Always great seeing my friends over at Delmar Gardens North!! Another day, another FEES, another diet advanced!!! For more information on how to bring mobile FEES to your facility visit www.gatewaydd.com
SLPs across the world continue to have an increasingly vital role in the recovery of patients with COVID-19. Take a look.
OKCFOX.COM
Speech Language Pathologists key to COVID-19 recovery
Always a pleasure working with the great people at The Pillars of North County. A big win for everyone today as we were able to collaborate on a case, and after the FEES, a resident is now able to eat and drink after nearly a year of being dependent on a feeding tube!!! This speaks volumes to the dedication of the staff, the will power of the resident, and the value of a thorough instrumental evaluation. Great job everyone!!!!
Gateway Dysphagia Diagnostics
9 June at 10:35 ·
Dysphagia can span the entire life cycle and can be caused by a multitude of medical conditions. In adults, dysphagia can often result from numerous medical conditions involving changes or damage to the brain, central nervous system, and cranial nerves including: stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis, dementia, spinal cord injury, dementia, myasthenia gravis to name a few. Often in these conditions, dysphagia can present as an early symptom in identifying neurologic disease.
Dysphagia can also develop in individuals who have/had: head and neck cancer, radiation exposure, decayed or missing teeth, deconditioning related to critical illness or prolonged hospitalizations, trauma to the head and neck, cervical spine surgery, pulmonary conditions including COPD, GERD or other digestive/GI conditions, age-related weakness, certain medication.
If you or someone you know have experienced dysphagia or have questions about what can be done to evaluate and treat dysphagia visit www.gatewaydd.com
Dysphagia can span the entire life cycle and can be caused by a multitude of medical conditions. In adults, dysphagia can often result from numerous medical conditions involving changes or damage to the brain, central nervous system, and cranial nerves including: stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, ALS, multiple sclerosis, dementia, spinal cord injury, dementia, myasthenia gravis to name a few. Often in these conditions, dysphagia can present as an early symptom in identifying neurologic disease.
Dysphagia can also develop in individuals who have/had: head and neck cancer, radiation exposure, decayed or missing teeth, deconditioning related to critical illness or prolonged hospitalizations, trauma to the head and neck, cervical spine surgery, pulmonary conditions including COPD, GERD or other digestive/GI conditions, age-related weakness, certain medication.
If you or someone you know have experienced dysphagia or have questions about what can be done to evaluate and treat dysphagia visit www.gatewaydd.com
The first step in being able to treat dysphagia, is being able to identify the signs and symptoms. Listed below are common signs and symptoms associated with dysphagia. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these, we strongly recommend you seek out the advice of a speech pathologist or your physician for further testing.
Common signs and symptoms associated with swallowing difficulties:
-coughing during or shortly after eating/drinking
-complaints of pain when swallowing
-complaints of food "sticking" in the throat or chest
-drooling and poor oral secretion management
-food or liquid remaining in the mouth after swallowing
-food or liquid leaking from the mouth when eating/drinking
-wet/gurgly sounding voice during or after drinking/eating
-difficulty coordinating breathing/swallowing
-prolonged chewing, or difficulty chewing foods
-avoidance of foods, or eating/drinking
-weight loss, dehydration
-recurring pneumonia, fevers, respiratory infections
I can think of no better way to tackle the new year than with a little piece of mind. I’m grateful to have been fortunate enough to receive the second dose of the vaccine yesterday. I am entering 2021 with an optimistic outlook, that this is the first step into some sense of “normalcy”. A return to normalcy that includes a return to service in my community, a return to a much welcomed grindstone in a labor of love. I have lofty goals for this year and am fueled by a new found sense of hope and motivation that WE can overcome, WE can improve, and WE can prevail.
I’d love to hear your goals for the new year and what is driving you to make 2021 a truly memorable and impactful year.
