Throat Specialist

I had an appointment with an Ear Nose/Throat/Specialist today. We discussed surgical options for fixing my paralyzed left vocal chord. The hope was that over time the nerve that controls this paralyzed vocal chord would heal and start to function again, this has not happened and chances are that it won't at this point . Given the difficulty to speak, and realization that it is not going to fix itself, we determined it would be best to pursue the surgery. The doctor says that the surgery does a very good job of restoring the voice and correcting other side effects such as coughing and difficulty swallowing. The surgery involves surgically implanting what amounts to a prosthetic implant in the throat to close the gap where the non-functioning vocal chord is. This is done through a hole that is cut in the front of the neck/throat, all while I am partially awake!?!? I am looking forward to being able to carry on a conversation again, talk on the phone and be heard. The surgery is scheduled for March 19th.