Sheeesh, Bob... I I told ya not to lay it on TOO heavy, didn't
I? <grin>
(Pssst) <whispering> The check is in the mail, Bob.... <LOL>
Hugs....
Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Garrick <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, June 22, 1999 9:51 AM
Subject: Re: Bionic Barb
>Hi Barb!
>I hope you still have that sexy voice! Hey,gang, she is a real
knockout!
>----------
>>From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Bionic Barb
>>Date: Tue, Jun 22, 1999, 12:14 AM
>>
>
>>Dear List-family....
>>
>>YYYYYEEEEEHHHHAAAAAWWW!!! <---Barb, yelling LOUDLY in
excitement>
>>
>>As of tonite, I have my REAL voice back! Back, and LOUD, if
>>that's how I wanna speak! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>>UCLA's Dr. Gerald Burke injected collagen into both vocal cords
>>this afternoon, and now at 11:45 p.m., my "normal' speaking
voice
>>has returned!!!!!! Well, "returned" for
>>3 to 6 months, anyway.... till the collagen's absorbed by my
body.
>>
>>But HEY - guess what? Next time my "normal" voice starts fading
>>away to a breathy whisper I'll have not one option, but TWO.
>>Yup folks... TWO, as in 1-collagen injections lasting 3 to 6
>>months, or, 2- a long-term ("long-term," as in as long as the
PD
>>stays slow moving as it's been for almost 25 years) tiny,
>>man-made, hammer-shaped thingee implanted into my vocal cords
via
>>the passage thru the thyroid capsule (inserted right THRU the
>>capsule AROUND and/or past the thyroid).
>>
>>The tiny "thingee (has a long medical name which I can't recall,
>>but I'll get it from Dr, Burke tomorrow and List-post it)
>>procedure accomplished in a 1/2 hour operation in the doctor's
>>office and has been performed on folks with vocal cord problems
>>for about 10 years or more, according to Dr, Burke and also by
>>many other neck and throat specialists all over the world.
>>
>>Only recently has this type of surgery been done on Parkies, and
>>WHICH Parkie gets it is decided by their own neck and throat
>>specialist/surgeon, based upon their PD being rather slow moving
>>(as in slowly degenerating rather than swiftly moving). I'm not
>>too sure what constitutes "slowly moving" to the DOCTOR, but to
ME
>>that means the vocal cords are stable enough to permit the "tiny
>>thingee" to remain implanted for at LEAST a year or longer
before
>>needing to be replaced by a new one cut to fit the changing
vocal
>>cords.
>>
>>Since I won't be a candidate for this procedure till the
collagen
>>which I got today is absorbed by my body (3 to 6 months),
>>obviously I cannot share more about this surgery till I've had
it.
>>But since it's apparently so well known by neck and throat
>>specialists, if you'd like to know more about it (like cost -
>>Medicare covers it, by the way), I suggest ya call the nearest
>>teaching hospital/university and ask for their neck and throat
>>clinic... They 'll no doubt be able to fill ya in on this
>>relatively minor operation.
>>
>>OH.... and ya might hear some MD's saying this surgery ISN'T for
>>PWP's, but Dr. Burke SWEARS it CAN be successful when performed
on
>>a Parkie, provided the doctor makes sure BEFORE the operation
that
>>the patient's PD is indeed slowly to degenerate.
>>
>>(NON-proofed for errors or typos)
>>
>>Barb Mallut (written in haste, 'cause I'm awfully tired now)
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
>
