Voice surgery recovery.

[Katie]

Just an update. AS I have said I had vocal surgery last July22. It has been just over six months since the surgery and FINALLY in the last week I can tell a big reduction in the crap in my throat. That translates out to more volume and control over my voice. I am quite happy.

The reason I am posting is because the recovery can take a dam good amount of time! Dr. Haben said two things that probably added to my recovery time is that I used to smoke and I had FFS with a previous trach shave.

Katie

[jollyjoy]

Hi Katie, how about hoarseness, did that improve over time for you?

[Katie]

Well I think the hoarseness was due to the crap in your throat. There is this flem crap that lingers in your throat and make it difficult to talk at times or to have consistency.

As I said lately this crap in my throat is not as evident so yes the hoarseness is going away or less.

Katie

[jollyjoy]

Yes I'm also experiencing this lingering phlegm at times. Glad to hear it got better for you!

[Katie]

Like I said this reduction of this crap in my throat is JUST in the last week.

[Katie]

I probably should have talked a bit about a new way of talking after surgery. I like many of us learned how to move my vocal resonance out of my chest and upwards toward my nasal passages in order to get a more female voice. It became second nature over time.

Well fast forward to after surgery. NO more of using the nasal passages for resonance. You just talk................ simple as that. So even if say you don't get as much change in your voice as you wish at the very least your not using your nasal passages for talking. Oh and before I forget. You actually have to become used to your new talking. There were times over the last few month where there was a mental disconnect when I talked. Like I was not actually talking when I was because my mind was expecting a different sound in my head.


Katie

[Katie]

Did a new recording of my voice currently at the end of February. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27063499@N04/24913106279/in/datetaken/
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[jollyjoy]

Sounds great Katie, very feminine, congrats!

[Dena]

Your voice sounds normal feminine with nothing to give way your past. However when I saw that chain saw sitting on the table, the first image that flashed through my head was you carrying that thing in the roller skating rink  It was made worst by the fact the video kept freezing so I could only hear a word or two between pauses. Playing some games allowed the software to buffer up the sample and I was able to hear the sound uninterrupted.

[Katie]

Sometimes technology stinks.

I have to say this surgery is probably the most life impacting one of all. Don't get me wrong SRS is tremendous and ffs is nice and the rest are nice but........... you hear yourself when you talk.

I like a lot of us became comfortable with my previous voice. It sounded good to me but if I herd it from a recording it was a different story.

I realize that it costs money for transition but after having gone through all the crap I can honestly say now that if I could do it over again I very well probably would have gotten the vocal surgery first..............

[GeekGirl]

You sound great in your video, Katie. I would be happy to have a voice like yours!