Events

Catherine Plant - Brain Injury 5 years

Catherine suffered from acquired brain injury at the age of 5 years old. She was treated by the Consultant Speech Language Pathologist / Therapist,Ms Sumathi Sinnappan - UK Pioneer – Founder of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation  Vital Stim Therapy Provider 

Burden of Dysphagia by Yorick Wyting

Vitalstim UK - Janet Introduction

Vitalstim UK - Sumathi Sinnappan

Vitalstim UK - Launc Glenys First Patient

vitalstim UK - John Watkins

vitalstim UK - catherine plant

vitalstim UK - Glenys Watkins talk

vitalstim UK - Paul Martin Spence

vitalstim UK - Dom Marshall

vitalstim UK - Physiotherapist Penny Webb

VITALSTIM 2014 Launch -Paul Spence text - Manchester

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN....A VERY GOOD AFTERNOON....PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I STUMBLE AND FUMBLE MY WAY THROUGH THIS SHORT TALK....I HAVE NOT DONE THIS BEFORE AND THE TWO WORDS I AM LOOKING FOR ARE ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED....

AT SOME POINT ALL OF YOU WILL HAVE EATEN AND DRANK TODAY.... BUT IMAGINE YOU CAN'T EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING.... PERHAPS FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAYS....NO TEA..COFFEE..CHOCOLATE..WINE..STEAK AND CHIPS.... ABSOLUTLY NOTHING AT ALL....WHAT WOULD LIFE BE LIKE FOR YOU....

TRY TO ENVISAGE THAT THE DAMAGE TO YOUR SWALLOW IS JUST SO SEVERE
THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN COPE WITH SWALLOWING YOUR OWN SALIVA....

SO....TO PREVENT YOURSELF FROM....LITERALLY DROWNING....YOU HAVE TO SPIT IT OUT INTO SEEMINGLY ENDLESS KITCHEN ROLLS....EVERY DAY....MORNING....NOON.....AND NIGHT....

AFTER A STROKE IN EARLY 2009....THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID FOR 7 MONTHS WHEN I COMPLETELY LOST MY ABILITY TO SWALLOW....EVERY DAY....I WAS GETTING THROUGH 6 KITCHEN ROLLS....

MY STROKE TOOK PLACE WHILST DRIVING....ALONE....AT 70 MILES AN HOUR....IN THE OUTSIDE LANE ON THE M62 MOTORWAY....BEING VERY NEAR A JUNCTION I MANAGED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND CALL FOR HELP....A NIGHTMARE EXPERIENCE I CAN TELL YOU....AND ONE I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT....

I SPENT THE NEXT 3 WEEKS IN HOSPITAL....AND HAD THE USUAL POST STROKE PROBLEMS....LEFT SIDED WEAKNESS IN MY LEG AND HAND....SLURRING SPEECH....FACIAL MUSCLE WEAKNESS....AND I COULDN'T SWALLOW AT ALL....THIS LAST DIFFICULTY CAUSED ME THE GREATEST WORRY....

AFTER A WEEK OR SO OF STRUGGLE IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME...THE NURSING STAFF AND DOCTORS I THINK....THAT MY SWALLOW WASN'T COMING BACK ANYTIME SOON....

I WAS LOSING WEIGHT....ON CONSTANT DRIPS....BEING GIVEN INJECTIONS....ONE OF WHICH WAS TRYING TO STOP A 17 HOUR BOUT OF HICCUPS....I ALSO DEVELOPED TERRIBLE COLD SCORES ON MY MOUTH AND LIPS WITH THE CONSTANT SPITTING AND WIPING....BY NOW....MY VERY EMPTY STOMACH WAS A RAGING INFERNO OF BURNING....WHICH COULDN'T BE DEALT WITHPROPERLY AS I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ORAL MEDICATION....I WAS EMACIATED AND MY ARMS AND BODY RESEMBLED A PIN CUSHION....

I WAS THEN FITTED WITH A PEG TUBE FEEDER....TO GIVE MENOURISHMENT AND ENABLE PROPER MEDICATION TO BE GIVEN....MANY TIMES....I THOUGHT....THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME....BUT IT WAS.....DISPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF THE NURSING STAFF AND DOCTORS....NOTHING FURTHER COULD BE DONE FOR MY SWALLOW...APART FROM INTENSIVE MOUTH THROAT AND NECK EXERCISES....WHICH MAY HAVE HELPED SOME....BUT IN MY CASE NOTHING HAPPENED AT ALL....

