Week Five: Myofunctional Therapy

Drinking exercises (sadly, it's not what you think)

Get ready:
Tongue tip down, close lips in a small 'o'

Sip:
Use your lips and suck the liquid onto the top of your tongue
Take the cup away and close your lips

Trap:
Suck up to trap the liquid
Bite down, then open your lips

Swallow:
Keep the tongue sucked up and swallow with the back of the tongue pushing up

Watch in mirror to make sure tongue isn't pushing through openings in teeth.

Week Four: Myofunctional Therapy

Exercises

Do the tongue exercises all at one time in order
Use a mirror so you are practicing correctly

1) Suck It Up - 100 in a row

2) Suck Back With the Sides - 100 in a row

3) Back Tongue Lift - 'K' sound, 100 in a row

4) Tug-of-War to strengthen the throat muscles
Hold the sides of your tongue like a hot dog
Pull the tongue back in line with the pocket then stop
Your fingers will stay back and hold the tongue in place
Pull down with your throat muscles and resist the pull
Curling or spreading the sides or the tip down is wrong
Tug 10 seconds, remove your fingers, repeat 10 times

5) Trap Swallow to learn the normal swallowing pattern
Squirt water on your tongue
Suck up quickly to trap the water on the roof
Close your teeth but keep your lips open
Swallow, the back of the tongue lifts up
Do 10 perfect trap swallows

6) Rest and Suck/Swallow Saliva correctly all the time
Breathe out, bite, suck up and suck back with the sides, swallow

7) Drink with a straw between the back teeth and suck with the sides

Just wanted to share

If you recall my post Blast from the past I spoke of an amazing woman I knew as a child. Her name is Irma and at 88 years of age she's working on her first book. She no longer paints, but she did send me this painting. I really look forward to seeing her next year.

24 Hour Fitness

Met my personal trainer today, who seems to know her stuff. Also she listened to my health issues and will work with me to modify a workout/diet plan. She wants me to keep a journal of what I eat, and follow a 1500 calorie a day diet.

I can't find the paperwork that shows my measurements and weight. If I remember I'll grab it during next week's appointment so I can post the scary truth here ;)

Week Three: Myofunctional Therapy

Exercises - Week Three

1) Suck It Up - 100 in a row

2) Suck Back with the Sides - 100 in a row

3) Back Tongue Lift - to strengthen the back of the tongue
Bite on 2 fingers, keep the tongue back
Say 'K' as in the word cup, push the back up
The sides of the tongue should go in toward the middle
'K' one second apart 10 times, take fingers out, rest jaw
Do a total of 100

4) Pull Down - strengthens the throat muscles
Open your mouth, the tongue is up toward the pocket
You are using your throat muscles
The back of the tongue should go below the back teeth
Pull down for 10 seconds, rest, repeat 10 times

Dropping a class

I think I just took on too much (as usual) in my attempt to feel "normal." And now I'm left feeling like a failure because I'm going to have to drop one of my classes. I just don't have the energy to study or go to tutoring as much as that Ear Training class demands. And it's so frustrating to see everyone around you "getting it" and you're sitting there in slow motion, trying to figure things out step-by-step. I know it's not the end of the world - I can always take it again. Just a blow to the ego.

Always feeling a step away from overwhelmed...and that step comes too easy. Life would be so much easier without chronic pain. My journey is finding a way despite the pain, and not to be jealous of those around me who won't ever have to worry about it.

This always helps me forgive myself:
http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/2004/11/the_spoon_theory.php

Week Two: Myofunctional Therapy

Today's forecast was extremely hot and dry with a heavy chance of migraine =( And holy shit was the weather man right, so I'll get right to the point.

I forgot to buy vitamin B6 to increase tryptophan in my diet, so it's now on my list.

Exercises - Week Two

Same as last week, I have to do the Suck It Up exercise, but this time incorporate the following new exercise:

1) Suck Back with the Sides - strengthens the side tongue muscles
Put the tongue in the pocket and hold it there
Close your teeth and open lips wide
Suck back with the sides of the tongue
Do 10 of these one second apart
Rest, Repeat, do a total of 100

2) Straw Drinking for all drinks
Place the straw between the back teeth
Tongue in the pocket and lips closed
Suck back with the sides of your tongue
When you swallow, leave the tongue in the pocket
Open your lips and check tongue placement
Switch sides so one side does not get all the work

3) Suck/Swallow Saliva correctly all the time
Breathe out, bite down, suck up and suck back with the sides, then swallow water 10 times

4) Tape the mouth (oh the hubby will love this) to redevelop and retrain the chin and lip muscles.