Hi Zarker

I had severe displacia of the vocal chords around 5 years ago and was told that I needed laser treatment immediately as it "was very close to cancer". I had laser treatment a few times and had to have biopsies done around every 2 - 3 months but in my case it had gone too deep so they could only laser the surface and it kept coming back. If you are a smoker you should give it up immediately as my consultant told me to avoid smoke at all costs.

I went on to have larygneal cancer but I was stage T2-3 when I was eventually diagnosed. I was successfully treated with radiotherapy 28 months ago and touch wood everything is fine and my voice is better than it's been for years.

On a positive note they are closely monitoring you and as you are at a very early stage hopefully they will be able to get rid of it with laser treatment alone.

I wish you well and hope that the next laser treatment will be the end of it.

Marion x

Hi Marion ,

Thanks very much for your reply it was most helpful. I hope you don't mind me asking but how long was it from when they found displacia to you being diagnosed with laryngeal cancer? As this is what I think may be happening to me. They said inicially It could be treated with laser alone and after my last laser treatment yesterday that the return was on the surface only and did not warrant rdiotherapy at the moment and he had done deeper biopsys which he says hes sure arn't cancerous. This has as you know been a very difficult time for me as i'm so scared of loosing my voice or having to have a laryngectomy which I've been told is unlikely. i'm reassured to know that after your treatment your voice is now good. Thank you again and I hope you continue to do well. Andy

p,s gave up smoking 5 years ago and after this will never go back to it!

HI Marion,

Thanks for your reply. Im starting to feel a lot better. swallowing easier, coughing starting to subside and voice making some progress although when I speak I sound about 90! I'm going back to work next week just part time as i'm self employed and need to earn some money so have told clients I will only whisper and not talk too much during sessions!

As you say its early days for my voice and I have to be patient. I always want everything done by yesterday and hate having to wait especially as I havent been able to speak since the beginning of dec, but guess I have no choice. Also looking forward to having a nice glass of wine but will wait till soreness in my mouth has cleared and my voice is back. I've spent most of  this week just sleeping which I think has done me the power of good and i'm lucky that I have a flexibility in my job to come home and rest between sessions.

I'm not thinking too much about the results of the treatment as I've got to the stage now where I can't worry any more and what will be will be, guess I've done all I can. Have a great w/e and speak soon.

Love Andy

Hi Andy

Just a quick post to see how you are.

I can't believe you're going back to work so early but try not to overdo it as you must be still feeling tired.  Has your voice started to come back yet? Do you know when you are having your scan?  Sorry about all these questions!

I've decided to do the "Shine Walk" for cancer research on 1 October - it's an overnight walk around London (either 13 or 26 miles).  My friend who recently lost her husband to cancer has asked me to do it with her.  I'm not sure if we are doing the full or the half one but I'd better get some walking practise!

Hope you're ok but let us know how you're getting on.

Love Marion x

Hi Marion,

Thanks for your message. Unfortunately I don't have much choice about going back to work as I have a mortgage to pay and  have my business to run which won't work without me  and I can't live on £62 a week sickness benefit. I'm only training 4 clients a day and live very neatr my wotk so I can come home and rest between clients and am finding it ok.

I actually felt worse sitting at home worrying about things as I love my job and I think having a routine is helping me feel things are getting back to normal. The downside is I don't have my voice back yet and my throat is still a bit sore, its been nearly 3 weeks since I finished the RT and am not sure if this is normal as most people tend to get it back towards thre end of tretment. I mentioned about working to the consultant and he said I need to rest my voice but i told him i'm only whispering and working part time and he seemed to think this would be alright. I'm wondering if i'm straining it by working, there's no one to ask as my next appointment with the consultant isn't till mid feb.

Anyway hope your well

Andy x

Hi Andy

It's a shame you had to rush back to work but I do understand the money thing.  I was really lucky as my firm paid me full pay for the time I was off - although it was only 10 weeks in all.  I know what you mean about sitting at home worrying as it was at that time that I became depressed.  I needed to get back to work for normality.

Try not to worry about your voice Andy - we are all different and there's no set time for when it should come back.  I've met quite a few people now through clinic appointments who have had some form of throat cancer and they can all speak.  In fact, I probably already told you, my voice came back and went again for quite some time which really freaked me out!  It's strange but my consultant told me not to whisper as it still strains your vocal cords but I'm sure you will know if you are pushing yourself too hard.  I can really understand your frustration though.

I put my photo on my profile so that everyone can put a "face to a name" but for some reason it's not showing (must have done something wrong)!

Anyway look after yourself and let me know when you get your voice back - hope it's soon!

Love Marion x

Hi Marion,

Yes would have liked to have had 10 weeks off on full pay! but like you said its much better to be doing something and I feel ok in my self apart from the voice. Its so frustrating as I really love my job and this is the time of the year I could be picking up new clients but I can't really take anyone on at the moment sounding like this.

My present clients have been wonderful and are ok with me whispering and tell me to shut up if I;m talking too much! Guess I have to patient and wait for everything to heal. I spoke to my consultant's assistant today who said this was all normal and consistent with post radiotherapy and also said it was ok to work as long as i don't over do it.

Would be good so see a photo of you and put the face to the name, will try and put one up of me.

Thanks again marion and hope all is well with you and will certainly let you know when my voice is back then we can arrange a get together with chris :-)

Andy x

Hi Marion/Andy

Hope your both well.

