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 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 Luckyus

What great news!  You and your husband must be so relieved to have a 4 month reprieve!  Now you can make plans and enjoy yourselves without this horrible fear hanging over your heads .

Keep in touch and send a personal message any time you want a girlie chat.

Love Marion x

Hi Luckyus

What great news!  You and your husband must be so relieved to have a 4 month reprieve!  Now you can make plans and enjoy yourselves without this horrible fear hanging over your heads .

Keep in touch and send a personal message any time you want a girlie chat.

Love Marion x

Hi Marion & Andy

Thank you so much for your good wishes and continueous support it has really helped me through this when i put my name as luckyus it was 6am in the morning and it was a very sarcastic name now i do think lucky us just hope he stays clear from now on good news is he gave up smoking the day he found out and has not smoked since ( but why oh why did he have to get this first) well thats all for now

Love from meeeeeeeee

Well its a great incentive for him to give up and don't think about the why's just think about the future and also giving up smoking will hopefully help him avoid other problems. Sometimes our bodies have harsh ways of giving us wake up calls! Have a good w/e

Love Andy

Hi Andy

So pleased to read your voice is getting stronger may it long continue  an old saying came to mind reading your post " you don't know what you have got until it has gone" i think this is so true but thank goodness yours is coming back.

best wishes

Luckyus

Hi Luckyus

It's a great name!  When I first joined Cancerchat I couldn't think of anything to call myself so just went with my name (not very adventurous!)

Your husband has done the right thing giving up smoking as we're always hearing that smoking is one of the main causes of cancers to the throat (not that it was the case with me and Andy).  Hope he keeps up the good work!

Speak to you soon.

Love Marion x