Depression has an amazing effect on the body. It is damaging. My first wife with an inherited chronic depression died of a lung cancer, just like her mother's cancer (same cell type, same place in the lung) but at age 61, while her mother was 86. Her mother was not depressed. This article makes the point strongly and describes the genetic changes in telomeres that reduces the protection of genes and allows for the damage:-http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304587704577333941351135910.html?KEYWORDS=Shirley+S+Wang

David: As for the RLN, development of a prolonged neck in evolution with the RLN looped around blood vessels, dragged the loop bigger and longer. It still works just as well, and in the discussions about God's designs, one must remember that useful design is not always artisically beautiful design, as perceived by the disconnected onlooker. Again, the inside-out, upside-down and backward human retina can see one photon! Why? The design allows for high blood flow and very high nutrition. I think Dawkins probably knows this, but won't ever discuss these designs rationally. It will damage his position.-It is rare that I find a particular line item that refreshes and restores my faith in design, but this was certainly one of them. There were certain points that I took from the article, and one of the other articles that it linked to that were especially potent. First, this was not something that could have just evolved. Through chance mutation. The changes, such as the pathing to and around the various organs had to have occurred all at the exact same time in order to work. Primarily because a) the nerve bundle must elongate during gestation of the fetus, b) because each and every organ, plus the supporting elements of those organs like the RLN must function at every stage of embryonic development, and C) because changes would have had to have occured to, not only the nerve, but all of the organs it supports at the same time, in order for evolution to have been able to make it work. Thank you for sharing this link with us Bella.

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.

Dear BBella,
> > 
> > I haven't a clue about Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve, but I do know something scary when I hear about it. 
> > 
> > dhw
> 
> [David] Spastic dysphonia is an oddball condition. It causes people to have spastic vocal cords which then obviously interfers with them speaking normally. It is generally episodic and therefore very annoying, but most of the time the patients can speak normally. -David, my condition began in 1987 after a particularly traumatic pregnancy and gradually worsened from there, especially after several other stressful prolonged events in my life. I do rarely speak now unless I have to because my voice is nearly unintelligible or sometimes just inaudible, especially if my emotions are involved in any way. Oddly, though, my 2 year old grandson has no problem whatsoever in understanding me. ->It is thought to be caused by a person having been under extreme stress at some point in their life. One is not born with it. Note that BBella has described extreme stress in her life, and so she fits the clinical picture. Counselling can revieve the situation, and my cousin (with inherited depression) was totally cured by counselling and medication for her depression. BBella, please note.-I've never considered myself as having depression. Even when I couldn't move during the 5 year Rheumatoid inflammation, I wasn't one to ask "why me?" And I always looked to what I was thankful for, not what I could no longer do. People always remarked at my optimistic attitude thru everything I went thru. Even the day I chose to die wasn't because I was depressed, it was because I was tired of the physical pain. Also, I could not find a medication for depression that didn't make me feel depressed. So I just couldn't take them and there was no change in my voice on any of them anyway. And as for the counselors, they seemed to have more problems than I did. But, of all things, recently I have been seeing an awesome hypnotherapist who may just get to the suppressed emotions that is supposedly at work when it comes to my voice. Who knows? I am open to anything! -Oh, and the online voice disorder group I'm involved with has recently been talking of a new type of injection that is getting better reviews than botox, so I am looking into that as well. But I am surprised that with the extra magnesium and iodine my chiropractor recently recommended is already giving me more voice control than usual. I dare to hope! 
 
>[dhw]This is just to wish you a speedy recovery with the aid of your doctor, your chiropractor, and our very own Doctor David.-Thanks for the well wishes, dhw!!! For such great support (from all involved) I am thankful and comforted.->[Tony] Thank you for sharing this link with us Bella.-You are welcomed Tony!!! I was thankful to find it! It really opened my eyes and connected the disconnection of what's going on inside me in a physical way. The miracle of the human anatomy just blows me away sometimes...well... it's just amazing anything works at all when you think about it!!!-bb