Hard to swallow

Darwin would have called it a tribute to evolutionism but scientists today describe it more as precarious.  Humans amoung many animals have a single intake opening for both our respiratory tract (trachea, lungs, breathing) and digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, intestine, eating).  Neither is more important than the other since we need both air and food.  So how do we decide what goes where?  In some cases we can decide.  For example, we can intentionally swallow air to prepare for a burp.  Or we can drink so sloppily that we get some liquid heading toward the lungs.  That could start around of terrible coughing or it could kill you. But most of the time you don't even think about it.

So who is in charge of this trick of directing esophageal traffic like a Parisian traffic monitor?  And, more importantly, what do you do when he falls down on the job?  Because that is what they're saying is my problem.  I'm a sloppy swallower.

The traffic cop is the team comprised by the tongue, pharynx, and epiglottis.  The nicer, more accurate term for sloppy swallowing is silent aspiration.  The serious part is a potential death sentence the other half a mere inconvenience.  Because of this problem I have been hospitalized twice this year for a total of 20 days in the Intensive Care Unit or the Step-Down ICU. Because of this I have two artificial openings in my body - a throat tube known as a trache and a stomach tube known as a G-tube.  In case I need air/oxygen immediately a tube delivering that can be inserted through my trache and into my lungs.   With my mouth preoccupied with oxygen, I can be nourished by sending liquid food through the g-tube. With the safety measures in place I can exercise and/or allow surgery to strengthen the little traffic copy and improve his performance.

The short term hope is that I can get my little traffic cop to work well enough that I can eat regular food with other people.  The long term hope is that a cure for Parkinsons Disease will keep the little guy working well past retirement age.