The Missing Piece That Helped Solve My Phlegm Challenge

Two days after my feeding tube was inserted, I began experiencing significant trouble with thick mucous and phlegm accumulating at the back of my throat. Radiation treatments had impaired my two main saliva glands, but two other saliva glands in my body, unaffected by the radiation, started working overtime to compensate. Unfortunately, this resulted in the production of thicker phlegm instead of the saliva I needed.

To manage this issue, I followed guidance to rinse and gargle frequently with Club soda or a bland salt and baking soda solution. Additionally, I used a red liquid called Lidocain, which helped soothe the pain in my mouth. At times, I even swallowed some Lidocain to ease my sore throat, which felt like a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale.

Challenges During Thanksgiving Weekend

During Thanksgiving weekend, the feeding tube seemed to trigger even more phlegm production. I found myself spitting frequently into my red spittoon (my recycled Folgers coffee can) The situation caused tension in my shoulders and jaw, and I had trouble breathing while feeding. Matters escalated on Saturday morning when I vomited my breakfast, a deeply unpleasant experience. We concluded that the feeding tube’s drip was running too fast for my body to handle.

Lack of sleep compounded these issues. Since Thursday, I had not enjoyed a decent night’s rest. Every time I lay down, phlegm production increased, forcing me to cough, sit up, and spit out the mucous. I bounced between my bed with a wedge, a rocking chair, and the basement couch, but no combination offered real relief or rest.

Emotional Regulation and Support

I was aware that I was having difficulty regulating my body, especially with managing my "fight, flight, or freeze" response. During this challenging time, Darcy stepped in with comforting words and gentle back rubs, continuously reassuring me that I would get through this. His positive energy and support had a noticeably calming effect, helping me endure the feeding process. This made me realize the power of the SAGE Contagion effect—his encouragement and optimism directly improved my ability to cope.

Discovering the Missing Piece

Tuesday, October 14th, marked an important milestone as it was the day of my final chemo treatment. I was anxious, sleep-deprived, and still struggling with excessive mucous production and throat pain. Before my treatment, I ran into my speech therapist, Julie, who offered to visit me once I was settled in my chair. Reviewing the handout she had previously given me, I finally grasped its significance: dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing caused by both the cancer and radiation, can lead to weight loss, dehydration, increased risk of lung infection, and reduced quality of life.

The handout emphasized that swallowing is a "use it or lose it" muscle. If swallowing muscles are not regularly exercised, they weaken over time and become increasingly difficult to rehabilitate. This realization heightened my anxiety, as I was barely swallowing due to throat pain.

When Julie arrived, she guided me through a series of exercises and suggested I try swallowing with my head turned to the left—the side most affected by the tumor and radiation. To my surprise, turning my head allowed the liquid to find a different path, causing only a slight twinge of pain on the right side of my throat. This simple adjustment was transformative, immediately reducing my pain and calming my mucous production. From then on, I took a sip of water with my head turned to the left every time I coughed up phlegm.

Improvement Through Consistent Practice

In the days following, I consistently performed my jaw and throat exercises and noticed a marked decrease in phlegm production, which helped me feel calmer. I now understand the importance of continuing to swallow regularly, and I am deeply grateful to Julie for her timely intervention. Her guidance has made a profound difference in my recovery and comfort, and I will always appreciate her support.