Country singer Brad Paisley’s wife took to social media this weekend to announce that she had undergone a laryngoplasty due to an ongoing problem with her laryngeal nerve.
In a lengthy Instagram post, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley revealed she lost her voice nearly two years ago during her annual Alzheimer’s fundraiser in Nashville.
Kimberley, 52, posted a photo of herself in hospital after the procedure, along with the scar she had drawn over the surgery as a smiley face. She admitted she had had a “challenging” few years and that her voice never fully returned.
“It’s been a rough few years, but we finally got through it,” the Nashville actress told her fans.
‘I have damage to my laryngeal nerve. I have tried everything to heal it (so thank you, but please don’t give me any tips!). I was finally able to have surgery this week.’
Kimberly Williams-Paisley revealed she lost her voice nearly two years ago while on stage at her annual Alzheimer’s fundraiser in Nashville
One “cool scar” on her neck later, Kimberley said she sounded “so much better.”
“I haven’t shared much about this until now because it felt too vulnerable. I took my ability to ‘use my voice’ for granted — for my career, for a cause, for a timely joke, for SELF-EXPRESSION, for a raucous dinner party,” she summed up.
“Instead, I was the quietest person in the room. I felt humbled. New people I met thought I was shy or reserved. I felt trapped in my body,” the artist shared.
Kimberly said she has undergone “all kinds of training” and has received support from friends, family and medical staff during times of “shame and self-loathing.”
The mother of one went on to talk in detail about her surgery, saying she was awake during the three-hour procedure to “fill my paralyzed vocal cord so it touches the other vocal cord as well.”
“I watched most of it on a video screen above my head as it happened and all I can say is MODERN MEDICINE IS MIRACLE,” Kimberly joked.
Although she has not been able to speak properly for the past two years, the actress says she has found her voice in other ways.
“I’ve healed old emotional wounds. I’ve learned the power and beauty of silence. I’ve become a serious meditator. I can deadlift over a hundred pounds. I’m taking better care of my body. I’m better at dealing with stress. I’m dissolving shame. I feel more whole, powerful, and joyful,” she exulted.
One ‘bad scar’ on her neck later, Kimberley said she sounds ‘so much better’
Although she has not been able to speak properly for the past two years, the actress said she has found her voice in other ways. Pictured with her husband, country singer Brad Paisley
Kimberly’s comments section was flooded with messages of support from friends and fans
She thought back to a recent Kate Bowler podcast she had listened to and said, “If you go through hell, don’t come out empty-handed.”
“Was losing my voice worth it? Mm, not really. Was it worthless? Not for a second,” she concluded the post.
Kimberly’s comments were flooded with messages of support from friends and fans.
Country singer Sheryl Crow called Kimberly her “heroine” and said the actress taught her “to hold your power without raising your voice, without throwing your fist in the air, but by observing and embracing what life gives you with grace and determination.”
“Thank you for sharing this experience with all of us! You are a fierce mother warrior!” she wrote.
“I can only imagine how scary this has all been,” another added. “Grateful you have found answers and are finding healing! It’s amazing what we take for granted when we are healthy… like your voice! That’s a big one. I’m praying for total healing now!”
Kimberley’s husband Brad also commented, jokingly writing that it would be “an amazing new chapter,” although he will miss the silence.