Sara

My operation was February 2012. Chemo and radiotherapy was tough, but when I got my speech valve, things started to look better. However I was very conscious about the way I sounded.

 

I avoided using the phone, as most people assumed I was a man, or they couldn’t understand me at all. In the end I pretty much stopped using it. In fact, I avoided speaking to anyone even face to face, because I got fed up of repeating myself. So, even though I’d got a voice back, I wasn’t confident using it, & it was hard work.

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Thanks to Shout at Cancer I have learnt so much about the voice. As Laryngectomees (and I hate that word), I think its incredible that we can talk at all. But, it can be improved on. The voice rehabilitation sessions have taught me how to breathe differently, in the way that a singer would, to get much more control. We use different techniques with the vowels and consonants to get more intonation in the voice. I have to tell you, I have been asked to Moo, Meeow, and ee-aw in the sessions (very funny), but it works.

 

I used to love to sing, and I never thought it would be possible, but I did sing We Are The Champions by Queen in front of them all. Not sure it was great pitch wise, but I did it. By breathing differently, being aware of my diaphragm, I have so much more control over my voice. I can shout, I feel more confident on the phone. I can read a poem with the right intonation. I can talk to my daughter properly and read her a book, and everyone I know has commented on how much clearer my voice is.