The day began with a coughing fit that left me with a headache and a stomach ache. I felt like I was about to cough up my stomach lining and decided that the only reasonable thing to do was to rush over to Dr. Tim's office, interrupt whatever he was doing with some whiny hypochondriac "patient", and demand an immediate prescription for the strongest cough medicine known to man. And full anesthesia until it was filled.
The flaw in my brilliant plan was the realization that as soon as I barged in and attempted to commence shouting my demands, nothing would happen. Or everyone would laugh at me. Because today, my lips move, but no sound comes out.
Fortunately, the OTC cough syrup that did nothing yesterday worked miraculously well today and Dr Tim's office presumably got through the day blissfully unaware of what-might-have-been.
I've had mild laryngitis before, but never like this. I had to go out and buy more cough syrup and I stopped at Manhattan Bagel and Barnes & Noble. Everywhere I went people asked me questions like, "How can I help you?" and then looked at me while I tried to figure out, "Now what do I do?"
I can whisper, sort of, but then I have to get close to people, which, for their sakes I've been trying not to do. If I try to talk, the first syllable of the first word comes out kind of croaky and after that it's just lips moving and (inaudible).
Now you understand why I'm blogging so much today. It's my only outlet.
1 comment:
I had laryngitis like that a couple of times when I was a graduate TA; I had to have someone else cover my classes and I carried a writing pad with me wherever I went.
Argh.
Those of us who speak for a living ...
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