Member-only story
I Lost My Voice For a Year
The miracle that brought it back
I’ve always loved singing. Over the years, I’ve sung in many church choirs and community groups. I especially love singing solos.
Once on vacation in Jamaica, I stood beside an outdoor bar and belted out three verses of the gospel song Amazing Grace.
What a kick! Everyone clapped and cheered, and I felt happy that I had been able to entertain the people around me.
How my voice went away
When I got breast cancer, everything changed. After my mastectomy, I struggled a lot with getting back to my old self and feeling strong.
Medication side effects took a toll on me, and even after I switched to a new drug, recovery still felt like a long, complicated journey.
I also realized that cancer had robbed me of my voice, not physically, but emotionally. Although I could still speak, when I sat down at my piano and attempted to sing, my voice didn’t work.
Even worse, my confidence was gone, and I couldn’t figure out how to rebuild it.
For a full year, I never sang. I even struggled to lead women’s groups, something I had previously loved doing.
During my challenging cancer recovery, I often felt depressed and hopeless. The doctors assured me that my prognosis was good. They also said that since I didn’t need to have chemotherapy or radiation, I should be able to recover quickly. But I didn’t.
About nine months after my surgery, my husband planned a week-long trip to Hawaii, hoping it would boost my spirits. There were some bright spots during that week, but I spent the first couple of days crying a lot in our hotel room.
The Miracle
When I started my second year of recovery, we moved to a new home. After visiting several churches, we decided to join one close by.
Even though I felt uncertain about it, I decided to sing in the church choir.
That summer, the director invited select choir members to sing in a Broadway musical theater production. She included me in that group of singers.
