Case Studies
Case Study #1:
Response from a high school vocal teacher:
I got vocal nodules slowly and gradually, and didn't realize it, or even the consequences of having them. Please understand that this is a difficult thing to even talk about. I don't like to, I do feel as if I have been amputated. I taught so many classes that were huge. I also did the musical after school and all of the other things that we choir teachers do....just too much for one's voice. And even though I don't want to admit it, I was a cheerleader in High School and lost my voice doing plays. I never lost my voice from singing until I was teaching, though. I ever so gradually got these, my voice hurt from my job, and I was a new mother. I was not getting adequate sleep, my marriage at the time was not good, anyway, there was a lot of stress, etc. I had 7th grade classes of 75+, I also had HS classes of 105, with no sound enhancement at all, and no accompanist. Trying to talk over the piano, and unfortunately, sing the part, thinking that would help the choir "get the part". Later, of course I realized, that it doesn't! (The most important thing I discovered too late was that a choir teacher should NEVER sing WITH them, they can't hear it anyway, and if they can, you are singing too loud for the health of your vocal cords!!! Anyway, My voice hurt so badly that I couldn't answer the phone, read stories to my children at night, or sing the songs my parents taught me when I was young, let alone, try to use my voice for teaching or singing! I went to several Ear, Nose and Throat Drs. I loved one in particular, but then my insurance changed, and I had to find another, Dr. Pirkey--I forget how he spelled it, but he practiced in Littleton. He made comments that sounded like I was trying to get out of work!!! (Anyone who knows me knows that I love teaching, and wouldn't ever have thought that way.) But he said he did surgery on lots of Opera singers in Pittsburg, and I should trust that he knew what he was doing. He suggested that I allow him to do this surgery and that it would remove the nodule. (Very condescending) I believed him, he was a Dr. I never got a second opinion.
Of course, he scarred my vocal cords, with laser surgery. (I was told afterward by other Drs. That I could have just taken a break from teaching and they would have gone away, and that most all specialists would know that!) I couldn't talk for weeks, I even taught without talking in middle school--the kids were amazing. Anyway, I never took him to court and I should have....Several of his patients told me horror stories about the care they received from him and that they would go to court for me. I didn't want to miss school. (He passed away shortly after the surgery, also.) Anyone who teaches music knows that when you are gone for a long period of time, it's a nightmare. Also, I figured the district would make me stop teaching..........I was young, I'm sure they wouldn't have. I don't know why I didn't do more about it.
I bought
my own microphone from Radio Shack to try to help. It didn't work very effectively,
so I didn't use it much. I did get an accompanist though.
I had recently taken your class, and you talked about a great system. I told
the district I had to have it, because my voice still constantly hurt and
was hoarse. They had me go to an Ear Nose and Throat Dr. He wrote me a prescription
for the microphone. (He saw beginnings of more nodules!) Once you have scarring
on your cords, they never vibrate evenly, and so you will
always have a tendency to have more.....I probably shouldn't be teaching still!)
The district paid for half of the microphone and my principal paid for the
other half. It was $1200 and it was worth a million. I wouldn't teach without
it, and I would recommend everyone to get a system like this. It has made
a tremendous difference in being able to sustain my voice. Also, as the Department
Chair I made them also buy two more systems for our Band and Orchestra teachers.
What a difference they make!! (I must tell you that a comment was made from
our AP that "the Band teacher is young, his voice should be fine for
now".......They don't have a clue!!! Yes, I still have to go have my
cords looked at every six months. But, heck I'm almost retired!!!
There is one more thing that I noticed with this system. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to project your voice. It's not nearly as exhausting to teach all day with this amplification system. You don't realize it, until you use the system.