A retired civil servant from Kelantan has lost his voice permanently due to long-term heavy smoking. Ismail Mahmud, 68, said that a bad habit he developed at a young age eventually led to him being diagnosed with stage four thyroid cancer. He recently recounted his experience in an interview, saying that at first he did not feel any pain.
However, after experiencing some symptoms for three months, he went to the doctor. Later, the doctors sent him to the hospital, and tests revealed that he had cancer. Although he is now cancer-free, he still carries the grief of losing his voice.
Heavy Smoking
Ismail said that his problem started with heavy smoking when he was young. At that time, he used to smoke up to 80 cigarettes a day, which is equivalent to four packs. Although he did not pay much attention to the matter at first, it gradually took a serious toll on his health. This long-term habit was silently damaging his body.
Eventually, as a result of this damage, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Now, he thinks that if he had been aware then, the situation could have been different.
Removal of the Larynx
After being diagnosed with the disease, Ismail had to undergo emergency surgery. In a complex operation that took about 13 hours, doctors removed his voice box, or larynx, because the cancer had spread there. As a result, he completely lost the ability to speak normally.
After the surgery, he had to undergo 30 more radiotherapy sessions. He currently has check-ups in the hospital every three months. According to doctors, the situation could have worsened if he had not been treated on time.
Adapting to a New life
Ismail’s life has changed a lot since losing his voice. Now he speaks with the help of an electronic speech aid attached to his throat. Although the sound of this device is not like a normal voice, he is still able to communicate with others through it.
He says that he used to be a very lively and musical person. But after losing his voice, his life has become very quiet. Still, he tries to stay positive and live a healthy life.
Warning Message
Ismail has a warning for others from his own experience. He says that bad habits at a young age can lead to terrible consequences in the future. So he advises everyone to stay away from smoking. Currently, he is following a healthy diet and regular lifestyle. Doctors have declared him cancer-free, which is a relief for him. However, he feels that the loss of his voice will never be compensated.
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