Of Sore Throats and Lost Voices by Konnie Enos

I woke up Sunday morning trying to decide if I’m well or not since I’d been fighting a cold for a couple of days. I didn’t feel too bad, just a sore throat but for some reason Sunday morning my throat didn’t hurt much. Then I tried to talk.

At first, I could squeak out some sound but by noon that was gone.

Okay, so no church.

Then it dawned on me that it was Mother’s Day and given my granddaughter’s love of making phone calls, I had to assume she’d call me at some point. I sent my daughter a message about not calling me and why.

Then my phone rings. The ringtone alone tells me it’s family and being that it’s Mother’s Day, rather understandable that people will call me. As I picked up my phone I was wondering who else besides my oldest daughter I should have texted.

I mean, my oldest daughter made sense. She is a mother after all. And I was concerned about how my granddaughter would react when she couldn’t talk to Grandma. We wished each other a happy Mother’s Day and she told me to get better.

This call was from Bonnie. I’m assuming she hadn’t even realized what day it was, she just wanted to talk. I did pick up, and my husband, across the room with his back to me asked me who it was but he wouldn’t even look at me so I could let him know I needed help.

I had to strain out a brief “can’t talk”. We hung up and exchanged a few texts. But texts don’t garner enough attention to keep her awake, which is why she called. I recommended calling one of my children but I think she fell asleep first.

Then, THEN my clueless husband tried to talk to me without turning around. Seriously?! He’s deaf as it is! How is he supposed to hear me when I can’t get any sound out at all?

When he does turn around he faked not being able to talk as IF I was whispering just because. I wasn’t even whispering. I just couldn’t get any sound out.

He was still asking me questions so I picked up my phone and texted him to ask Melinda. She could at least answer his questions.

Then I texted Melinda. I mean at least that way I can talk to people.

Well after that, Royce comes into my room and tries to talk to me.

I’m ready to roll my eyes.

I indicate I can’t talk. Thankfully Melinda followed Royce in and she was able to facilitate a conversation with me.

My conversation with Melinda includes some text and what little sign language we do know. Which is at least on par with my German with the added advantage that my kids do know a little bit too. None of them speak any German.

Not wanting to be voiceless for long, I do I quick internet search on home remedies for laryngitis.

This is what I found out. It can last as long as a week and is generally caused by colds/flu. As in the sore throat and general aches and pains Melinda and I have had for a few days. She can still talk.

You want to know what they gave as the best way to treat it?

Don’t talk.

Literally, rest your vocal cords for a week.

Um. I wonder how that’s going to fly.

It’s not just the fact that I have three kids at home or a husband that can’t seem to remember that I currently lack a voice. I dread my phone ringing. What am I supposed to do? Not answer?

So yeah, the next week or so might prove rather interesting seeing as I simply cannot carry on a normal conversation at the moment.

Monday I still could not talk but by Tuesday I’m back to being able to squeak out some noise. I even sound better than I did on Saturday. Not perfect, but better. And best of all, my phone only rang the one time.

Also, I typed most of this up Sunday but didn’t have enough for a post when I went to bed. Considering it was still two days before it had to be up, I didn’t think it’d be a problem.

It didn’t happen.

And the only reason I got up this morning was because Jerry’s phone was going off and as usual he either couldn’t hear it or was just ignoring it. Funny how it stopped about the time I got up, without anyone touching his phone.

And the reason mine didn’t wake me up was because it was off.

Some days/weeks are like that.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.