WORN OUT

My voice is shot.

4.5 hours of continuous "BIG VOICE" lecturing has done me in for the day.

It could have been worse, however.... A friend asked me if I would be able to teach her 90 minute lecture today because she had to attend a funeral.  Her 90 minute class was immediately after my last class in the same BIG LECTURE HALL. Two other people had turned her down.

I agreed to do this for her, but explained (all this via e-mail yesterday evening and this morning) that I was not sure how well my voice would hold out, and explained my significant laryngitis.  But, I was willing to give it a go so that she could attend the funeral.

She eventually decided that she would make an electronic assignment her kids could work on instead of having me be a substitute lecturer.  Not a great solution, but she was worried about my voice.  

I am not sure what my voice would have been like after 6 hours of big voicing.  It is bad enough now.  

What I need, seriously, is to find some way to get the phlegm to cease causing my coughing fits in the middle of the night.  I think that this is a major factor in keeping my vocal cords inflamed.   I think if I can get one or two nights of non-coughing sleep, it will resolve.  

The frustrating part of the coughing is that I have had this sort of experience my whole life.  The nasal drainage I experience, will drain onto the back of my throat and it will stimulate an area that drives an autonomic response that I cannot suppress leading to a dry, explosive cough.  In the illustration I have, you can see that area where the branches of the vagus nerve innervate at the boundary of the dorsal thyroid cartilage.  It is at that region of my laryngeal tissue, I believe the errant mucous drains and stimulates that branch into the violently explosive coughing.  It is annoying as hell.  Once I cough successfully enough to dislodge the errant mucous.... all is well.... other than the stress the explosive cough had on my larynx and vocal cords.... until it happens again with another bit of mucous.

I am also beyond extremely sad that because of a damn U commitment this Thursday, I will not be able to even make a late arrival to the Retiree's Cigar Group.  It has me feeling even more desolate, and pathetic.  TWO WEEKS IN A ROW.  (sigh)

PipeTobacco