 |
 |
Hi Eddy and Carolyn... I'm 57 and have had PD for almost 26 years, I had a successful unilateral pallidotomy (brain surgery on one side of the brain for relief of PD symptoms in Oct. 1994. I had collagen injections into my vocal cords initially performed by UCLA'S Dr. Gerald Burke with a near perfect return of my "normal" voice. The injections last from 3 to 6 months, and mine lasted the whole 6 months and cost me $500. I asked Kaiser of they offered this procedure to their patients and they didn't know if rhey did or not. I called all the Kaiser facilities in the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area - one after another as the Kaiser I regularly go to is in Woodland Hills, CA - till I found ONE that said they did that procedure, and what's more, the MD who did the collagen injections and been trained in this procedure Dr. Burke! I drove to the Kaiser Metropolitan branch and their MD piddled around, turning a 5 minute procedure into an HOUR long procedure that didn't work. And it didn't work the 3 or 4 OTHER times he tried to do it! AND it didn't work when Dr. Burke did it again! It seems my body ABSORBED the collagen with 12 hours of getting it! That's my story.... SO FAR. Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Eddy Arden <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2000 8:37 PM Subject: Re: Voice Improvement >I'm so sorry that I missed the original conversations >re "Voice Improvement"...My wife, Carolyn, who is 59, >and who has Parkinsons for 23 years now, desperately >needs all the help and advice we can get concerning >this subject. What is this procedure your referring to >[ foam and gortex ]and how does Kaiser, our HMO also, >fit into the picture? We would really appreciate >either Barb or Elizabeth elaborating on this topic. >Thank you, Listserv >--- Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> Liz... )Mopping up tears) >> >> I'm SOOO happy for you! (Jumping outta chair and >> dancing wildly >> 'round living room with joy for ya)) In fact, >> you've inspired me >> to call UCLA's Dr. Burke once again to see if HE'S >> updated his >> procedure by adding the foam and the gortex. >> >> IF he hasn't updated the procedure. THEN, by golly, >> I'll start >> working on Kaiser to send me into your part of the >> world and go >> for it h that way. >> >> YOU GO, GIRL! I salute you... >> >> Barb Mallut >> [log in to unmask] >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Elizabeth Southwood <[log in to unmask]> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> <[log in to unmask]> >> Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2000 2:19 PM >> Subject: Voice Improvement >> >> >> >Barb shared her experiences with working with her >> voice with us, >> a great >> >inspiration to me. Here's what's happened to me so >> far, with my >> voice. I >> >was referred by my ENT doctor to another ENT >> doctor. This was >> about a year >> >ago. He said that because of what he found when he >> examined me >> that he >> >thought he could improve my problem, a Parkinsonian >> weak, >> whispery voice, and >> >also improve my swallowing and breathing. In the >> meantime I got >> sick, then >> >tripped and fractured my hip. By the time I saw >> him again, about >> a month >> >ago, the operations used different and improved >> materials. >> > >> >Yesterday I was given a general anesthetic and my >> vocal chords >> were injected >> >with gel-foam which will be absorbed but meanwhile >> show me if the >> procedure >> >is worth doing on a more permanent basis. My >> husband is >> delighted that I >> >have a voice, an honest to goodness voice again and >> feels that >> 'the permanent >> >procedure' is definitely a go. The final material >> lasts 2+ >> years, I think >> >the doctor said. >> > >> >Thanks heavens for this listserve!! This is only >> one of the >> things I have >> >read that has improved my quality of life with this >> dumb >> disease -- another >> >is the two people (one was Rita) who told us about >> Ecco shoes at >> Nordstroms >> >-- they feel great and are cute or good looking >> too. >> > >> >I sang last night and recited some poetry and read >> some >> Shakespeare (the >> >greatest use of English) and read the cooking and >> garden sections >> of today's >> >paper. Even an improvement that's not a cure, I >> realized, can >> make a >> >difference. >> > >> >Thank you, Barb, and listserv...Liz S. > > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Yahoo! Photos - 35mm Quality Prints, Now Get 15 Free! >http://photos.yahoo.com/