Permanent vocal cord damage?

After surgery, I was 95% mute for a month. Vocal cords were near paralyzed. I couldn't use them to cough, swallow, keep stomach contents from coming up... apparently they do a whole lot more than make noise. Then two months after that, I could only talk if it was sterilly quiet. It got continuously better for about a year then progress seemed to stop.

I've lost a good bit of low end in my voice, and have no "stamina." If I have to give a presentation or just have allot of people to talk to in a day, I sound like I just attended a 3-day metal concert when I get home. I also have to pay close attention to dinner time and food type or I'll get bad acid reflux... It just slips right up into my throat. I have very actively avoided yelling this whole time. I've inadvertently raised my voice a few times (calling dog, getting someones attention in parking lot) and it never worked... like blowing one of those birthday horns harder till it just quits making noise altogether.

Anyone get it this bad? Everything I've read anywhere is far less sever than what I've experienced.