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Introduction, Questions & Frustrations (Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, Deviated Septum etc)

KristiKristi Member, 2.0 PRO Posts: 4
Ok so naturally (thanks to having ADD too) I am all over the place but I am doing the best I can do to follow all instructions and practicing (probably too much) every single day. I have definitely noticed some improvements over the last few weeks but I'm getting extremely frustrated by all I seem to have to go through just to be able to do the thing I love most...which is to sing! I'm an early 40's woman who had constant ear infections resulting in multiple ear tube placements as a kid as well as tonsils and adenoids removed (adenoids twice since they grew back and at my last ENT appt, apparently they are back yet again...ugh!). Also I seem to have a deviated septum and am sooooo over all these stupid sinus infections I seem to keep getting. So before I can do any singing, I have to do nasal rinses and sinus lymph drain massages etc just to clear out all the gunk and get my ears hearing correctly (all those tube placements have left me major scarring and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction...thanks docs). I sip warm tea most of the rest of the day and have to do things like breathing steam or gargling salt water or whatever it is that I think will help remove whatever the current roadblock of the day is. Days I can manage to get out the gunk and hear correctly, I've shocked myself (and my husband and kids) at some of the songs I've been able to sing and that's some amazing stuff that I crave and why I go through all I go through hoping for more of that magic! Actually one of the funniest things I noticed was when I yelled at the dog (to get out of the garbage) and the voice that came out of me was so much clearer and louder than I expected that I just kind of stood there in shock. So even though I'm still unsure that I'm doing things correctly, apparently something has got to be working right? lol

Anyway...so I know my ENT keeps recommending surgery for the deviated septum but me being the weenie I am keeps putting it off saying that it's not that bad and I don't really need surgery...until I look at everything I have to do every day and am getting so frustrated with it that now I'm actually considering it. Any experiences good or bad with it here? I'm trying to dig around and find posts of people with similar issues to mine but my ADD just makes finding things so frustrating and confusing! I'm just so worried that I'll go through it and it won't make a bit of difference or I'll end up regretting it somehow but I'm having such a hard time keeping my throat open that I'm wondering if the adenoids being back could also be causing issues. My uvula does rise slightly when I sing but I seem to have to fight my throat to get it to stay open and it looks nowhere near like Ken's does (seriously...that man's throat and the power he has seems inhuman sometimes...how one dude has that much range...I'll follow all the advice from him I can get!).

Oh yeah and I've seen Oil of Oregano mentioned for helping clear out the gunk in the back of the throat so I plan on trying that but how have you all used it and had it work the best? I actually do have an appt with my ENT again on Wednesday so I can ask him more questions about the surgery and what things can I expect to improve or shouldn't expect out of it if I go ahead with it so I'm definitely hoping I can find some personal experience stories here somewhere! I tend to have a slight nasally little girl (or elf'ish) sounding voice that I'm trying hard to get rid of when I sing. I do have some surprisingly powerful 'ooh' sounds with nice range but unfortunately it's the only sound I have any power with right now. If "I Will Always Love You'' had only ooh sounds, I'd rock that song...haha. But any songs that have actual words in them...yeah I need a lot more help with.

Oh and does anyone know any alternative diaphragm strengthening exercises besides the sit up one? I did attempt it...and paid for that attempt for about a week afterwards due to my neck/back/butt issues (which I already had trouble with before I fell off the counter, was rearended twice in one year, and fell off a ladder...yes, I am the ultimate definition of a klutz). I do the lip drill several times every day which does seem to help but I'd love to find another way because just concentrating on making sure I'm breathing correctly makes a huge difference (and probably why I scared the dog by how loudly I yelled at him too lol).

Very happy and thankful to be here!

Comments

  • How often do you watch the instruction video accompanied by the warm up exercises?
    Ken shows an exercise while demonstrating breath support where he shows how the diaphragm area expands when you take a breath. He does a set of scales using breath support separately for each note versus each phrase as is the case with most of the scales.

    Peace, Tony
  • KristiKristi Member, 2.0 PRO Posts: 4
    Is that the huffing one you're referring to? That definitely is a tough one and probably a great recommendation for some more strengthening! So far I have watched all of the videos from Volume 1 at least twice I think but the AH vowel one multiple times as I try to get it right. I'm struggling trying to find that bright PING sound he talks about. I have been doing the audio starter exercises for about a month now and just recently added in a few of the main audio workouts as well (especially the lip rolls and tongue exercises) as I try to gradually work up to the more challenging stuff. But I had to stop and take a step back because I'm really struggling to keep my throat open so I'm kind of starting back over again and paying closer attention to each video and also reading over the manual to see if I'm missing something!
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354
    Keep doing what you are doing, as far as watching and listening and trying in greater detail. That's the ADD WAY and a great way to get it righter and righter.
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