I have been working at playing music after my trach operation. Generally, I try to stick with just instrumental material because of the coughing that it causes. Occasionally, I will be recording a vocal, such as this song I am posting today. I am using the Passy Muir speaking valve. This allows air in, but prevents it from exhaling thus pushing the air up through my vocal chords to produce sound. These valves cannot be used with a cuffed trach, which is the type I had when I first had surgery. Speaking with the cuff inflated made me silent and my family couldn’t hear me. Once I had an uncuffed trach, I was able to speak and sing with the Passy Muir valve. I hope you enjoy my song, written in 1974 but recorded this morning! — Dan
