Problems with The Voice - PT1
I was listening to a speaker at the Willow Creek Association Summit today. She had a wonderful story of rescuing men, women and children who were slaves in India. She also related that she had suffered from a tumor. The end result was she lost her voice. She was mute. Later, God restored her voice.As an inspirational blogger I want to share a personal story about the struggle I’ve had with The Voice – the only voice that I have. So, if you have a dilemma or situation that you are going through please find some encouragement through my journey.
But as she was talking she said she still carried the pain in her body from the tumor. She also had a breathy, raspy voice. It also sounded like she was laboring to breathe as she used her energy to speak.
It took me back to the time that I had
Problems with The Voice. My Voice!
As a musician and vocalist I have had my own struggles with my own voice. Most anyone who sings has experienced some weariness in their vocal ability following a major production, choir concert, or even singing at church. Most of us have become hoarse from singing too long or singing too hard. I had known this to be my lot in my vocal life.As I grew older and had different singing assignments I had many times of “losing” my voice. I would be requested to come lead the music for revivals, retreats, camp meetings and concerts. I would do really well for the first day or two, but if it was a 3 or 5 day event I would have a lot of trouble and get very hoarse. I didn’t like it. I liked having vocal strength and being able to sing confidently and powerfully like I did as a young person.
What did I do? There are the usual routines of gargling with warm salt water. I would spray my throat with Chloraseptic or other over-the-counter remedies for sore throats. I would use cough drops, throat lozenges, and even herbal concoctions like tree bark! My friend, Charles, loved that and thought it was very funny. Ha!
In the last fifteen years I have had about as many good years as their have been bad years with my voice. In Bossier City, LA I had to go on voice rest and really deter the use of my voice for several weeks. It was just a temporary fix.
I was still having Problems with The Voice.
When
I moved to Oklahoma City it seemed to get worse. Especially after
singing on Sundays. I had two morning worship services to lead at my
church. Then I would be back that afternoon for choir practice and then
a short rehearsal for the evening service followed by the evening
worship hour. I really was wearing my voice out.It got so bad that I finally told the pastor and chairman of the board that I needed to go on voice rest and not talk or sing for a week. I tried it. Not much relief. I went another week. Not much relief.
I was getting discouraged. One summer I went to two worship conferences to learn and be inspired from others. I was not able to sing. I had to listen to all the songs. I cried.
Finally, I went to an ENT. He put a scope in my nose and looked at my vocal cords. I had a nodule. He told me I needed surgery. I asked about more voice rest and he said I could rest it for 6 months and it would not heal properly. So, we scheduled my surgery.
He told me my nodule was probably the result of acid reflux. I knew I had times when acid reflux would actually wake me up in the middle of the night. I would jump out of bed with intense burning in my throat. I would run to the fridge and get some water, take some Tums, and do whatever I could to get some relief.
He prescribed something for me to take. I had the surgery. I was on total voice rest for a week following that. I had to write notes on paper, a white board or a Magna Doodle to communicate with my wife or children. I also had to elevate the head of my bed to ease the chance of reflux happening while I slept. That was 2002.
So is that the end of the story?
Am I still having Problems with The Voice.
Stay tuned for Pt 2 and find out the rest of the story.
- Chuck Whetstone Empower Network
No comments:
Post a Comment