I WAS GLAD TO BE ALIVE AND GRATEFUL FOR THE CARE I HAD RECEIVED....BUT WAS UPSET....DISPIRITED AND IN TURMOIL....WOULD THIS NO SWALLOWING CONDITION BE PERMANENT....

AFTER 3 WEEKS....I LEFT HOSPITAL COMPLETE WITH BOXES OF JEVITY AND PACKETS OF SYRINGES WITH WHICH TO FEED AND WATER MYSELF....MY FUTURE LIFE FROM NOW ON....OR SO I THOUGHT....

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOURSELF IF YOU CAN NO LONGER EAT OR DRINK....THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THIS CONDITION ARE IMMENSE....NOT ONLY FOR YOU....BUT ALSO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS....

I BECAME DEPRESSED....IRRITABLE....WITHDRAWN....RECLUSIVE....ANGRYAND SOMETIMES TEARFUL....IT WAS A ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS....I HAD TERRIBLE CRAVINGS TO TASTE FOOD....AND WOULD PUT SO MUCHCHOCOLATE INTO MY MOUTH THAT I RESEMBLED A HAMSTER WITH BULGING CHEEK POUCHES....BUT....AS I COULDN'T SWALLOW IT....HAD TO SPIT IT ALL OUT AGAIN....OR RISK CHOKING....THIS COULDTAKE UPWARDS OF 10 MINUTES TO FULLY EMPTY YOUR MOUTH....

I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS IN THE STREET OR AT A BUS QUEUE.... I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE OR TALK TO ANYONE AND I WOULDN'T GO OUT TO SOCIALISE....BEING UNABLE TO EAT OR DRINK....WHAT WAS THE POINT IN GOING OUT....PEOPLE WOULD NOT ENJOY THEMSELVES WITH ME THERE....I WOULD ONLY BE A BURDEN TO THEM....I ALSO DIDN'T RELISH THE PROSPECT OF CONSTANTLY HAVING TO SPITAND WIPE MY MOUTH IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS....SO JUST BEST TO AVOID THE SITUATION COMPLETELY....

THEN I TRIED TO AVOID FOOD AND DRINK ALTOGETHER....BUT HAVE YOUTURNED ON THE TELEVISION SET OR OPENED A MAGAZINE RECENTLY....

HAVING ALWAYS ENJOYED READING....AND READ SOME 19TH CENTURYNOVELS DURING THIS TIME....TO TRY TO DIVERT MY MIND....BUT....EVEN IN THE 1850'S AND 60'S THE LADIES WERE INVITING EACHOTHER ROUND TO TAKE TEA....AND THE GENTLEMEN ARE ALWAYSPASSING ROUND THE PORT....SO FOOD AND DRINK WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET WAY FROM....

IN SHORT....LIFE JUST COMES TO A STOP....THE PROBLEMS AREWITH YOU WHEN YOU WAKE IN THE MORNING AND STILL THERE WHEN YOUGO TO BED AT NIGHT....I DON'T KNOW HOW I SLEPT....SHEER EXHAUSTIONI THINK....YOU SEEM AS THOUGH YOUR IN PERMANENT DARKNESS....ON A NEVER ENDING TREADMILL....ONE THAT YOU JUST CAN'T QUITE GET OFF AND BACK INTO THE LIGHT....

IT WAS VERY DISTRUBING TO SEE THE CONCERNED LOOKS ON THE FACES OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS....NOT TO MENTION THE TEARS IN MY ELDERLYMOTHER EYES....PLEASE....CAN'T SOMEBODY HELP US YOU THINK....

AFTER 7 MONTHS OF FRANKLY....ABJECT MISERY....I DISCOVERED VITALSTIMTHERAPY AFTER RECEIVING A PHONE CALL AND THEN BEING SENT A MAGAZINE ARTICLE BY MY MOTHER....MAY GOD BLESS HER FOR FINDING IT....AFTER READING THE ARTICLE....WAS THIS THE ANSWER AT LAST....EXACTLY WHAT MY SWALLOWING NEEDS....A KICKSTART....I THOUGHT....NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS ON THE PHONE TO SUMATHI STRAIGHT AWAY....LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL....

