SHORT STORY ABOUT STAGE FRIGHT

" Oh, Wow this stage sure is huge"! Dan, I don't know if I can do it, I'm looking down
at the stage and I'm visualizing how many people will be in the audience as I walk out
on the stage to share my newly found tone in my voice. I'm really scared, I don't think
I have ever performed on such a beautiful stage as this and as I am standing here with
you, Dan looking down, I actually feel butterflies in my stomach, I mean this stage is
so wide and long and it has so many seats and windows, and " Dan look at the walls,
they are so beautiful and hollow". Dan, What do I do? How will all the people hear
my new found tone in my voice? I think I should practice up hear as I we are both
looking down at this stage just to see how my voice will echo. Ok, I think I'm ready to
belt out my first note, " It is colorful, it is beautiful", aww weight, it doesn't sound
right Dan, my voice it's pitchy, it's not the same as it was prior to the surgery Dan. "
What surgery Sue"? Well it's a long story, but let's sit here on the stage and I will
explain, about 11 years ago I was diagnosed with nodules in my thyroid and I had to
have a lot of medical test done, and was later diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism, I
ended up having surgery to remove the nodule from the right side that ended up being
six times larger than what they prior measured and that actual nodule removed saved
my life, but also took my first soprano voice. Dan my voice was everything to me, and
the stage was where I used my voice to make people happy. After looking down this
stage and practicing my song, I don't have the confident to perform on this stage. I'm
sorry Dan I have to leave. " Wait Sue don't leave, I can help you with your voice so
that will feel comfortable as you did before your surgery performing on this beautiful
stage that you have performed on so many times." I will have the voice coach work
with you, don't give up on your passion for singing just because you can't hit the high
soprano notes that you were able to hit before, just sing notes that are comfortable to
the new found tone of your voice, we prepared this stage just for you, because we
know you love the stage and love to perform on the stage. We will support you Sue
and we are here for you, and believe in you, we heard you sing on this stage many
times and know that you have a beautiful voice, please don't let your Thyroid Surgery
make you give up on singing. I will take your offer Dan and try the singing coach that
you are referring me to, and I will practice because practice makes perfect, well at
least for me almost perfect. There is Essie now, Hi I am Sue and Dan told me all about
you and I am grateful that you are going to be working with me regarding my voice.
Nice to meet you, Sue, I'm Essie Eubanks and I have been doing vocal coaching for
over 15 years and the good thing for you is, my mother had the same surgery you had
many years ago and we both were able to nurse her voice back to a comfortable tone
that suits her new found tone as you call it, and she has been happy every since .
However she doesn't have the same voice she was born with because she had the
surgery and things were tweaked as she says, but she still has a beautiful tone and she
can carry a note. Now tell me what problems are you having with your voice. Please
have a seat and here is some tissue for your tears. Ok, well I have been singing since
the age of about four in church, at funeral, family functions and I even did a Gospel
Album with a Gospel Artist and I used to travel with a choir and perform all around in
different cities, but I noticed after my surgery I could no longer hit the high soprano
notes and I have been a soprano all of my life, my screaming voice even changed, I
would tell myself, well at least I am alive and the nodule is gone and maybe if I
practice and drink warm tea and aloe juice my voice would come back. I did all of that
and I even went to Speech Therapy for about a year, but my voice didn't come back,
so it's been a challenge because I want to sing the Gospel on stage like I once did and
encourage others with beautiful sound. " I understand Sue and I will help you as much
as I can, but I need you to understand that, sometimes during surgeries, things may
change for a person and the body part may act different, so although we may not be
able to get you back 100% how you were born, we can make you comfortable. Let's
start by doing breathing exercises and repeat after me. "Thank-You Essie, I will see
you at the next rehearsal on stage"! I am back on stage, I am so nervous, look at all the
beautiful seats, the walls, the windows, the floors and I wonder how many people will
be in those seats, well let me not worry about that and drink my tea and aloe and start
practicing. " "I'm trying to hold my breath, Let it stay this way" Claps, Claps, "Wow
you sound amazing Sue," Aww, A Thank- You Dan, it's because of your
encouragement that I didn't give up and your friend Essie is a real life saver. I can't
wait to perform on this beautiful stage and make the crowd proud and although my
voice isn't what it used to be, I survived the Thyroid Surgery, I was clear of Cancer
and my new found tone sounds amazing and I still can encourage others through song.
Dan I am ready for you to open the curtains to the stage, I have no more stage fright.
Thank-You Dan and Essie!