My director friend has the beginnings of nodules on his vocal cords. He and his doctor are hoping that a regimen of steroids, and medicine to combat the acid reflux that these steroids can cause, combined with two weeks or more vocal rest, will do the trick. If they don't do the trick, apparently the next step is surgery. I know nothing about that kind of surgery, and I wasn't going to ask, but it sure doesn't sound like fun.