I KNEW THE TREATMENT WAS WORKING....BECAUSE AFTER THE FIRSTFEW VISITS TO SUMATHI I WAS SWALLOWING MY OWN SALIVA....JUST THAT SIMPLE ACTION BROUGHT ENORMOUS RELIEF TO FAMILY....FRIENDS AS WELL AS MYSELF....I COULD SENSE PROGRESSION....THE TREATMENT WAS NON INVASIVE....AND PAINLESS...THE ONLY SENSATION BEING ONE OF WARM PINS AND NEEDLES....

JUST AS MY TREATMENT STARTED....IT STOPPED....AS SUMATHI HADTO FLY TO MALAYSIA WHERE HER FATHER HAD BEEN TAKEN VERY ILL....BUT SUCH WAS HER COMMITTMENT AND BELIEF....THAT I WAS STILLGUIDED AND ENCOURAGED FROM THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY....SO I DIDN'T FEEL ABANDONED AT ALL....

ON HER RETURN MY TREATMENT CONTINUED AND MY SWALLOW BECAME STRONGERAND STRONGER I WAS NOW ABLE TO COPE WITH MORE DIVERSE FOODS....

MY PEG TUBE FEEDER WAS REMOVED....AND THAT DAY I FELT LIKE I HAD REJOINED THE HUMAN RACE AGAIN....I WAS ELATED....MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE OPEN MOUTHED....I DON'T THINK ANY OF THEM EXPECTED ME TO SWALLOW AGAIN....

YOU ALL KNOW....MORE THAN I....THE COSTS OF CARING FOR A DYSPHYSIA PATIENT OVER A YEAR....BECAUSE OF THIS TREATMENT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY NOW FOR 5 YEARS....WHAT HAS BEEN THE SAVING TO THE HEALTH SERVICES OVER THIS TIME....AND WHAT WOULD IT BE OVER 10....20....30 YEARS OR MORE....

OF COURSE....THE TRUE SAVING HAS TO BE TO THE PATIENTS ANDRELATIVES OF THIS TERRIBLE CONDITION....IT'S JUST AWFUL....I WOULDN'T WISH ANYONE TO GO THROUGH IT....

IF THIS TREATMENT HAD BEEN AVAILBLE TO ME WHILST IN HOSPITAL MY FAMILY....FRIENDS AND MYSELF WOULD HAVE BEEN SPARED MANYMONTHS OF HAVING TO ENDURE THE ABJECT TORCHER THAT I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED....

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN....REGAINING MY SWALLOW THROUGH THIS TREATMENT HAS COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED....NOT ONLY MY LIFE....BUT THOSE SURROUNDING ME....I AM ABLE TO GO OUT....SOCIALISE AND HAVE HOLIDAYS AGAIN....SOMETHING I THOUGHT HAD COME TO AN END IN 2009....

I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM A VISIT TO THE NORTH NORFOLKCOAST WITH A FRIEND....A BEAUTIFUL PART OF ENGLAND....I WAS ABLE TO HAVE COFFEE....CAKES AND PUB MEALS....MUCH THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE....I WASN'T A BURDEN TO ANYONE....WE ENJOYED OUR TRIP....

IN THE LAST 5 YEARS I HAVE ALSO VISITED...SCOTLAND....NOTHUMBERLAND.....THE LAKE DISTRICT....WALES ANDTHE SOUTHWEST....I DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE ANY SYRINGES OR BOTTLES OF FEED WITH ME....AGAIN....I WASN'T A BURDEN TO ANYONE....

YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON THE SIMPLE PLEASURE OF SWALLOWING.... ALL LIFE REVOLVES AROUND FOOD AND DRINK.....

IN CLOSING....I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION TWO THINGS....FIRST....JUST TO READ TO YOU A SHORT QUOTATION WHICH I HEARD MANY YEARS AGO AND HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN....IT SIMPLY SAYS....REMEMBER....YOUR MIND IS LIKE A PARACHUTE....IT DOESN'T WORK UNLESS IT'S OPEN....I URGE YOU TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND....

YOU SEE BEFORE YOU LIVING PROOF THAT THIS TREATMENT WORKS....

FINALLY....I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A SINCERE...AND....HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO VITALSTIM AND TO SUMATHI SINNAPPAN....WITHOUT WHO'S CARE....SUPPORT....BELIEF....DEDICATION AND COMMITTMENT....MY LIFE....WITHOUT THIS TREATMENT....WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST UNBEARABLE....UNBEARABLE....

SO THANK YOU SUMATHI....AND THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN....