Getting Back on Track... Frustrated after progress!
tjdee
Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 9
So I started using the pro course at the fist part of Feb. Everything was progressing well. I was practicing twice daily on my commute to and from work. I got to the point to where I had connection for the first time. It blew me away! Voice was getting stronger and I was gaining more control. I was very happy.
One day shortly after, I noticed I seemed to be going backwards. My connection was breaking, and for the first time, I was getting pitchy. I didn't understand what was happening. It continued to get worse. I then noticed swelling in the lower front portion of my throat. This became larger even after I stopped singing. I noticed my throat would sometimes "pop" when I swallowed. After a short while of this and things not getting better, I went to the Doctor and they had me get an ultrasound. You guessed it, very large nodules not on the vocal chords, but the thyroid. Fast forward till now, surgery in a few days. Scared as hell since the surgeon says there are possible side effects on voice and signing range.
Hope to be back here in a couple weeks with some positive news. I had just accepted a spot in a gigging band as all this was taking place. Hoping and praying for the best.
I share this as an experience to others to have any anomalies checked out asap. You never know when it can be serious.
Best regards Dudes and Divas,
~TJ
One day shortly after, I noticed I seemed to be going backwards. My connection was breaking, and for the first time, I was getting pitchy. I didn't understand what was happening. It continued to get worse. I then noticed swelling in the lower front portion of my throat. This became larger even after I stopped singing. I noticed my throat would sometimes "pop" when I swallowed. After a short while of this and things not getting better, I went to the Doctor and they had me get an ultrasound. You guessed it, very large nodules not on the vocal chords, but the thyroid. Fast forward till now, surgery in a few days. Scared as hell since the surgeon says there are possible side effects on voice and signing range.
Hope to be back here in a couple weeks with some positive news. I had just accepted a spot in a gigging band as all this was taking place. Hoping and praying for the best.
I share this as an experience to others to have any anomalies checked out asap. You never know when it can be serious.
Best regards Dudes and Divas,
~TJ
Comments
Let us know how it goes, brother. Prayers for your recovery and healing.
Bob
Also how beneficial did you find training while mostly focused on driving?
"I was practicing twice daily on my commute to and from work"
I tried a couple quick lines from a couple songs and woah! It is a weird feeling. As we all know, when we get used to singing, you can be silent and simply reach for a note where you usually find it. In other words, you simply sing the note without having to slide or adjust up or down to find it.
Not the case here. I went for a note and I am an octave to an octave and a half off! Waaaaaaaa! This is a really weird feeling! I am hoping this is still due to swelling from the surgery which was done a week ago last Tuesday.
Bob (highmtm), can you check with Ken on this and find out if there are any specific things I should try to work on to get my voice back? I accepted a position in a band as primarily the keyboardist, but I would do backing vocals, and I also have original music that I have sung in the past.
I sure hope my singing will return to normal!
~TJ
I would say be conscious of NOT developing any bad habits while sing driving and the practice will be productive. It helped me connect prior to my surgery!
~TJ
Prayers and best wishes to you for a complete recovery! Sometimes life throws lousy surprises. Hopefully, this will prove to be just a temporary delay and you'll be able to resume this program soon!
Right after New Year's, this year, I came down, out of the blue, with very severe pancreatitis, spent a month in the hospital and almost died while I was there. Luckily, I got to come home but I was feeling pretty bummed. Then I began to have a new outlook and renewed determination to pursue this dream I've had. I pulled out my KTVA pack (which I bought over a year ago and let sit on a shelf!!!) and started this journey in a brand new way 3 weeks ago. It has been a fantastic solution to a bad setback!
Once I regained enough strength the doctors decided I had to have gallbladder surgery. I actually had it this morning! I had a wonderful surgeon & it went very well. I got to come home this afternoon. I'm a little drugged up but I feel so great I'm here enjoying the forum between naps!
From being extremely weak when I first came home in Feb. to feeling 95% back again, the vocal exercises have helped me in many ways these first few weeks. I am beginning to build new vocal strength & it's also strengthening my hope and resolve! With every single improvement that I hear, well, it is incredibly rewarding. I'm skipping today but if I feel good I plan to resume tomorrow. If these exercises keep going like this I can only imagine what a consistent year + will do!
I think I feel like a kid again, beginning to believe in the impossible!! What a deal this Pro Pack was if it can do all that!!!
The best of luck to you with your new band too! At least the nodules are gone now and you own the best singing program and vocal guidance anywhere in the world!
Sincerely, Cherie
Just going to take it day by day!!
~TJ
PS: Watch the super spicy with no GB!
The doctors told me there are approx. < than 5% of the population come down with pancreatitis with no apparent cause. They think I was in that group. Geez. The surgeon who took out my gallbladder said it didn't look bad at all but considering the history I just had, it was just too risky to leave it in there. When I was in the hospital all my internal organs were too inflamed, fluid shifts and internal bleeding etc. It was too risky to do the surgery then. I'm an RN but I sure didn't know all this stuff about pancreatitis and how dangerous it can be.
One kind of amazing result is that if all that had not happened, my KTVA course might very well still be sitting on my bookcase with me going along working everyday & thinking, yeah, I should do it but I'm so busy! Instead, the crisis caused me to seriously re-evaluate & make some really positive changes. Now, I not making a bunch of excuses. I'm doing this!
Healing from surgeries takes time! I think you will need to patiently heal from your thyroidectomy. Don't let yourself get discouraged. Not giving up is 99% of success! I have a small incision ( 1 of 4) in my belly button from this SX today. I had to laugh this afternoon re-considering when I should re-start the exercises! I told my husband, with the breathing technique necessary, when I do it right, I may actually have to wait till my belly button incision heals! I sure don't want to blow out THAT incision! I could end up with an outy. That would be awful.
Best of luck to you. Hang in there!