THEY CAN FIX MY VOICE!!!

Hi everyone--

I couldn't wait to tell you. I went to an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist yesterday morning. He was wonderful. He did a complete ENT exam on me and told me that during radiation in the summer of 2007, it damaged my recurrent laryngeal nerve, which runs from the brain stem, down the neck, down the chest and back up again. This paralyzed my left vocal cord. Since it's paralyzed, it cannot meet the right cord to vibrate and make sounds properly, and I'm also losing a lot of air because of it. The right cord is trying really hard to meet the left one, but it can't reach. There is a procedure where they can move my left cord over so that the right one can meet it and I will be able to sing and talk normally again! The doc was extremely knowledgeable (Dr. Michael Murphy), but he told me that since he's still young in his career (seven years), and I make my living singing and teaching singing, he is going to send me to Stanford to see one of the top two specialists in the country for the procedure. His name is Dr. Ed Damrose, and he specializes in working with singers. He's had many articles published, two of them being specifically on the recurrent laryngeal nerve, so I'm very excited to meet him and get this done!

I am just thanking God for this news, because of everything that I've gone through in the past three and a half years since my diagnosis, this has by far been the hardest for me. I can't thank you all enough for the love, support and prayers you've given. Please--keep them coming.

Well, I just realized I really haven't updated you in a while, and so much has happened. The bad news I shared in the last blog was actually incorrect. We thought the spots had grown, because San Ramon Regional was comparing the CT scan to the last scan THEY took back in November. They didn't know I had had a PET scan two months ago at another facility. There was actually not really any change from the PET two months ago to the CT at San Ramon. They had released me on Friday, I went back to school on Monday feeling fine, went to our competition on Saturday at Great America (and WON), and I've been working ever since. I was so proud of my students for getting the highest scores of the entire festival, including bands and orchestras. They also won the best overall choir, and the biggest trophy (for character ed, showing good sportsmanship). I could not be happier.
I had a follow-up with the pulmonologist and my lungs are clear and I'm doing great. I started a new (for me) chemo drug; Taxol. It is again a drug they use for many other types of cancer. I pray this one will get me to full remission. I will lose my hair again, and I've already been wearing my new wig--stop by and check it out if you get the chance! The new wig and the 52 pounds I've lost have made quite a difference in my outlook. Thank you so much for your love & support through your thoughts, prayers and emails. Please keep 'em coming...