I noticed we have many new followers, so I wanted to take the time and say WELCOME, and also once again introduce myself. I am Brad Huesgen, CEO/Owner of Gateway Dysphagia Diagnostics LLC. Currently I am the sole employee and endoscopist, and thus your go-to for all questions and service.
I was born and raised in the greater St. Louis area, where I continue to live and provide mobile FEES to local facilities. I’ve been practicing as an SLP for over 14 years after graduating from Southeast Missouri State University (Go Redhawks). I have spent the majority of my career working in acute care, specializing in ALL THINGS DYSPHAGIA. I started this company because I saw an inherent need for greater access to instrumental swallowing evaluations within my community and felt there was a systematic divide between those performing these evaluations and those carrying out the plan of care/treatment for the patient. My hope was, and continues to be, to close that gap and work towards developing strategies for comprehensive care involving myself as a diagnostician and those directly involved in the care of the patients.
For years, people have asked me “what made you pick this career path?” And my answer has always been, “I didn’t know what it was, and got lost on campus, and essentially fell into the major.” Which is 100% TRUE!!! But I always follow it up with this equally true response: PEOPLE. I love people. I love to interact with others, learn where they are from, what makes them tick. I love serving people. And that is what has made starting this business so fulfilling. I have had the immense pleasure of meeting and working with so many amazing people: SLPs, PTs, OTs, RNs, doctors, administrators, PCAs, CNAs, dieticians (and all the other medical acronyms I can’t think of right now). Not to mention all of the wonderful patients and families!!!
When I am not out and about touting around an endoscope or meticulously reviewing studies and studying laryngeal anatomy, I like to be outdoors, hunting, fishing, playing sports (lots of golf and newly into pickle ball), or you can find me in my kitchen cooking for friends or baking for clients.
I hope this gives you a small look into the window of my life and the business my life revolves around. If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Feel free to introduce yourself in the comments and let me know what interests you and what made you “like” Gateway Dysphagia Diagnostics.
Season's Greetings and many blessings from Gateway Dysphagia Diagnostics!!🎅🏻🌲
The stress of working in healthcare (and really any field) can be a lot to handle, particularly during a pandemic. We all need a little time to relax, unwind, and recharge the batteries.
Personally, my favorite way to do so is by diving into the kitchen, cooking, baking, and entertaining friends/family. This weekend I was able to prepare a Cajun feast for my “Power Bubble”, for which I’m incredibly grateful. I’m now kicking off this week feeling truly blessed and ready to tackle the world!!
What have you done lately to take care of yourself, promote mental health, and unwind??
PS: Thanks to Amy Scibona for the killer apron! ♥️ SLPs
As the old saying goes “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away.”
UNLESS of course that apple gets stuck in your valleculae. Then all it will get you is swallowing exercises, possibly a modified diet, and a visit from your friendly neighborhood SLP 😁 🍏
This demonstrates one of the GREATEST benefits of FEES, evaluating swallowing with the very foods that the patient (or you) typically eats and utilizing strategies in REAL-TIME, with a front row, high definition view!! Just remember, you can’t treat what you can’t see 👀
Very grateful for those in the community supporting our healthcare workers and local restaurants who have been impacted by the pandemic. Thanks for lunch!!
Healthcare friends, go check out Helen Fitzgerald's today for a free meal and continue to support local!!
The Home Loan Expert- Ryan Kelley
January 12 at 3:55 PM ·
Hey HEALTHCARE WORKERS! Stop by Helen Fitzgerald's this Thursday, the 14th for lunch or dinner and your meal is on us! It’s our way of saying THANK YOU for all you’re doing while also helping one of our favorite local restaurants through our Eat Local Meals campaign.
Details: One free entrée, per healthcare worker up to $25, excludes alcohol. All you have to do is show your badge or a paycheck stub while you dine in or carry out!
Where is your favorite local lunch spot? Nominate them now on our Eat Local Meals website: https://bit.ly/3aXo2rJ