you have a damaged instrument

What's up Doc?  

“You have a damaged instrument.”

I can see that.  I’m staring at the floor looking at my camera - minus the exposure compensation dial which seems to have rolled under the consultant’s desk.

“You also have a remarkable instrument”.

I know that too - it’s one of my favourite cameras.  

I pick up my notes and the camera, which fell out of my bag as I sat down and try to concentrate on what he’s saying.

“I tell all of my patients with vocal cord paralysis that they will not be able to sing again.  But you can.  It’s remarkable.”

I point out that this is in no small part due to his remarkable skill.  He modestly brushes this off; “if that’s so, it’s also down to your detemination.” 

I’m seeing the great man again because I’ve been having a few problems with my voice of late.  Soreness and breathlessness when both speaking and singing.  

He passes a camera up my nose and down into my larynx (and no - it’s not full frame.  Small format is perfectly good enough for this sort of work.)   At his command I sing a middle E, followed by a high E and a low E.  

“This is fine.  You still have two cucumbers.”  (See here for fuller explanation.)  “But there is inflamation at the back of the larynx.”

It would appear that my one live vocal cord is working properly and closing up against the dead one.  But the inflamation indicates that something is not quite right - hence the problems I’ve been experiencing.  Probable cause is silent reflux - so called because you don’t usually know you’ve got it.  

He also thinks that all the surgery I’ve had over the years and the chemotherpay and radiotherapy have taken their toll on my core muscles.  To sing properly you need a strong frame to support the lungs and voice box.

I come away with a big list of things to do; more exercise at the gym, more vocal coaching and cutting out alcohol, caffiene, chocolate, tomatoes, spicy foods, high-fat foods, large portions, late-night eating … the usual suspects.  

I don’t really have a problem with any this if it means I can carry on singing.  

What I do have a problem with is my camera.  So I guess an email to Fuji for a quote needs addding to the list.