A Voice at the End of The Tunnel

         I woke up from my coma on July 16, 2010. I had breathing tubes down my throat and for that reason I could not talk. The tubes came out a couple days later and to my surprise I still couldn't really talk. My mouth would move but very few words could be heard. It was uncertain what caused this and when I would regain my voice. Some doctors said it was the tumor that caused it, others would not say. It was real frustrating to try and talk when no one could hear, or for that matter even understand, what I was trying to say.
        This went on for weeks. I had numerous scopes down my throat and they kept saying the same thing. Your left vocal chord is not working right but it should come back. It SHOULD come back? When? As the weeks turned to months my voice was only getting slightly stronger. I could now hold a conversation with someone next to me or even on the phone, which was comforting since for the first few months I couldn't, but I wanted to be Brad again. I wanted to be able to hold a conversation with someone in a crowded place, and I wanted to help coach with my brother. But with the way my voice was this was not going to happen. Finally after seven months I was able to get an appointment with a doctor who handles voice and throat problems. He was considered one of the best in the area.
        So on February 9th I went and visited Doctor Zalvan and received some real comforting news regarding my voice. For the first time in seven months I actually got an answer as to what's going on with it. One of my vocal chords is paralysed. Hearing that diagnosis, one may think that that does not sound very promising, but from what I am being told it is easily fixed with certain injections or, worst case scenario, surgery. Either way I'll take it. 
         I went back again on the 14th to have a needle test to figure out if I have nerve damage, and whether or not it's permanent. If the results show it is slowly healing then I will have a temporary injection in my vocal chord to make it function correctly til it is fully healed. If they show permanent nerve damage then I will have to have a permanent piece attached to my vocal chord to make the chord seem normal. According to the test results, there is still nerve function, so on March 1st I go for the temporary injection. If all goes well, in less than 2 weeks I will hear my voice again for the first time in eight months. 
         It's so strange because I don't remember what my voice sounds like. It will be great just to be able to hold conversations in a crowded room without losing my breathe and having to repeat everything multiple times. Baby steps is what I am trying to remember though. So far so good. Just knowing that there is light (and a voice) at the end of the tunnel is great to hear.