10 | Prologue Mr. T. and his wife are lost. Ultimately, they agree with the surgery since the doctor said it offers the best chance of survival for him. The surgery is performed, and Mr. T. is hospitalized for 19 days. He hadn’t expected it to be so hard. Pain, coupled with difficulty communicating through the voice prosthesis, fuels anxiety. Upon returning home, familiar surroundings offer little comfort as he navigates a changed existence. Months later, tentative adjustment begins. Managing his stoma and communicating with the voice prosthesis gradually become routine. He has opted for early retirement. Initially, he mentioned dropping by occasionally, yet he does not dare to. Card games, once a source of enjoyment, are now abandoned. Participating in group conversations is hard, and how is he supposed to speak with a voice prosthesis while holding all his cards? His life is far from what it once was. Every day, he doubts his decision. What if he had chosen radiation? Perhaps his larynx would have remained functional, sparing him the life-changing side effects of a laryngectomy. But then again, could life have taken a turn for the worse? Or would it have been better to have done nothing at all and faced the inevitable outcome of cancer? After all, he had enjoyed a great life. Well, either way.. He needs to go to the hospital; his voice prosthesis is leaking. Again..
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