I woke up in a hospital room with all these bandages on my throat and my mom asked me if I was feeling okay. I tried to say “Yes.” But my throat hurt so much, and I couldn’t make a single sound. Then a doctor came in and told me that what was left of my vocal cords were paralyzed, and that I wasn’t going to be able to speak anymore. It didn’t really sink in, when he said that to me. I didn’t believe it. But then the doctor brought me a pen and a notepad and he told me to write down anything I wanted to say, and I threw the pen and notepad at him and burst into tears.