Recuperation after surgery

Hi, I had my TT in August and ended up with vocal cord paralysis of my left chord. I had real issues with speaking, eating, drinking and generally breathless. 4 months later and there has been a huge improvement. My chord is still paralysed but my “good chord” is compensating and my body is finding ways of working around it. I’m due to have a procedure soon so help the weak vocal chord. I felt so lost, upset and helpless in August, but I understand that our bodies are more sensitive that we realise, and the surgeons/consultants know what they’re doing.. give your body time and you will get there. Good luck x 

Sorry to hear about your need to have a tracheostomy @Oldpark, is it something that is reversible for you?  I was told due to having one side of my vocal cords damaged with the cancer nodule that I was a higher risk of needing a tracheostomy during the operation and was terrified to be truthful, but I didn't and woke up relieved.  However my voice has been poor ever since, with breathlessness while talking, my voice sometimes just fades away, so I ended up with an appointment at the Voice Clinic, where they found my vocal cords do not meet and it is causing this problem, plus choking at times if not careful when eating/drinking.  Also I cough a lot and suffer from a loss of voice (weakness not gone completely).  It turns out I need an operation which I will have in a few month's time.  My voice was normal prior to my operation even with only one side of my vocal cords working (it will never repair apparently) but the intention is to operate and strengthen the weak side so that it will meet with the other side when talking/eating etc.  I am 67 years old and had my operation at the end of July, 60 lymph nodes removed, 14 were cancerous.  I hope you continue to recover and the damage isn't permanent, I would say apart from my voice, the healing process with the scar and where lymph nodes were removed, has been manageable although I do have a section from my jaw bone towards my clavicle bone which is still numb and have no idea whether it will alter, but it is manageable.  Good luck and I do hope things improve for you.

Hi @Rosie_x it seems as though we will both be having a procedure then for our vocal cords.  Mine is a Right  Medialisation Thryoplasty with or without arytenoid adduction surgery.  Good luck with your procedure, I hope it improves things for you.