BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 08:37 AM

Home yet?

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: maeve
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 08:41 AM

Inquiring minds want to know;

Hearts, too.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: GUEST,Bat Goddess Still In Boston
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 09:04 AM

Heading home in a couple hours -- friend from New Hampshire is coming to get us.

Yes, home will be a major, major improvement. Maybe I can sleep past 5 a.m. (Well, then there's the cats...maybe not.)

Jeri, no onions, no garlic -- no anything that can cause any acid reflux. Sigh. I think he's feeling the lack of coffee even more than the lack of scotch, rum, etc. (even Guinness!).

Mary, he did say "almost everything" -- he appreciates that he has ME and wonderful friends, etcet etcet.

And the fact that he recognizes he's going to need some help with the depression is a good sign.

Onward! It'll be great to get home to OUR computer!

Later,
Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 11:57 AM

Maybe a good thread would be about such things to moderate to avoid throat damage, including vocal cords.

I was not aware that caffiene, alcohol, bubbly drinks, etc, could cause major problems. The most shocking of all to me was that problems can be induced by "repetitive stress injury", such as might happen if one sung too often, too loudly.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 01:38 PM

WE'RE HOME!!!!

The cats are happy. (Rufus is ecstatic -- his food dish was almost empty.)

Thanks sooooo much to Larry Job who picked us up at the hotel this morning and drove us out of Beantown.

We'll not be going to The Press Room this afternoon. We're both absolutely wiped. But we DO have to head over to Autos In the Orchard and pick up Tom's "new" (1996) car. AND...(which will take more time) clean out his old one. Taking along a lot of trash bags...(sigh; what can I say? It's HIS car!)

Gotta go -- will post later.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 01:42 PM

Welcome home, guys. Snuggle a kitty and enjoy sleeping in your own bed.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 02:22 PM

Home is good. Wish I had some wisdom to impart, but mine parted long ago. Take care of yourselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 02:36 PM

After just spending our anniversary in the ER the other day with an acute diverticlar attack, I found this excellent website with loads of diets for gastrointestinal problems like GERD and excess acid, etc., plus other specialty diets as well.

Check it out and I think you'll find some excellent diets that can be combined and give you an idea of some other things that might help the healing.......or at least not slow the process.

Excellent G-I Diet site


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Big Mick
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 02:40 PM

Attaboy, Tom ....... wait long enough and someone will clean the damn thing....... great tactic, I use it all the time ....... (but keep that between us, cause MaryLou will be pissed if she finds out.......)

Get well,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 02:57 PM

Excellent!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: sing4peace
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 03:52 PM

Glad you are through the worst part. Sending my support along with all these other cats.

Peace and comfort to you both,
Joyce

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 03:56 PM

I figured my stalking skills needed some exercise and I visited them while they were cleaning the old car. They really needed some archaeologists, but there wasn't time to look for any. Tom's new car is nice and has lots of room.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 03:57 PM

I will NOT say another thing about the state of trash accumulation (eee-ewww!) in Tom's old car. (But I did sort of kick him in the ankle and say, "You owe me" while he was passing the check/doing paperwork on his "new" car. Actually, he rather "paid me back" by not getting an automatic so we have a bit more flexibility as far as the cars go.)

I'm absolutely exhausted, but have to download the photos (of which I just received the prints) from the tall ships in August and the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival in September. A fair amount of photos of Barry in both groups.

Planning on curling up with the cats...after I do a pile o' dishes and change the bed ("Into what?" asks Tom...) and throw in a load of clothes...

Hey, nice, useful website, Spaw! Thanks!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: GUEST,Tyler
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 06:36 PM

I know you're both glad to be home, despite the numerous tasks. If you'd stayed over the weekend I was going to invite you to dinner- so be thankful you escaped my cooking too!

Best of luck on the journey ahead. Is champagne acidic?
Tyler

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 06:39 PM

Curl up with the cats first... all of that other stuff will still be there in the morn. Get some rest and.... mellllllowww out.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 07:18 PM

Tyler -- No alcohol of any kind...no caffeine (including de-caf and chocolate)...no carbonation...plus whole bunches of other stuff. At least for all the times (including now) when he's healing.

He's curmudging, of course, but drinking more water than he ever has. (Which is VERY good for healing.)

Did some hand wash, some dishes, have a load of wash in, still intend to change the bed cuz I really want clean sheets tonight. (Staying in a hotel spoils you -- why can't someone come in every day and put clean sheets on the bed?!?) Will try to find a book that's mindless enough. I know there will be cats to pet...

