It’s been about 28 hours now since I spoke! On Friday, my voice was decent in the morning and then went out on me by the late afternoon. By 4 or 5, I could barely speak at all. I called the doctor on call from my ENT’s office who believed that the one blister on my left vocal fold that was on a blood vessel burst causing what is called a vocal cord hemorrhage. He prescribed steroids for me to take over the next 5 days and told me to be on vocal rest for the weekend. I’m resigned to a notebook and pencil and e-mail until Monday—which obviously is not easy with three little kids. Mark has been great, taking on most of the work around here. I’m not in any pain at all, but I have to not use the vocal cords so that this open blister can get some time to heal. When I first saw the doctor in Phili 2 months ago, she said this might happen.
It has been an interesting day today trying to interact with the family via charades and writing to illiterate children. I was very happy though when we were out today at Rotorfest, a helicopter air show (more on that to follow maybe tomorrow), and Evan was whining when we were waiting in line for Mark to take his helicopter ride that we got him for his birthday. I wrote the word “food?” to ask Evan if he needed a snack and he actually read it. He has never done that before and both he and I were impressed that we had communicated that way. But, I tried doing it again later with some other words and it didn’t work at all. Oh well.
28 hours down and about 32 to go until I can speak in moderation.
Well, at least it happened on the weekend when Mark was home. That’s gotta be hard though, not to talk at all. That sounds like it would be painful. Now that it has burst…is it still a blister?
I have no idea what this means from here. I have to follow up with the doctor tomorrow.
Hey, we were at the Rotofest yesterday too from about 12-2!