Local man gets new lease on life after operation restores voice

A recent operation has made Fred Zastrow the "happiest man in the world." Being able to talk after nearly two years of not having a voice is a dream come true, he said.

Zastrow, 75, had a laryngectomy in August 2005 after he was diagnosed with stage 4 laryngeal cancer. Both his vocal cords were removed, which left him unable to talk without the aid of an electrolarynx, or electronic device that uses throat vibrations to produce words.

People who have had a laryngectomy breathe through a small hole in their neck called a stoma and are left unable to speak without the electrolarynx, Zastrow said.

But after a procedure on April 19, Zastrow is able to speak again.

The tracheo-esophageal procedure placed a one-way valve in an opening between the windpipe and food pipe through a small puncture at the stoma, enabling Zastrow to force air from his lungs into his mouth and talk.

"We take it for granted when a child says his first words," he said. "Now I know how important those words are."

His experience has inspired him to educate others about the dangers of smoking.

"I feel it's my calling to get the message out that smoking is no good," said the Lakewood resident.

Zastrow quit smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco in 1978, after he had a coughing fit while driving that was so severe he had to pull over.

"In my mind, I said, 'What are you doing to yourself?'" Zastrow remembered.

However, there is no guarantee that smoking won't catch up with you after you quit, Zastrow said, since the cancer didn't show up until 27 years later.

When the doctor informed Zastrow that a laryngectomy was necessary to save his life but would leave him unable to talk normally, it was "quite a shock," he said.

"When I woke up from the (laryngectomy) and knew I couldn't talk, I had a panic attack," Zastrow said.

Zastrow has "always hated" the robotic-sounding device, said his wife, Sally. It was also painful for Fred to use the device, which is held up to the throat, especially after radiation and chemotherapy treatments, she said.

After Zastrow's laryngectomy, a few friends of the couple stopped wanting to get together, because they couldn't get used to the electronic device, Sally said.

"I told Fred, 'It's not your problem, it's their problem,' but it was still hard," she said.

Zastrow also remembered an incident when he was shopping and tried to tell the clerk about spilled water on the floor. The clerk told him, "I can't understand you, and I haven't got the time."

The couple has found support through a local laryngectomee club, because "We're all in the same boat," Zastrow said. The group has allowed Zastrow to connect with others who share similar stories of discrimination.

Zastrow said his experience has changed his mindset. "I used to think about what I could do for myself; now I'm looking for things to do to help others," he said.

Zastrow has always enjoyed interacting with people, he said. He favorite part of owning a barber shop in Denver for 30 years was chatting with the customers. He has been a volunteer at the Lakewood Police Department for more than 20 years, where he still works as a victim's advocate.

He also likes creating gifts for people out of wood, such as name signs for the doctors who treated him in the hospital

"He's not the type to sit in front of the TV," Sally said.

Zastrow said he is thankful for the time he has to spend with his six children and nine grandchildren.

"I may be on the last chapter of my life ... but I want to make it a long one," he said with a smile.