Rant #1,299: Speechless

I have laryngitis, or swollen vocal chords.

I have no idea how I got it, but I got it.

My voice is as raspy as it can be, and I can barely get the words out of my mouth.

I don't know what brought it on, but when I woke up on Sunday morning--the night after I had my long reunion with my buddy from the old neighborhood--I felt fine, but after about an hour, I noticed that I couldn't speak correctly, was very raspy, and was better off resting my voice rather than using it.

I woke up yesterday, and I had it full blown.

In the morning, it was really bad, but it seemed to settle down as the day went on, and it got better, but still was pretty bad.

Honestly, I haven't tested my swollen vocal chords much today, because there is nobody up at this ungodly hour to talk to.

My son is a little under the weather, too, not having a fever, but not being himself, either.

He wasn't keeping down food through yesterday morning, but seemed to be better as the day went on.

We will both be OK, but I wonder if he caught something from me, or I caught something from him?

About the only good thing about laryngitis is that although you can't talk, you can write, so that is why I am able to do this column today.

I guess I do not have fingeritis or handitis. I made up those terms, but whatever the case, I can write and type and do anything on the keyboard, even with laryngitis.

Honestly, I don't remember the last time I had this, and it must have been eons.

No matter how much I talked, yelled and/or screamed, I never got this, or at least, I haven't had it in a long, long time.

To cure this ailment, I am trying not to talk much, but at work, it is nearly impossible to not talk.

And every time I am on the phone, I have to apologize for the sound of my voice.

In closing, in hopes I don't get fingeritis or handitis, let me end this short Rant by saying that the pen--or in this case, the keyboard--is truly mightier than the sword, because even though I can't talk, I can write to my heart's content.

Speak to you--using my keyboard--tomorrow.