Barb: I really struggled with my identity after the procedure. It was so hard for me to live my life like I had before because I felt so different. I think the hardest thing for me to overcome was the sound of my voice. Jennifer set me up with an artificial larynx right after my laryngectomy.

KATIE: Barbara, I hate to interrupt, but can you describe an artificial larynx for us?

Barb: Well, there are a few different kinds. Mine is the neck-type, as your see here. It kind of looks like a really small flashlight. It is shaped like a short tube. It is battery operated. To speak, I just hold the artificial larynx up to my neck, which transmits the vibrations of the tone to the oral cavity (Voice Rehabilitation.., 1999). Jennifer was great about providing information about the different types of artificial larynges and which one would be the best for me. We also talked about how intelligible my speech would be with the different devices.