Speech Therapy #1

Yesterday was my first speech therapy session, and it was brilliant to get a clearer idea of what I should be doing with regards to my recovery. The first thing she said was that I was too 'energised' and 'like a bull in a china shop' (the amount of times I have heard that one!). She wants me to speak slowly, which is fine.

We did some exercises which I recorded. I have some brrr and rolled r exercises to do 3 times a day, and then some through a straw which I do 5 times a day. There is a youtube link to the straw exercise which can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xYDvwvmBIM

This is an idea of what I am doing - but these aren't the exact exercises I am doing. Not yet anyway. I am doing small sirens, blowing on a large and medium size straw against a tissue. In order to make sure that the sound is supported with the breath, and not the throat.

It was a good session, yet she did say I sound quite husky which worried me. She said the fact that I had a cough last week concerned her, and she seems to think it may be acid reflux. My surgeon told me that he would see me again for a post-op check up in six weeks, but my speech therapist said it would be best to see him sooner - just to get the all clear. I'm really lucky and have managed to get an appointment for this evening, so will write a post again once I know what's going on. Fingers crossed!

Anyway, I came home and wrote a schedule for my recovery. I have nothing on for the next few weeks, so my life will revolve around getting my voice back. Will copy and paste the schedule below if anybody is at all interested ha!

Mezzo Girl x

Recovery Plan Week #1

9am      Wake up and drink pint of water (1)

            Eat Breakfast and take Gaviscon tablet

            Steam

10am    Do Speech Therapy Exercises A*

            Drink pint of water (2)

            Steam

11am    Do Speech Therapy Exercises B

            Drink pint of water (3)

            Steam

12pm    Steam

1pm     Eat Lunch and take Gaviscon tablet

            Drink pint of water (4)

            Do Speech Therapy Exercises B

            Steam

2pm     Do Speech Therapy Exercises A

            Steam

3pm     Do Speech Therapy Exercises B

            Drink Pint of water (5)

            Steam

4pm     Steam

5pm     Do Speech Therapy Exercises B

            Steam

6pm     Eat Dinner and take Gaviscon tablet

            Drink pint of water (6)

            Do Speech Therapy Exercises A

            Steam

7pm     Do Speech Therapy Exercises B

            Steam

8pm     Drink pint of water (7)

            Steam

9pm     Drink peppermint tea

            Steam

10pm    Bed and take Gaviscon Advance

11pm    Sleep

*A exercises are the brrr's and rolled r's, and B exercises are those with a straw. If anybody wants to know more about these exercises, in depth, please contact me.