Hi Trish...
The collagen injections "plump-up" the vocal cords so that they will respond
in a reasonably normal manner when used. The thing is (and I'm speaking from
having had 3 sets of collagen injections since May, 1997, and am due for a
forth set in a coupla-three weeks), the PWP who's HAD the collagen injections
MUST:
1. Be able to enunciate well in order to speak clearly. IF the tongue and/or
facial muscles aren't working reasonably normally, the collagen will NOT
correct THAT problem. Seeing a speech therapist might be called for at this
point in ADDITION to the collagen injections, provided dad is dedicated to
repeated practice (and a lot of folks aren't or can't)
2. Post-collagen-injections, one ABSOLUTELY MUST remember to try to speak
from the diaphragm. BEFORE the injections, we Parkies tend to get lazy - our
faint-voiced Parkie-speech has become a BAD HABIT as well as a problem. IF we
correct the problem, we STILL have to get rid of the bad habit.
Nice to see ya again, Trish! <smile>
Barb Mallut
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From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Trish Scarmuzzi
Sent: Monday, June 08, 1998 1:55 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
Subject: Update on Dad
Hi! Haven't posted in a while. Dad has recently begun using a walker with
wheels to get around. He was using a walker without wheels, but Mom noticed
that all he was doing was carrying it around with him. He got one session of
physical therapy on how to use the wheeled walker. I will ask him tonight when
I talk with him on the phone who his PT is and where they are located
(probably somewhere around Warren/Niles, OH area).
Dad has also had the second of the collagen injections for low voice.
I'm
hoping that the effects of this most recent injection will last longer, as Dad
seemed to lose his voice again almost immediately after the first one. I'm
wondering if Speech therapy would help- don't know if he's "forgotten" how to
produce the sounds loud enough-and was thinking that this and the injections
might help him remember. Any suggestions are welcome. Trish
