Hello today's date is June 15th 2022, and I am going through esophageal dilation and I am now using the home therapy with a self dilation device twice a day and I want to let you know that as difficult as it is to even think about doing this, It is equally as difficult to actually attempt it, but it is all in your head I'm here to tell you that, and you can get past it when You realize that the alternative is worse. The first words out of my mouth when I seen the video in my doctor's office at Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota of how to do it was "no way give me a feeding tube" , but then I realized I can't breathe through my stomach and if I ever was in an accident God forbid I couldn't be intubated safely. So I agreed to give the home self dilator a try or at least try it while sitting in my doctor's office and I was able to do it after a few tries by myself, but I was so terrified and turned off at the thought of it that all the way home I said to my husband "I can't I can't I can't" . However when I got home I was able to do it the first time with just two slight gags, and each day since has gotten easier and I've gotten into a routine. Once you have a routine established it becomes just like anything else take your morning shower, make your pot of coffee, do yourself dilation, have your breakfast and it becomes part of your new normal and you don't even think about it. This is hopefully just a little encouragement for those of you who have not tried it or are thinking about trying it but don't know if you can, yes you can.
Peggy