My Dysphagia Story: Gay Biggs

Diagnosed with dysphagia at 60 years old, Gay consumes a full and varied menu thanks to the texture-modified diet solutions from Flavour Creations.

At the age of 12, I had a benign tumour on the bottom of my brain. It didn’t cause many problems until I was about 60. When people see me now, they think I have had a stroke. I first heard about dysphagia when I diagnosed with the swallowing disorder in early 2014. I had difficulty swallowing and, as a result, had recurring aspiration pneumonia.

A speech pathologist prescribed me a texture-modified diet consisting mainly of Flavour Creations products. I’m still consuming these lifesaving products every day. I order all the products online – juices, Fruits with Attitude, Easy Thick Rapid (ETR), Shape It, and ice-cream. I order less water these days as I make up a litre each morning with ETR. I find the ETR sachets are marvellous on-the-go at cafes.

Flavour Creations products are lifesaving, innovative, and their presentation allows dignity. I use all the Flavour Creations cookbooks … well, my husband Russ does. He makes me bread, crackers, biscuits, salad, vegetables, chocolates, and fruit balls. He even made me a chocolate bunny for Easter.

Without Flavour Creations’ products, I certainly wouldn’t have the quality of life I enjoy now. The Shape It products have just revolutionised my life. To have food that looks like ‘food’ is thrilling. Russ has to spend time preparing my food, and he had never done any cooking before my diagnosis. It is a sacrifice for him, but he is very good to me.