my subconscious does not want to take that pill. (Never fear, I have a pill splitter and am not afraid to use it!)
Well, there you go again blaming your innocent spouse! “I asked my husband what HE had done with it…!” You’re just like my husband. He blames me for anything he can’t find! Like, “Where’s my coat?” I just answer something like this. “Well, the last time I wore it, I hung it back in the closet.”
It looks like I am taking every vitamin you are and it does seem they are getting harder to swallow. Why, oh why, can’t they make them all into gummies!!!
I should be out there watching the Buckeyes with my husband, but, no, I would rather harass Susie.
Love Susie’s Snippets
Just to clarify, I wasn’t blaming by husband, I was complimenting him! He’s the one who carries all the dishes to the kitchen for me – so it was most likely that he removed the little cup ! 🙂 But I didn’t make that clear, did I?
True, I didn’t understand that he carries all the dishes to the kitchen, but you did clearly state: Finally, I looked in the cupboard and I had – in a moment of pure Freudian mindset – placed the little cup, still full of pills, back into the place it belongs! Now how could I have missed that! So maybe it is I who should purchase a big bottle of Brain Function Supplements to boost my cognitive performance. But those pills would probably be huge and horse-pill size. I can order a bottle on-line for $109.99. That’s huge!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Susie! It would not surprise me one bit if you get a delivery from FedEx today. A Brownies Gift Basket from Harry and David with an assortment of brownies, including blonde!
With a card … Love, Matt
Preferably, chocolate covered gummies!!!
this must run in the family tree – I cannot swallow anything larger than the D3’s of which I take two daily = got a slew of vitamins and minerals and prostate pills to take and all are large or multiple in need and capsules really suck – so I bought a pill crusher – which is great for the solids – and put them crushed into a “small” 4 oz glass of V8 -for flavor- and separate the good capsules and put the powder in the V8 – the couple liquid ones are biggest and I have to cut the end off and pour that in – mix it all up and gulp it down – whew!! what a time – a daily ritual that leaves me needing a NAP! exhausting process, but keep me much healthier than not – just wish the good Lord had given me a throat like my wife – she could down 7 or 8 pills in one swallow – geez she was so fortunate!! not ME – got to do the ordeal thing – my cross to bear??? be safe and never trust the pills to go down rightly!!
John, do you think that I should go easier on Susie? I do pick on her a lot. I treat her like I do my daughter. Sus is just another daughter to me.
On a plane flight somewhere, she did steal Matt’s brownie. I never let her forget it. 😒
You are a great friend so keep up the accountability factor on her – she is a treat and writes some great stuff – I am trying hard to get readers digest to take her on!!
Thank you, John! I like your spirit! We will hold her accountable! She is a treat and often makes my day!