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 Grumpy

Three lots of good news at once!  Great that you don't have to go back for 3 months, your onc/consultant must be really pleased with you.

Hope this year will be a healthier one for you.

Love Marion x

Hey thats great news! Looks like he is out of the woods and will not have to go through any more treatment, you must be very relieved and happy to be able to put this behind you. Thanks for your good wishes.

Andy

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 & 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

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

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

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 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

Hi Grumpy,

Thanks so much for your message, it was very kind of you. It has been a great support to know that there people I don't even know that are looking out for me, hopefully we will get to know each other better, thank god for this site!

Andy

Hi Tony,

Thanks for your message. Had a large glass of champers at the w/e, which went down a treat and thank you for your good wishes. I will definately still be on here and hope I can help others as you have all helped me.

Best to you too.

Andy

Hi All

Just a quick up date:- My husband had a check up again last week and got the all clear yet again ( feels good to type that) they have sent him for a chest  xray for a cough but i think it is just nerves as his appointment gets closer i am sure this started and its fear coming out in a cough (well fingers crosssed).

How is every one else doing fingers crossed you are all ok

Luckyus

Hi Luckyus

That's really good news - you must both be so relieved!  I have been thinking of you although I haven't been on this thread for a while.

I¿m meeting up with Andy (Zarker) and Chris (Chris 77) tonight so I¿m really looking forward to seeing them in person!  It¿s great that what started off as a post from Andy, has led us to all meeting up.

Keep posting as I do check every few days.

Take care.

Love Marion x