Case Study
Concetta
Having been diagnosed with dysphagia at the age of 74, Concetta felt overwhelmed by the news at first, and it took her some time to accept it. Concetta is adjusting to her new way of eating, thanks to the help of her caring daughter.
After having a cardiac episode at the age of 74, I required a ventilator and a feeding tube, which caused damage to my throat and esophagus and led to my diagnosis of dysphagia.
Hearing this news completely changed my life, and at first I felt very overwhelmed by the diagnosis. I didn’t know how I could live my life with the condition, and I was especially concerned about what and how I was going to eat from now on.
A complete lifestyle change
After being diagnosed with dysphagia, I felt very depressed. Food is a huge part of my culture — everything we do revolves around food and it’s the centre of every family function or celebration.
When dysphagia changed my life, I felt alone and embarrassed. I avoided family gatherings for quite some time, reflecting how isolating living with this condition can be.
Eating is now a challenge for me; I have to eat slowly and only eat foods and liquids that are pureed or thickened. Luckily, my wonderful daughter prepares and cooks all my meals for me. She always makes sure to make them the right consistency so I can eat without worrying. Eating slowly works well for me and means that I can still enjoy flavourful food.
While I have now accepted that I can't eat certain foods that I used to enjoy, I have also learned over the past three years that food doesn’t need to be boring. Because of this, I now enjoy a wide range of foods, including soups and mashed sweet potatoes. I love pureed smoothies because they’re full of nutrients and good for me.
Information and knowledge are important
Thinking back, I wish I had been given more information following my initial diagnosis, as I did feel overwhelmed. I received very little information, which added to my fear of dealing with this new diagnosis.
I also wish the doctors had offered more encouragement; it’s taken some time for me to get used to my new lifestyle. However, thanks to the support of my daughter, I have learned to accept it.
Being diagnosed with dysphagia completely changed my life, and I wish I was able to connect with others who are going through the same thing. That way, I could share my fears and become part of a community that follows the same lifestyle as me.
Perhaps with the right support and information, I wouldn’t have felt so alone during the early days of my diagnosis and would have been able to come to terms with my condition a lot sooner.
