Hello everyone, this week I've decided to tell you about my problems with eating and drinking.

Due to my mum catching chicken pox when she was 10 weeks pregnant with me I was left with serious health problems. These include issues with my swallowing which affects my eating and drinking, in fact i am unable to eat anything at all. I am able to drink a little bit of water just to help with my dry throat and my voice. The reason i can not swallow is because I have brain-stem damage that has affected the part of my brain that controls my swallowing. It also caused me to have no coordination in my throat when I attempt to swallow my esophagus opens instead of closing to protect my airway, so any liquid or food would go into my lungs making me choke and have chest infections which could be fatal.

I have a machine called a Suction machine which helps me clear my secretions from my throat and chest from getting infected, it makes it easier for me to breath. I normally use this in the mornings to make me feel better for the day ahead and if I’m really ill.

You may be wondering how I stay alive if I can not eat or drink!

When I was very little I had a operation to put in a gastrostomy tube (mickey button) in my stomach, this allows me to be fed through a pump over night. My food is a special liquid with all the nutrients that I need. Every night before I go to bed I set up my pump by filling a special bottle with 8 bottles of my food then I attach my feeding tube to the bottle and place the bottle upside down on a hook and attach the other end of my tube to my mickey button. Gravity then ensures the liquid ends up in my body.

Day to Day

Being Nil by mouth affects my day to day life because for me, some of the small things that other people take for granted just aren't possible - things like popping to McDonald's for a quick lunch, or an evening out for dinner with friends aren't things that I can do. Sometimes I go out with my family to a restaurant so I don't miss out on the social aspects of life. Even the smell of someone's dinner can get me down sometimes because I'll never have the chance to taste all the amazing looking foods that other people can choose from. If I could eat the thing I would really love to try is Pizza! and I'd really love to be able to go out for a few beers like other lads my age!

But I try not to let this get me down too much-this is my day to day life and I haven't known any different. I learnt that everyone has their own challenges to face and you have to make the best of whatever situation you're in.

https://jordansstory.home.blog