July 29, 2013 Natalie's mini surgery.

Because they had to sedate her to get a scope down. They called it a surgery. We, along with the doctors were looking for answers as to why Natalie still aspirates especially if she drinks liquid without thickner. (Up until her June hospital stay, she was able to have tiny little drinks of water at the water fountain.) They did a scope down her esophagus, and also took some tissue from her stomach and small intestines for a biopsy. The procedure didn't take very long, they didn't find anything wrong. We are still waiting for the results from the biopsy. She woke up quickly was quite hungry and very thirsty. Two days later, we went back to see her speech therapist about vital stem therapy. She is back to sounding hoarse again and at times sounds like she is forcing her voice out. She didn't think she needed vital stem that day. But, sat and talked with us for a while. She recommended that Natalie go back to the ENT clinic and get her vocal cords checked out. They tried to go down 2 years ago but the cords were still swollen from her being incubated while in the NICU. She mentioned that she could have vocal cord paralysis, which could take years to grow out of. When she told me that, she thought that I would be disappointed. I wasn't. Actually, I was relieved that it wasn't anything more than just that. She really doesn't know anything different when drinking her drinks. She has always needed thickener. If her being on thickener is helping her to stay healthy so that she doesn't aspirate and get bacteria in her lungs. Then we will gladly keep her on it. So grateful that we are getting answers. She has recently started making her own drinks, I measure the 8 ozs, she puts the drink in her cup and adds the thickener and shakes while counting to 20. She loves making her own drinks.