Hey gang! It's your pal Jake, and I need a little help!

(SEE END OF STORY FOR UPDATE)

In case you don't know me: Hi! I'm Jake Drummond. I'm a stand-up comedian and writer based out of Los Angeles.

Though, if you're here, you most likely know me at least somewhat or have at least seen me perform in some capacity. I say this because it means if you are here, then you've probably heard me talk; whether on stage, on a podcast, or just yapping about records or hot dogs or something.

That being the case, you've probably noticed that my voice has always been kind of...off.

You may have noticed my voice tends to be pretty quiet, even at times when it seems like I'm trying to project or shout. You may have tried to talk to me at a loud bar or venue and found yourself struggling to hear me or asking me to repeat myself a lot.

You may have noticed that there's a constant airy-ness and rasp to my voice.

Basically, I sound like a Tom Waits record being played in the lobby of a dentist office.

Well, turns out, there's a medical reason for it! Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with a partial vocal cord paralysis. My right vocal cord just straight-up doesn't move any more!

Not only did I get this diagnosis, but I've been going about my life with this condition for at least a decade (most likely much longer than that)!

Good news is; I got approved for a surgery called a thyroplasty to improve my condition!

Here's some answers to questions you might have about this:

Jake, how the hell did you do this to yourself?

Long story short: No idea! The doc and I have a couple theories, but given that I've had these complications for so long, it's pretty much impossible to pinpoint an exact cause. I always thought it was from years of shouting at punk shows like an idiot, but doc says it was more likely to have been caused by an injury or the aftermath of a significant illness.

Does it hurt/cause complications?

Sort of! It doesn't cause any direct pain too often, but it causes a lot of complications in my day-to-day:

What does vocal cord paralysis look like?

Basically, your voice happens when the two vocal cords come together and vibrate from your airflow. In my case, my right-side vocal cord does not move at all, so the left one has to over-extend really far to compensate. I have a video of the laryngoscopy on my phone, but its pretty gnarly and gross (because, ya know, its footage of the inside of a throat). If you really want to see it, text or DM me and I'll see if I can send it to you, ya sick-o.

What will a thyroplasty do?

So basically, like any paralysis, it all comes down to the fact that the nerves in my vocal cord are damaged, which is pretty much irreversible. In a thyroplasty, the surgeon puts a medical-grade rubber implant in my neck that shoves the dead cord closer to the working one, meaning the working cord doesn't have to work as hard to reach.

What happens if you don't get this treated?

Nothing life-threatening, thankfully, but it would likely mean a lot more expensive speech therapy on top of what I've already done, and worst case; potential further damage to my voice over time. (Yikes!)

I tell you all this because; surprise! Surgeries are pricey, and that's where I could use a hand.

This procedure is actually on the cheaper end as far as surgeries go, and my chunk of the bill isn't astronomical by any means.

The issue is that my last work contact expired in November, and given the excessively turbulent nature of the current job market (especially as a freelancer in the television production industry living paycheck to paycheck as it is), my livelihood is more up-in-the-air than I I think anyone would care for.

I was already stuck on unemployment for several months more earlier this year while looking for any job that would pay the bills, and if the job market doesn't improve by then, trying to cover this bill while living off some combination of unemployment/min. wage/savings/debt would be a real financial ass-kicking.

Unfortunately, I know far too many people facing financial hardship, and frankly, there's a million better causes to be giving money to right now, so it feels weird even putting this out there. However, I had enough people express that they want to help that I thought I'd give it a go.

Turns out, my friends and family care about me and want to support me however they can. Who would've guessed? Certainly not me! (Depression is a wild like that, but that's an issue for a different doctor!)

Since the goal has raised significantly from the first round, I do not at all expect to fully meet it, but I am at a point where any help is better than none at all. Therefore, if any generous folks out there can throw a couple bucks in (or even just one if that's all you can spare), it could really be a game changer for me without anyone having to break the bank. Solidarity, baby!

I use my voice a lot. I really love the things I get to do with my voice and would love to keep doing them. If you're here, I'm assuming you like me and/or what I do with my voice enough to consider helping your boy out a smidge. At the very least, I hope you can share this story with folks and hopefully catch a few generous souls along the way.

If you choose to help, either by donating or sharing this, know that it means the world to me, and that you mean the world to me.

Peace, love, and hot dogs to all,

XOXO,

Jake

UPDATE:

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the United States healthcare system reared it's ugly head! Turns out, the initial quote I was given after several phone calls between my insurance and the surgeon's office was wildly inaccurate and I'm on the hook for way more than I originally planned for.

Embarrassed as I am to do it, I am here to ask for any further help y'all can spare. The donations from the first round have already been a huge help and were able to cover a portion of the cost (including the deposit to green light the procedure on 1/2/25) and I am wildly thankful for it! I can't bring myself to ask those who already gave for more, but if those who already donated could help spread the word, it would mean the world to me!

If you are reading this and haven't donated: I fully do not expect to reach the total goal, but any help you can give helps me more than you can imagine. Whether you can spare a buck or two or only have the means to share this page, I am extremely grateful!!!