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 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 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 chris,

thanks for your message. you are right I do need to take things slowly, i'm a bit impatient generally and like everything done yesterday and can't bear all this uncertainty as its 3 week since the Rt and my voice is still only a whisper. I was told the otherday that the RT can keep working up to a month after it ends so perhpas this is why there's no change and my throat is very sore still.

So your working at the olympic site! must be exciting seeing it all take shape, been meaning to get up there and have a look but havent got round to it, will you get tickets for any of the events next year? I think london will be rammed in 2012 especially with the queens diamond jubillee as well, still it will bring a lot of money into the capital.

Glad to hear your voice is holding up chris and that everything is going well for you, you and marion are living proof there's light at the end of the tunnel. We will definately get together before the end of may, I mentioned to marion about early march as I hopefully my voice will be back by then. Let me know what you think.

Have a good w/e.

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

Hi Marion and luckyus,

Feeling a lot better this week and on mon something fantastic happened, I answered the phone and to my surprise and delight I started talking!! Although it sounds v croaky something is happening and other people have stared to comment on it. I know its early days but I feel like I may be turning a corner and it has boosted my spirits no end! One of the new trainers at the gym came up to me the other day and said ' hey your speaking, i've never heard you speak before' !

I'm being cautious though as I know its 1 step up the ladder and I have a long way to go but its a start and i'm so happy! Got my hospital appt next weds so keeping my fingers crossed although not sure what they will do as i havent been given a scan date yet, guess they will have a look with the camera. Will let you know how I get on.

Hope all is good with you both

Love Andy

Hi Andy

Must be our week for good news my husband was back at the hospital today and (at least for now) has the all clear again they dont want to see him for another 4 months i hope your appointment is as good as ours so pleased you are getting your normal voice back it is something we all take for granted (until it has gone)

Must dash just wanted to keep you all posted

Luckyus

Dear luckyus

I have been wondering how things were going with you.I am so pleased you got good news from the hospital.I went to see them today and they dont want me back for 3 months except for one little ultresound.Maybe this year will be easyer than the last.

Hi Andy

That's really geat news - you must be over the moon!

You may find that your voice will just get stronger by the day and some days it might take a dip but don't panic as that's what happened to me.  It won't be long before you have your normal voice back to how it was in the days before the dysplacia.  When I went back to work after my treatment everyone was really surprised by my 'new' (old) voice as they had only known me with a husky voice.  A few were disappointed though as they preferred the husky one .  Just look after it now and no shouting!  Funny how we take things for granted - I didn't realise how precious my voice was until I lost it.

Hope you get on alright at your appointment next week but I'm sure everything will be fine.  Obviously let us know!

If you hear from Chris let me know when you get a date to meet up.

Take care Andy, I'm so happy for you.

Love Marion x

Hi Andy

That's really geat news - you must be over the moon!

You may find that your voice will just get stronger by the day and some days it might take a dip but don't panic as that's what happened to me.  It won't be long before you have your normal voice back to how it was in the days before the dysplacia.  When I went back to work after my treatment everyone was really surprised by my 'new' (old) voice as they had only known me with a husky voice.  A few were disappointed though as they preferred the husky one .  Just look after it now and no shouting!  Funny how we take things for granted - I didn't realise how precious my voice was until I lost it.

Hope you get on alright at your appointment next week but I'm sure everything will be fine.  Obviously let us know!

If you hear from Chris let me know when you get a date to meet up.

Take care Andy, I'm so happy for you.

Love Marion x

Thanks Marion for your positive words it would be truly amazing if I could get my old voice back but have a feeling I may not be that lucky but if I can get enough back so that people can hear me that would be great, I'm txting chris later so will mention we need to pencil in a date for our get together. Really looking forward to it. :-) Will let you know how i get on woth my appointment

Love Andy

Hi Andy

I still think you will get your old voice back but if it's not the same, then your new voice will be much better than it was over the last year or so.  I'm sure it can only get better now so that by the time we meet up, there will be no stopping us .

Anyway, have a great weekend and hope you get a date from Chris.

Good luck with your appointment!

Love Marion x

Hi Marion,

Have texted chris and he say's he will leave it to us to set up a date but he can't do w/ends as he has to go home to wife and kids so I was thinking may be a weds night  perhaps weds 2 or 9th of march? Let me know if this might work for you. If your in mayfair perhaps we could find somewhere in the west end as chris say's he can travel in on the tube and I live fairly close to there. Would be good to find somewhere not too noisy so perhaps a restaurant might be good but we can sort that out nearer the time.

Your're right my voice is getting stronger by the day. Did 5 clients today and met a friend for coffee and have just made a phone call and can still just about speak but feeling tired now so going to rest it for the rest of the eve. It sounds silly to people who havent gone thru this but I feel so excited by the prospect of being able to talk again! It feels like a precious gift but hey its early days yet so one step at a time! Hope you have or will have had a great w/e by the time you read this.

Love Andy x

Hi Andy

Hope you had a good weekend and it's really great news that your voice is getting stronger.  I know exactly what you mean about being excited about your voice but anyone who hasn't been through it wouldn't realise how scarey it is the thought of never being able to talk again - not to mention how frustrating it is.  I used to not want to go out as it was such an effort trying to keep up the conversation and knowing that it would only make your voice worse by straining it.

No wonder you get tired after doing too much.  I'm still amazed you are getting on with work so early after finishing treatment - especially in your job as a fitness trainer.  I felt tired for months after radiotherapy and I'm just sitting at a computer!

The 2nd or 9th of March is fine with me but do you want to message me privately about the arrangements as I'm sure no-one else would be interested n our get together.  At least I won't have to wear a red carnation as you know what I look like now (well, 4 years ago!).

Speak soon.

Love Marion x

Hi Marion,Lucky Us,

Have just been for my first check up since RT and have been given the all clear, he says the cancer has gone!.  I'm so relieved!! really feel over the moon. :-) As we all know it isn't an absolute total  all clear as I will have to wait 5 years for that but its a great step forward. He says my voice will get stronger but that will take a few months and I will still have to go back for monthly check ups. Thanks a million again for  all your hlep and support, I don't know what I would have done without it.

Marion will mail you privately re meeting up.

Love Andy x

Wow Andy

Second to hearing my husband get the all clear again last week that is the next best news i have heard ( i know we all say all clear with our fingers crossed) when you all go out have a special drink just to celebrate this step in the journey.

BIG BIG congratulations from me

Luckyus

Hi Andy,

That is fantastic news matey....have you celebrated yet?

I hope that doesn't mean you will not come on here again and will keep in touch with your fans.

Glad it was good news and looking forward to that 5 year window!

All the very best

Tony

Hi Andy

That's FANTASTIC news!!   I know exactly how you feel, it's a huge relief and I'm so happy for you.

I'm sure they told you that it's monthly visits for the first year, 2 monthly the 2nd year, 3 monthly for the 3rd year and then it goes up to 6 months.  I'm now on 6 monthly visits but I quite liked the reassurance every 3 months as I worry every time my voice is a bit hoarse (mainly caused by my constant chatting)!

Now we really must crack open that bottle of champagne soon!

I'm so happy for you Andy and I know your voice will just keep getting better.

Love Marion xx

How lovely to hear good news.May this big step in the right direction be the first of many.

Thanks so much for your message, did have a nice glass of champers at the w/w to celebrate. Have to go back for next check up in 3 months so I guess they must be pleased with me. So glad to hrar all is going well with your husband and hope he continues to make good progress, i'm sure he will.

Will be in touch soon.

Andy