Spasmodic Dysphonia Bulletin Board

Please understand:
1. I have felt the dread of talking on the telephone.
2. I know the loneliness of sitting quietly in a restaurant while the rest of my family and friends are conversing.
3. I understand the embarrasement of trying to communicate to others through a portable PA system.
4. I have known the intimidation of trying to order food at a drive-through window.
5. I have endured the choking and loss of my voice for weeks as a result of the botox injections.
6. I have experienced the frustration caused by others not being able to understand what I said.
7. I have seen the looks of pain on those who were trying to listen to me speak and of those who wondered what was wrong with me.
8. I have been asked why I sounded like an old man.
9. As a minister I had to concentrate on "how" I was going to speak rather than "what" I was needing to say. For others, talking was just a matter of opening their mouth. For me it took much effort.
10. I have experienced the exhaustion that came from continuous speaking for just a few minutes.
11. I have struggled with the daily anguish that was brought on by the uncertainty of my future.

My friends, I understand!

But today these things are no longer a factor in my life. I speak freely without fear or embarassment. But as I have previously stated, my improvement did not occur overnight.

I remember that the appeal of botox shots were the relatively fast results. But they were temporary - every time! And the side effects were sometimes worse than the SD.

It was only when I discovered a technique that allowed me to "find" my voice that I changed my outlook on life. If I could find my speaking voice (even for just a few seconds), I believed I could find and maintain it -IF- I worked hard enough. My mindset had changed. No longer would I swallow the "no hope" pill all the experts were prescribing. According to them my destiny was sealed. I was determined to prove them wrong.

I have described the foundation of my techniques in the original post. But the most important factors behind my success have been:
1. The desire and belief that I would succeed.
2. The refusal to give up. Lack of obvious improvement must not interfere with your routine. You must stick with it!
3. Hard work. I am afraid that many SD sufferers will never improve because they are too lazy to keep on keeping on! I have not had "fun" iproving my voice. But every minute of effort has been worth it. I have my life back.

Your voice did not deteriorate overnight. Be patient, but be persistent.

I have felt your pain. I invite you to feel my joy.