Regrettably for reasons of legality we must
remain anonymous but trust that you will
treat this email in good faith.
Anonymous
Ed: Many thanks for getting in touch, and for offering
up a different perspective on this issue. While it
wouldn’t be appropriate for us to gainsay the AHU,
or to retract what was printed, we do of course
recognise that larys should take every precaution
before flying. Take all the advice you can, make
yourself known to cabin crew as suggested, and do
take advantage of free resources like our Foreign
Travel Guide. You can also contact us for a copy of the
letter prepared by the Clinical Nurses at the University
Hospital Aintree which advises cabin crews that you
are a neck breather. On the subject of which…
Ask the experts?
My husband, who has had a laryngectomy,
and I, both enjoy reading The Voice and
find lots of helpful information in it.
Could you please let me have a contact
address for Lesley Dempsey and Sally Lane
at University Hospital Aintree in Liverpool
so I can ask them for a copy of the letter to
take on board planes telling the crew that
my husband is a neck breather?
Pat Burt
Ed: We’ve passed your details on to the Clinical Nurses
Pat. If anyone else is heading off on holiday and
would like a copy, please write and let us know.
Life preserver?
I received a copy of the Issue 5 and found it
an interesting read. Thank you.
I have been a ‘lary’ and neck breather
since 1994 and have worked out how to
deal with most of the practical issues like
speech, alternative communication, food,
drink, showering, work, travel and sports
e.g. squash and badminton. One of the
write-ups that caught my eye last issue
was about airline travel in ‘Ask the Experts’.
Since I also travel quite a lot, I have always
wondered about my survival chances in the
event of an emergency when travelling by
air or over water.
While I do understand that the oxygen
masks are not quite designed for us, I know
from my hospital experience that they do
work for us with a little adjustment. The
question that really bothers me is about the
life jackets. I’m not concerned about how
to inflate them, since they can be inflated
using the toggle; my concern is that even if
I am wearing a life jacket, when ‘floating’ in
water, my stoma would not be above water
level. Hence, I don’t see how the life jacket
can save me from drowning.
I wonder if there is anything available out
there that could be of use to us. I would
appreciate any feedback / suggestions.
Keep up the good work!
Manas Chakravarti
Autumn 2011 | THE VOICE
29