Post surgical report


Posted by Gene White ® , Aug 27,2000,12:06    Top of Thread   Archive
Hi, I'm new to the bulletin board, found out about it from Barb Oberholtzer, whom I met at UCLA. She and I were Dr. Berke's August 8 surgery patients. I have returned to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to recover my voice. It's been three weeks post surgery and I'm whispering to everyone and probably will be for months, but even the whispering is easy. I took a semester off from teaching at the local university and from seeing patients in therapy, and I'm looking forward to a less hectic life for the rest of the year. Surgery for me was not difficult decision to make after eight years of Botox injections. My ENT from Baltimore accompanied me to LA and observed Dr. Berke in the two surgeries of the day. Dr. Goldstone, who has done my Botox injections for years, is at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson, and is interested in performing the surgery here on the East Coast in the next year. I was asked by Dr. Berke's office to be interviewed by NBC who was interested in doing a documentary of SD and Dr. Berke's surgery. My surgery was also videotaped as part of that documentary, along with at least one patient who had had the surgery a year ago. She was a great postsurgery success story. I haven't seen the video but was promised a copy after its final editing. Anyone see it on an NBC station in your town let me know. Dr. Goldstone is videotaping my monthly visits to him for a postsurgical record of progress. By the way, for anyone interested I did find a telephone which amplified outgoing voices at HITEC Group at www.hitec.com. The phone was a hundred dollars, but well worth it for the next few months. It's a cool and rainy Sunday afternoon here and I have to finish a great book. If you're interested in therapy and a look behind the scenes at therapists and their humanness, I recommend Yalom's Lying on the Couch. Gene White



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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Post surgical report --- Gene White
Posted by Joan Carole ® (joan carole,Joan Carole), Aug 27,2000,15:17    Top of Thread   Archive
Hi Gene,

Thanks for sharing your story. Wow, eight years of botox injections and no voice. I can't imagine. This last year without a voice has seemed like an eternity to me. I'm happy for you that you found Dr. Berke. If it wasn't for the Internet and this BB, I wouldn't have either. My surgery is scheduled for Oct. 3rd. Thanks for the tip on the amplifier phone - think I'll order one now. That's exciting about you being on NBC for an SD documentary. Sorry I missed it. Let us know if it will be aired again, and keep us posted on your recovery. Take care. -Joan Carole




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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Post surgical report --- Gene White
Posted by Debbie Petrillo ® , Aug 28,2000,10:18    Top of Thread   Archive
Hi Gene,
I had Dr. Berke's surgery one week after you, August 15th. They were all talking about someone who was interviewed by NBC. Guess it was you! I'm going to get a tape recorder this week and record the progress of my voice. I too am relaxing and am happy to be on the road to recovery. Debbie



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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Post surgical report --- Gene White
Posted by robert Shipway ® (Robert Shipway,robert Shipway), Aug 28,2000,14:51    Top of Thread   Archive
Gene,

Glad you are taking this in stride. I bet you are very anxious for progress. I am having the surgery on Sept. 12 and am very excited. You hang in there big guy.

I am only taking 2 weeks off. So I will be whispering around here getting harrased no doubt. Huh? what? You say something???? I get enough of that now, but by the grace of God there will finally be an end in sight. I just want to get the surgery so I can start the clock on recovery!!!!

Regards

Robert




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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Re: Post surgical report --- robert Shipway
Posted by Gene White ® , Aug 28,2000,19:39    Top of Thread   Archive
Thanks Robert for your reply. I have written a brief summary of my experiences in LA if you want to read it send me an email personally and I will attach it to a reply. If I can answer any questions let me know. I don't think you will regret your decision. Gene White



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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Re: Post surgical report --- robert Shipway
Posted by Anita L Magera ® , Aug 31,2000,19:45    Top of Thread   Archive
Hi everyone, I am new to all this...I was diagnosed with spastic
(now spasmodic) dysphonia in 1985 by a wonderful speech therapist I was seeing in Clearwater, Florida. Anyway, to make a long story short, I moved to Winston Salem area a few years ago, and I just heard about the Botox injections at WFU medical center (Wake Forest University). I am
planning on getting re-evaluated soon, hopefully with a neurologist and the whole deal because the SD is getting worse. What is the surgery with Dr B(something) in LA all about? That's a new one for me! I'm just trying to learn all I can. Thanks a million...Miss Anita



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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Re: Post surgical report --- Anita L Magera
Posted by barb johnson ® , Sep 01,2000,23:22    Top of Thread   Archive
Hi Anita,
You can call the ENT Dept at UCLA and they will send you a packet explaining all about the surgery. Dr. Berke is the Professor and Chief of the Division Head and Neck Surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine.
The surgery is for Adductor SD and has been highly successful. Dr. Berke is currently the only Dr. in the US (I beleive) who performs this surgery. Email me directly if you would like more information. There are several others on the BB who have actually had the surgery and can answer your questions. Good luck to you.
Barb



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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Re: Post surgical report --- Anita L Magera
Posted by Kristina Gomez ® , Sep 02,2000,17:04    Top of Thread   Archive
Anita, I am going to send you an email with an attachment that is Dr. Berke's paper on what the surgery is, etc. This paper is the best piece of information currently available on the surgery, and should give you a good start. However, the surgery should be left as a last resort. When other forms of treatment are ineffective, that's when you should look into surgery.
I think that Wake Forest University has a wonderful doctor there, Dr. Gregory Postma. You may want to look into visiting the Voice Center there, they should be able to help you.



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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Re: Post surgical report --- Kristina Gomez
Posted by Anita L Magera ® , Sep 02,2000,23:20    Top of Thread   Archive
Hi Kristina, Thanks for the info re Dr B's surgery for SD. I tried to read some, but the medical vocabulary and some of the concepts were confusing to me. I'll try again when it's not 12 midnight! Also, I have a bro in law and sis who are doctors, so maybe they can help. Thanks, again, Anita Magera



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Re: Post surgical report

Re : Re: Post surgical report --- Kristina Gomez
Posted by Anita L Magera ® , Sep 03,2000,19:36    Top of Thread   Archive
Hi Kristina, I have never been in the hospital, so the thought of surgery is very SCARY to me. I would never enter into anything like that lightly! I have not even tried Botox, as that thought is also very scary to me. I am going soon to the Voice Center at Wake Forest Univ. Hospital for an evaluation and hopefully I'll get some more answers then. Thanks for your help! Anita



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