TO DREADED DOC!

Yesterday I got my second opinion....the scary second opinion!

I went back to my original doctor, the one who told me I had damaged my voice the first time around. The reason I went to see him- Dr. Peak Woo- is because he is one of the most renowned surgeons for this type of disorder AND the speech Pathologist that works with him and with his patients is Dr. Linda Carroll, who for all intents and purposes saved my life four years ago when she taught me how to sing around and work through the nodules I had developed on my chords.

When I found out about this new injury I thought it would be best to see the doctor with the best speech pathologist on staff and so Dr. Woo was an obvious choice!

Getting to the doctor was no easy feat on the subway in 95 degree weather but I had my friend Nicole with me to videotape the entire thing, so at least it was entertaining. Nicole- FYI- is probably one of my most entertaining friends who is also immensely talented and has offered her hand in helping me not only blog about this experience but video tape and edit it into a documentary as well.

(THANKS NICOLE)!

Anyway after about an hour of waiting to see Dr. Woo and an influx of patients with seemingly worse problems then my own, Nicole and I finally made our way into the examination room.

The examination room consists of an examination chair, sat upright, a couple of computer and tv monitors and a scope. There must be a full length term for this "scope," but I will just stick with the abbreviated version. "scope." A long, narrow, metal tube like contraption that they essentially stick down your throat to magnify your vocal cords in order to check out what is wrong with them.

Dr. Woo was a tiny bit hesitant about being videotaped for the purpose of the blog and the piece nicole and I are working on, but we warmed him up and got some good footage, especially of the actual scope, which you guys will see up here soon.

It's strange to go and have your insides looked at. Part of your insides that are so important to you and its strange to think the tiniest of muscle produces sound out of a persons body. But thats how it works. These tiny little vibrating mucousy looking muscles in a v shape form (truthfully one might confuse the photo with another type of V shaped exam), make sound. All different kinds of sound...people use the sound for singing, words, laughing, crying and any kind of emoting at all. two little mucousy muscles. You dont think when you speak that they can be damaged easily and changed forever. I doubt the regular person thinks about it. I didn't start thinking about that until I was 21 and now I will continue to think about it, probably, for the rest of my life.

So the doctor told me what I expected to hear, "the cyst is smaller, but its there, you will likely need surgery." BUT he did say I could have some more DRUGGSSSS to get through the next month of shows that I have, that LA is still in my future! There is a therapist there that I can work with while Im out there doing my show and working. BUT when I come home in mid August I will be home bound, surgery bound and silence bound. No singing again until likely October. (at the earliest).

I have to tell you, the first thing I thought was...."what should my last word be right before I go down for this very frightening surgery?"

Then I thought, "will I sing again?"

We shall see.....positive attitude and Dr. Woo should do the trick.