Throat surgery

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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It has now been decided that my voice is not going to get any better and the specialist is recommending an operation. My vocal chords do not meet together any more and he wants to inject fat, which he will take from somewhere on my body, into the vocal chords to make them bigger so they will meet again, and hey presto I can speak properly. Question is has anyone heard of this surgeon, and does anyone know if he knows what he is doing, and has anyone heard of anyone who has had this procedure done - does it work? The surgeon is Antonio Jorge Messina - an ENT guy who works out of Chirugia Plastica Advanzada in Naco. from what I can gather he does more plastic surgery now than ENT work, but I was recommended to him by another doctor.

Thanks
matilda soon to be singing again maybe!!!
 

tk toronto

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Sep 7, 2006
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A woman at my workplace (hospital, however, in Toronto) and her voice is still not the same as before and she has an unsightly scar on her throat now. She doesn't regret it, as her throat feels a lot better, but she doesn't sound the same, her voive is a lot more soft and low, but not mouse like like before the surgery.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Come to Santiago. Visit Dr. Eddy Alfonso Est?vez at Centro Medico Cibao.
His phone is 809 971 6625
He will give you the straight scoop. He is a former head of the DR ENT Association.
I trust him, cause I raised him!!

HB
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Not worried about scar on throat as already have two - one from bullet and one from tracheotomy!! One more won't make a difference. Hillbilly thanks for that but I have seen Messina 4 times so would rather not switch now, I just need to know if anyone has heard of him and if he is OK. Would "he whom you raised - no doubt brilliantly - know????

Matilda
 

vince1956

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May 24, 2006
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any help 3 threads including yours ?

It has now been decided that my voice is not going to get any better and the specialist is recommending an operation. My vocal chords do not meet together any more and he wants to inject fat, which he will take from somewhere on my body, into the vocal chords to make them bigger so they will meet again, and hey presto I can speak properly. Question is has anyone heard of this surgeon, and does anyone know if he knows what he is doing, and has anyone heard of anyone who has had this procedure done - does it work? The surgeon is Antonio Jorge Messina - an ENT guy who works out of Chirugia Plastica Advanzada in Naco. from what I can gather he does more plastic surgery now than ENT work, but I was recommended to him by another doctor.

Thanks
matilda soon to be singing again maybe!!!

http://www.dr1.com/forums/search.php?searchid=2015503
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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According to my guy, Dr. Jorge M. is more into aesthetic surgeries of the nose. However, he is a good ENT man and the procedure is fairly routine.

I suggested the trip to Santiago, just to get a second opinion from someone you could trust, not to steal a patient...JIC.

HB
 

BushBaby

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Matilda,
Listen to THE man of Santiago. Apart from raising the good Doctor he is also an extremely good fellow himself & it would be good to meet him - you should get on famously together!! (Does that give me 3 shots on Sunday Big Man?:pirate: ?).

I wish you the BEST of luck/good health which ever way you go - you have taken a lot this past 18 months & your spirit, fight & down right 'Bloody gutsy' approach to life has been exemplary!! ~ Grahame.
 

Lambada

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There'd be an added advantage, Matilda. You & HB would get on like a house on fire (that's a Brit compliment, HB, to both of you :) ). You could even join Asuncion's card school.
 

BushBaby

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There'd be an added advantage, Matilda. You & HB would get on like a house on fire (that's a Brit compliment, HB, to both of you :) ). You could even join Asuncion's card school.
Only AFTER the successful operation Lambada, you need a VERY strong shouting voice to join THAT august body of intimidating ladies!!:cheeky: :cheeky: ~ Grahame.
 

Ladybird

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Dec 15, 2003
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Matilda please listen to the good advice and go to Santiago for the second opinion. When I asked for help on my heart problem on DR1 Robert suggested I go to the UK and Thank the heavenly Lord I did. That advice probably saved my life. There were complications that werent picked up in the DR, all because I had a second opinion. I can never thank Robert enough but dont tell him he'll probably want more Cadburys chocolate!!!

