Dumb for days

Yes, I am officially dumb. I can't talk. I can only whisper... I can't even croak.

As a result, I can't speak to clients. Joleen, my secretary, has to talk to them on the phone for me, while I sadly type out my response. She then reads out my response to the sympathetic client/solicitor at the other end of the line. I never felt so helpless and reliant on others since I was a kid.

I can't even order food... I can't order anything that requires stating the item that I need. So that means no coffee for me, nothing that I can't order by pointing to.

I get laughs and amused smiles when I whisper "I have no voice" to the person who is valiantly trying to converse with me. And when they do try to talk to me, all of them do it with soft inaudible tones too. I think they are influenced by my whispering. Honestly.

And I can't talk in certain settings because it's too loud to whisper. I can't plan lunch appointments because no one is going to want to talk to someone who can't talk back! Arrghh.

But I also see the nice caring sides of people. Of the random people who rally around offering me pipagao or suggest remedies to salve the throat. Of the kind pupil who passed me a box of Chinese lozenges, to the good friend who retrieved a whole jar of honey left from a Christmas gift for my own use.

I want my voice back!!! Grrrr....

(This week, I'll have a shot at being dumb AND being blind since I'm going for LASIK on thursday and Friday... pray for me!!!)