'Night, All.
Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 07:41 PM

Yeees! I used to spend weeks on the road... clean hotel bed linen every night! mmmmmm.... it ain't like home, but it's a close second!

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Janie
Date: 23 Oct 09 - 07:47 PM

Welcome home to you both.

Roomy new car? Good for holding lot's more "stuff!"

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 12:22 AM

Glad to hear you are home and by now, snuggled in with cats, Tom, and comfy sleep.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: kendall
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 06:05 AM

Tom, although you haven't asked my opinion, I'm going to stick my neck out and dump it on you anyway.
You have been hit with a major demand to change your life style. Ok, you still have a choice, you can get healthy or you can continue to do as you always have.

What I have learned in this same situation is, man can adjust to anything but a stone in his shoe*. You can adjust to no coffee, tobacco or booze. Of course it's not easy, if it were you would have done it long ago.

The secret is simply energizing the thought. If you dwell on the problem it will get you down and keep you there. You can spend the rest of your life in the "Poor me" mind set. Or, you can fight it by doing exactly what the Doctor says. Sup to you.

*Even a stone in a man's shoe has a benefit, it's a great birth control method; it makes you limp.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 06:26 AM

Apropos of something gnu said further back.
It's an odd thing that the untrained voice is the norm in folk music, yet it appears to also be the untrained voice that is more prone to ailments of the vocal cords/folds.
I have been told that this is because we untrained singers use our voices wrongly, and put undue stresses and strains on the voice box. Don't know how true this is, but when one looks at the people we know who have suffered from problems in this department, it makes sense to me.
Apart from our own friends Tom and Kendall, I can immediately think of Alex Campbell, and I'm sure there are more, they just don't come to mind.
So folks, take care of your voice if you're a singer, and maybe look into vocal exercises, that may help us avoid damaging our own vocal equipment.
Continued improvement to both Tom and Kendall.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 07:11 AM

Thanks, Kendall.

It's not going to be easy and it's not going to be quick and Tom's going to have to work harder towards a positive outcome than anything he's ever done before. But **I** think he's strong enough to do it.

And I love him more than I have words to describe.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 07:29 AM

What more could a man ask for.
Linn, you are Tom's best medicine.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: bbc
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 08:04 AM

Linn & Tom,

Welcome home! Rest & heal. Keep us informed & know that many care how you are doing.

best to both,

Barbara

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 08:28 AM

I hope you got a good night's rest (in clean sheets!) and that you'll take all the good advice you got (Kendall, yours was spot on!).
Re John's advice, I agree completely. Tom, when you're all healed and have the green light to sing away, I will gladly come give you some vocal coaching (or you could come here for dinner and friendly schmoozing as well). I've been teaching singing for 25 years and have a few pretty simple tricks up my sleeve I'd be happy to pass along.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 11:03 AM

Alas, by the time I got upstairs last night, I just had no energy to change the bed. Sometime today. Sometime before bed tonight.

Heading out to do some errands in the rain -- including enlisting our local herbalist and friend in the quest for an absolutely no caffeine reasonably robust and flavorful hot drink for Tom.

Tom's planning a chicken stew for tonight -- he's thinking positively about what he CAN eat instead of curmudging about what he can't for the time being.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 11:40 AM

Cooking is good. Tom is finally in control of one whole aspect of his life.
I am partial to Swanson's chicken broth - low sodium. Makes a hot and comforting afternoon or evening drink.
Herbal teas are not my strength. I would sip warm water before I could face those first thing in the morning. Not helpful, I know.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: kendall
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 11:59 AM

Allison, my ex wife, the therapist used to say I should hang out a shingle, that I'm a natural therapist.

Sinsull, how many herbal teas have you tried?

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 12:12 PM

No Kendall, it was a typo......She wrote you are "the rapist".....and however pathetic that may be, it does at least mean having the penile hydraulics installed was successful!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 12:49 PM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: sing4peace
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 02:05 PM

For a nice non-caffeinated tea for those who prefer coffee and black tea, I recommend Bancha twig tea. It has a nice dark flavor. Goes well with milk and honey. It's a staple in macrobiotic diets. Has calcium. It's my favorite non-caffeinated beverage besides water.

Roastaroma is nice too.

There are de-caf versions of English - Irish - Scottish breakfast teas

Miso broth is nice too.

---

Hope you are both comfy, entertained and occupied.

Light from RI
JK

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 06:55 PM

De-caffeinated anything is no-go -- there's still too much caffeine in de-caffeinated coffee OR tea. And miso is way too high in sodium (he's been on a low sodium diet since before his heart surgery).