Marion firstly thanks for mail other day. I will reply when I get a spare 10 mins. Life is hectic at moment going from the North to London every week and trying to spend time with Kids at weekend.

Andy,

I'm glad your on road to recovery but try not to push yourself too hard. I know you want to get back and you need to work  but don't try and run before you can walk. I am sure your voice will improve but as I told you other week on phone my voice is still improving even now 6 months after my RT and there are dips in it some days. I guess it is a long road to recovery and there will always be times when it is not as good as you hope but try and remember the bad times when you had no voice at all. Things will get better.

We must sort that drink out soon. I will be in London until the end of May. I am working on olympics at Stratford so on Central line. Can get anywhere in 30 mins so Just choose somewhere to go.

Speak soon,

Chris

Hi Andy

Sounds like you've got your clients sorted out and they understand the situation.  Lets hope they do as they're told and won't need you to shout at them ;-)

It's bad timing that you can't take any new clients on at the moment as this is the perfect time for getting fit post-Christmas but there will be the Spring when people will want a beach body!  I keep meaning to go to the gym but I bought myself a wii fit  ....... must get round to using it though!

As my photo isn't coming up with my messages, have a look at my profile as it's on that.

We'll have to get together while Chris is still in London, so let us know when you're feeling well enough as I can go anywhere on the tube.

Speak soon.

Love Marion x

Hi Chris

Nice to see you on cancer chat!

Just replied to Andy about meeting up.  I can do any place, any time, any where (I sound like the Martini advert but don't think you're old enough to remember it)!  It will have to be before end of May so hope Andy will be up to it.

Email you soon.

Love Marion x

Hi yes would be good to catch up soon, perhaps early march might be good, hopefully my voice will be back by then and and perhaps we can meet somewhere central or convenient for all of us and somewhere not too noisy! I think chris is in london till the  May,let me know what you think, will text chris as well. Saw your pic, very nice! you don't look your age :-) Got mine up too, its good to have a face to the name and we will recognise each other when we meet, hopefully!

Speak soon

Love Andy x

Hi Andy

I have a little confession - the photo is a few years old ;-)  I don't think I've changed much since then though and I don't have any recent ones on my own.  It's good to see you too - quite exciting to put a face to a name at last!  I don't know what I've done wrong with my photo as it's not coming up with my messages.  I might try deleting it and uploading it again.

I'll leave it up to you and Chris to decide when to meet up and I'll go with the flow.  I'm in London anyway so it will be easy for me to come straight from work.  Hopefully you will be feeling much better by then and I'm sure your voice will come back soon. 

Speak soon.

Love Marion x

Hi Andy

I have a little confession - the photo is a few years old ;-)  I don't think I've changed much since then though and I don't have any recent ones on my own.  It's good to see you too - quite exciting to put a face to a name at last!  I don't know what I've done wrong with my photo as it's not coming up with my messages.  I might try deleting it and uploading it again.

I'll leave it up to you and Chris to decide when to meet up and I'll go with the flow.  I'm in London anyway so it will be easy for me to come straight from work.  Hopefully you will be feeling much better by then and I'm sure your voice will come back soon. 

Speak soon.

Love Marion x

Hi Marion,

Actually so is mine! It was the best one I could find as I don't have too many pics of my self on my own. Things have taken a dip this week, my throat has got sore again and i'm coughing up a lot of gunge, the doctor thinks I may have an infection or an ulcer in my throat so has put me on antibiotics. I was coughing so much last night my neighbour called me to find out if I was alright, have spoken to the hospital who say its the RT still doing its work, i'm getting to the point when I wonder if i'll ever feel normal again! Its strange as everything else feels ok and I really thought up to this week that all that was getting better, still its early days yet I guess.

I really want to have my voice back when we all meet as it would be great to have a good old natter and a laugh which I can't do too well at the moment which is why i'm delaying things a bit, I hope this is ok with you and chris. I think we al deserve a nice glass of champagne after all weve'e been through! Glad to hear all is good with you.

Bye for now

Love Andy

Hi Andy

Sorry to hear things have taken a dip. No wonder your voice hasn't come back with all that coughing - imagine how much strain that's putting on your vocal cords plus all the gunge will prevent your larynx from moving freely.  I always get a bit hoarse when I have cough now but I suppose there will always be a weakness there.

Re the RT still working up to a month after you've finished treatment - my side affects got a lot worse a week or 2 after I had finished treatment and from then on it gradually got better.  It's still early days as you say and I promise your voice will improve and it might just come back all of a sudden and surprise you!  I remember the first time I went to say something expecting to sound like Phylis Pearce and this normal voice came out - I was ecstatic!  At first it came and went until eventually it got stronger.  Even now It still goes a bit hoarse if I talk too much or too loudly.  I went to the Television Awards on Wednesday night and after talking to my friends over all that noise my voice is a bit husky ever since.

I've accepted you as a friend so we can talk privately about meeting up if you like?

Hope you feel better soon.

Love Marion x

Hi Andy And Marion

Love seeing your photo's its nice to put a face to the names  andy i hope you just keep getting stronger and your results are all good when you get them. Marion " Television awards" wow told you ,you looked good it must be the company you keep i am sooooooooo jelous (xx)

Well love to you both

Luckyus