I have a routine, almost ritualistic. It takes me a LONG time to wake up in the morning so I sit in my chair kind of in a stupor for a while. I drink my water and take my vitamins each morning as well during this time as I try to wake up.
At this point in my disease, I have the first two levels of dysarthria and I see a Speech Pathologist regarding that. Often times, now, I will choke on water, anything I’m eating, for most times I choke on nothing. That’s what I did this morning! Actually, I had just taken a vitamin and the little bit of water I used to swallow it kind of made me choke.
My Mom and Sean know that this happens and they will just let me cough it out and wait for my instructions for what they should do next. So this morning, I tried adjusting my chair because I was kind of reclined and I kept moving my chair as I was coughing and I was not getting a clear breath in. I started to get a little nervous.
I beeped the horn on my chair and my Mom came to the living room and I put my hands out because I needed her to pull me forward so my lungs would open so I could get air. My Mom came to me and I put my hands out in front of me as I was still pitifully coughing and she pulled my arms at the same time that Leia put her front paws on my left arm rest.
She always comes to my aid when I’m having a problem even though she cannot do anything, it’s her intent that makes me smile. Today was no different and once my throat was clear, I petted her right side and underneath her chin as she leaned her head on my wheelchair armrest so I was able to hug to her. My sweet girl!