Good luck for the op I'll be thinking of you, let us know how you get on pm me
if you go into Santiago
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Thanks for all your messages of support. Problem is it is a bit complicated. I will try and explain. After I had been into hospital after the shooting, I went back a week later to have the stitches out under my arms from the chest drains and then a week after that to have the bullet out, which I was quite happy to keep in, but it was slowly making its way down my back and would have ended up in my bottom, which is no good for the invisible panty line. So, the guy who had patched me up and saved my life in Plaza de la Salud snipped it out for me. I then casually asked when my voice would come back. He said maybe never, but maybe in a couple of years, but recomended me to an ENT surgeon in Santo Domingo. So off I trekked to him, and had a tube/camera shoved up my nose and down my throat, and 4000RD$ later he said nothing could be done as my throat was too badly burned. So that was that. Then a doctor who is a customer at my colmado recommended another guy, Messina, US trained who was an ENT surgeon and a facial reconstructive chap, and he is on the DR1 list so off I trot to see him. He chats the first time (3000RD$) and says wait a year, but gives me some nerve regenerating pills and says go back 2 months later. Pay the guy and then go back 2 months later, where he too shoves a tube up my nose and down my throat (4,000RD$). Says the vocal chords are moving but not coming together. Wait. So I wait another 4 months and back I go again - last week. He does the same tube business-4,000RD$ (I should say that is not pleasant) and says it won't get better on its own and he needs to do this fat injection business. So, I need to speak so I can work as cash is a bit tight, and as I can't dive (hole in lung) and can't speak it is a bit limiting. I can speak Ok one to one, but on the phone it is a bit hard, and I can't shout at kids and husband or dogs (V frustrating). I'm not too good in tourist industry even though I speak 5 languages fluently as when they ask why I can't speak they get a bit uptight when you say you were shot about 400 yards away from where they are supping their cold Presidente. So I need to get this fixed. What will happen if I go to Santiago is yet another tube down my throat, more money, loads of cash on petrol as it is a long way from here, and I can't see what more anyone can say as I am pretty sure the only solution to get these vocal chords together is to make them fatter and put fat in them. We don't know if it will work as my voice box is damaged too but I know that can't be fixed. I just want the easiest and cheapest solution. I am probably being a wimp, but the idea of being driven back from Santiago by my husband after a general anaethestic is enough to make anyone a wimp - he's a typical Dominican driver, but worse. So I can't see that yet another opinion will help as I am sure it will be the same. Hopefully you see my dilemma.

Thanks anyway for your advice and I am still thinking about what to do.

matilda
 

Lambada

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as when they ask why I can't speak they get a bit uptight when you say you were shot about 400 yards away from where they are supping their cold Presidente.

:laugh: :laugh: Your spirit is absolutely admirable. I'm sure if you did go to Santiago there would be offers of a bed to recuperate in so you wouldn't need to do the journey immediately. If you can stand a Brit. driving you (Bushbaby) you've got a bed here in PP. I'll email you tomorrow. And if anyone deserves all our good wishes for the op. you do. Nil illegitimus carborundum.
 

BushBaby

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To update all pf you who showed interest & gave advice to this very special & gutsy lady ............. she had her operation yesterday morning at 07.00 in Santiago (vis the hands of HB's son) & by 09.30 her husband was on the 'phone telling me she would be ready to be picked up at 12.30/13.00. We had agreed that she would come to our house for two or three days recuperation, so I hot-footed it down to Santiago & brought her home.

Matilda has had 36 hours of resting of the vocal chords (you can't get many words in when Lambada is around!!) but it is obvious that her range & volume of voice are much greater than they used to be. She is delighted to note that much of the discomfort felt when speaking & swallowing also seems to have disappeared - even so soon after the operation! I think the 8 year old Macorix rum is helping a fair bit too - she has just devoured a fairly healthy sized Chinese meal to boot!!

I am sure Matilda will be on to give us all the gory details in due course but I just wanted all to know that she seems to be recovering well & wish her a speedy return to a full 3 octaves or more of her singing voice. ~ Grahame.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Did you all notice that Canadian Bob wished her well less than a month ago?

Really sorry to lose that good friend...

Matilda: Do take it easy on the voice..let it get used to working again...
So happy to hear things are improving.

HB
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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Best wishes for a speedy recovery.............

It's also very nice to know that we have such a great ENT doctor here in Santiago. Since you did the change to Santiago, you must have really been very impressed with him. After reading your post of why you would not come to Santiago, that makes it a great recommendation for him.

Don SantiagoDR
 

cuas

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May 29, 2006
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Hillbilly.
Well done. She listened to you. I will be waiting for her comments.
Another case. My nephew suffers from migraine. He lives in pain but know is more than he can handle. He reached the point where he admits himself in a clinic to be injected painkiller in the vein. Any recommendations?
He lives in SD.
 

jimhe

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Mar 26, 2006
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Thank you for the update. Matilda was the first person I met when moved to Juan Dolio a year ago. She is a great pesron and deserves the best treatments possible to regain her voice. I was just asking some other friends yesterday if there was any news. I am very happy to read your post BushBaby. Thanks for taking the time to give us an update.
 

Sharlene

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Mar 4, 2006
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A very gutsy lady indeed...

What an amazing story... I've never met Matilda, but I've followed her story on these forums. It's really fantastic that all the people involved in getting her to the operating table have been able to pull together and provide so much help. I have to admit, she is indeed a very gutsy lady. I consider myself to be a tough cookie, but if the same thing had happened to me I really don't think I'd have been able to maintain the level of good humour that she has when relaying her experiences.

The best of luck to you Matilda and I hope your voice is back to 'shouting' condition soon.... I know my partner and children would have no objection whatsoever to me losing my voice for a while.....;)