But...I may have found an herbal tea that's flavorful and robust enough (at least he'll give it a try) and a friend offered a sample of a coffee substitute available at health food stores that is roasted grains and chickory -- so that might be acceptable. We'll find out. I'll investigate the Bancha twig tea, though, too.

I really need to transfer the date of Tom's next procedure in Boston to my calendar -- and post it here, too.

Didn't get as much accomplished today as I had on my list.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: bobad
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 07:02 PM

You can also try rooibos tea from South Africa - no caffeine and high in antioxidants and flavonols and all that good stuff, also Celestial Seasonings makes a herbal Chai tea that is quite flavourful.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: kendall
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 07:41 PM

Spaw, if you ever go crazy, how will we know?

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: My guru always said
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 06:24 AM

Hope you're both starting to settle and rest, have some time in the day where you ignore the lists. Sending love & Hugs,
Hil xx

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 06:42 AM

Bovril makes a lovely hot drink, I have it often, and it's lovely and warming. Not sure about the salt content though, it may be too high.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 08:10 AM

One packet is 30% of daily allowable sodium for an "average" person in good health... all foods must have a label here in Canuckistan and certain things, like salt, are assigned daily % values.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 08:29 AM

Nope, I just looked at the label on my jar, and it's got sodium AND salt in :(

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 09:04 AM

10. Is sodium the same thing as salt?

Sodium (Na) is one of the chemical elements found in table salt. The chemical name for table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl). Salt is a common ingredient in processed and prepared foods, such as canned soups and processed meats. Sodium, without chloride, may also be added to foods through additives such as disodium phosphate, sodium nitrate, or sodium gluconate. Some foods, such as milk, contain sodium naturally. Sodium can contribute to increasing the risk for high blood pressure.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 10:48 AM

Since Tom's heart surgery (valve job, tune-up, some electrical work, now he'll never play football again), he's been on a low sodium diet -- less than 2000 mgs a day. (Or maybe 1600 mgs; it might have changed.) Not that he had a heavy hand with the salt shaker before the surgery. We read labels very, very closely. Most prepared foods are totally out of the question. Fortunately, Tom likes to cook. I probably don't eat much more sodium than Tom -- I don't miss it. Salt is usually used to cover up bad flavor or unfresh ingredients -- and there's waaaaaay too much of it in most people's diets.

Gotta head to work soon.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 12:26 PM

I cut back on salt and now I spit some stuff out that I used to love. Odd just how used to sommat you can get over time.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 01:06 PM

Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup was a treat when I was growing up. Now I can choke on the salt in it. Unbelievable.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: kendall
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 08:47 PM

I used to love Dinty Moor's beef stew. Now, since cutting back on salt, I just can't swallow it.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: gnu
Date: 25 Oct 09 - 09:34 PM

Thread drift.... but for a good cause... too much salt and milk (cheese... cheese!) can cause salivary gland problems too. I have been thru two nasty bouts of it, with three cutups. On the operation table for 12 hours in total while a surgeon tries not to disfigure your face and mess up your facial nerves and muscles.

Cheese.... I lost my business income to cheese. Cheese!

Of course, even with the scars and my ears not "in line" due to the slice&dices, I still am good looking. I mean, when a lad is this handsome, it would take more than some scars and an uneven ear to put off the view, eh?

Soooo... salt... not good for any person of any age or any health.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Oct 09 - 08:45 AM

So grow a beard and cock your head knowingly to one side to even out the ears.

Wasn't there an old vaudeville routine about an ill fitting suit?

Gnu, we have all reached the age where time and gravity have rendered us less than perfect physically (except for the Captain, of course). It is part of our charm. Be your beautiful self.

Now back to Tom - how was the chicken stew? Have you found a suitable beverage yet? Any good drugs to sahre?

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 26 Oct 09 - 08:20 PM

Considering how cheap and easy it is to make chicken soup from scratch, it hardly seems worthwhile to worry about commercial products. A chicken (or parts thereof), some water and a few vegetables, and a pot to cook them in is all that's required.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Janie
Date: 26 Oct 09 - 10:41 PM

Is lemon off limits?

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Oct 09 - 06:08 AM

I am very fond of Raspberry tea, sweetend with honey. Not alot of honey either. I don't take sugar in tea or coffee, but honey is nice in this particular drink.


John

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 27 Oct 09 - 08:01 AM

Citrus, Janie and off limits.

Seamus and I are fond of Swanson's chicken broth. I stock up (no pun intended) when it goes on sale.

Subject: RE: BS: Curmudgeon's Vocal Cord Cancer, Oct. 2009
From: Tinker
Date: 27 Oct 09 - 08:30 AM

Still thinking of you both....