Hi all - today has been a milestone day. Exactly 12 weeks after my Mum had her stroke, she has had a further Speech and Language Assessment and been given the all clear to go back to normal eating and drinking...so no more thickener !
This is a huge step forward but obviously there is still a lot of understandable fear around choking, and aspiration and just being able to manage eating some 'normal' food.
Does anyone have any tips on how we can help her to adapt and re-introduce food, whilst building her confidence that she will be able to manage this big step. She doesn't have much of an appetite anyway and it's a big struggle to get her to eat anything at all.
Thanks
Karen
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Hi Karen, Loss if appetite is quite normal. I would suggest small portions of her favourite foods. You might need to cut her food up a bit and encourage her to take her time chewing before swallowing. Lighter foods might be more preferable to stodgy or meat that requires more chewing.
After four years, I still cannot eat large portions, but can tackle most things. I eat more fish and vegetarian meals these days too. She might also need cutlery specially designed for those with disabilities.
Pleased to know things are now progressing and I am sure they will improve further.
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Great news Karen please give your mum my love and best wishes. I did not eat for weeks for many reasons but my occupational therapist went through the eating stages 1 to 5 changes to my diet weekly and I am now eating normal
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Thanks so much for the advice, I think little and often will be the way to go. Today she has managed some yoghurt, banana, a couple of biscuits, some chicken soup and a fondant fancy cake. She also has a protein shake to boost her up as well. Her appetite isn't great but if we can just build up little by little, then that will be another step forward. Take care, Karen
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Thanks, will do. It will take a little time for her to become confident with different foods but I'm sure she will get there. Today she managed a fondant fancy cake, so that's a step in the right direction. Take care, Karen
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Hello @Craftchick I was found to aspirate a little after a barium sulphate swallow xray. I Chew these silicon exercise chew blocks available on amazon to strengthen my chew muscles 4years post-stroke.
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Yet another reason to celebrate on here, another milestone has been crossed 
It must be a relief to see some progess and there will be many. Many of us do lose our sense of taste after our stroke, I know I did and it took about a year to get it back. For some it can be sooner, for others it can be much later, it’s just nature of this beast 
Has your mum indicate whether her sense of taste is off in any way? Some can even think food tastes bad, same for sense of smell.
In saying all that, she does still need to eat doesn’t she. Scrambled eggs or omelets, maybe with a little smoked salmon or mushrooms in it, would be another good one to try her on. And it usually goes down fairly smoothly. Jelly is another good one, well I thought so anyway 
How is she getting on with speech and mobilty?
Lorraine