I can't believe I've finally ventured into the land of blogs - what's taken me so long? So here's the deal; I have a small node on my vocal chord. What's that you say? Hey, you are sitting in front of a computer...google it! (or goodsearch it, or yahoo it, although none of those are a verb as of yet). I had a really bad sore throat and then lost my voice and then kind of got it back but it was still not right. I wait a month (like a good girl, don't want to rush to the doctor too soon, give it time), and he tells me it's a node. Well, he didn't just tell me. He looked up my nose and told me it was inflamed and that my septum was crooked and didn't my husband complain about my snoring? For the record, I don't snore (true!). Then he sprayed some stuff up my nose to open up the passages and numb them a bit. Ten minutes later and he is sticking a tube down my nose and saying "uh oh". Good news - I don't need surgery and he has some allergy pills to supplement my allergy nasal spray. Bad news - no caffeine (ok, three diet coke a day habit now has to go to one), drink lots of water (no problem there), and STRICT VOICE REST for two weeks. Ha! "But," I say, "I'm subbing for the school nurse on Wed. and Fri."! "Well," he says, "I guess your voice rest won't start until next week." Yikes!
Those of you who know me now get to laugh loudly. Why? Because there have been rumors, complaints, opinions, that I talk a lot. Well, I sometimes do, but not all the time. However, once you get labeled as a talker you can't live it down. No matter how WRONG it may be!!! So, funny, imagine me unable to talk. No, sort of able to talk but NOT allowed. Is this the worst part? No, the worst part is not being able to sing. Singing is like breathing for me, although I don't do it professionally (wish I did). Singing (and exercise) keep me sane.
Can I do it? Can I refrain from talking? Everyone seems to think this will be hard - everyone except for me. I secretly know that this is not hard. Why? Because I am tired of answering questions ("Mom, how do I...? Honey, where is the....? "When do we...?), all blessed day long I answer questions. Is this my perfect excuse to check out? To give up responsibility for knowing everything? And how will the world manage??
1 comment:
Qua,
Your blog is awesome. I really think I'm going to try one (in my spare time - ha!)
Anyway, a friend just sent me these words of wisdom a few days ago (included further down the page). I thought you would relate. Not only are you not that upset about this situation, you seem to be thankful and grateful for this experience. That's the way to get something good out of it and I know you will.
Something similar (but on a much smaller scale) happened to me just last weekend. On Friday I hurled at a swim meet (luckily it was
into a baggie that I had brought along...albeit for an entirely different reason). I went home and was forced to DO NOTHING, because I couldn't, my
head hurt, I was nauseous, and I just couldn't serve, clean-up after, document, administer, create, or think...nadda! I lay in bed thanking God for it...permission to do nothing but sleep and lay in bed. It felt great! This change your mind thing REALLY works great. Now on to the "Words of Wisdom".
The Language of Complaining
> By rethinking the way we speak about people and situations, we can change our attitude-and our lives.
>
>
> Our words are powerful. And when we change what we
> say, we begin to change our lives.
>
> About a year ago, I was driving on the interstate and
> was in the passing lane because I was driving a few
> miles per house above the speed limit. Ahead of me was
> a minivan driving about ten miles below the speed
> limit. My mind began to rant: "If they're going to
> drive below the speed limit, don't they know to stay
> in the right lane and let others pass?"
>
> A few days later, I found myself in the passing lane
> behind another cautious driver doing considerably less
> than the speed limit. Again, I noticed the driver was
> behind the wheel of a minivan, and this time I vented
> aloud that I though this was inconsiderate.
>
> As I was driving a few days later with Gail and Lia, I
> was again slowed by a driver in the left lane
> traveling well below the speed limit in, you guessed
> it, a minivan. This time I voiced my complaint to my
> family. In the ensuring weeks, this situation repeated
> itself, and in each time it was a minivan. I began to
> notice that minivans with certain symbols or stickers
> were the most egregious offenders. This became a pet
> peeve of mine, and I voiced this to everyone I know. I
> thought it was funny, just a clever observation, but I
> did notice it was happening with greater and greater
> frequency. Finally, I began to understand that I had
> decided that "minivan drivers are rude and impede the
> flow of traffic." As I believed, so was it done unto
> me, and this became true for me nearly every time I
> drove.
>
> I sought a way to reframe this observation and thought
> of NASCAR. When there is a wreck or hazard at a NASCAR
> race, a pace car comes on the track to slow all the
> other drivers down. The drivers must fall behind the
> pace car until the hazard clears ahead, making it safe
> once again. "What if minivans are the pace cars of the
> interstate?" I thought. Maybe they are there to slow
> me down so I don't get a ticket or, worse, get
> involved in an accident. Whenever I was in the left
> lane behind a slower-moving minivan, I began to give
> thanks for them and to refer to them as pace cars.
> This became so habitual that I found myself forgetting
> they had another name and began to refer to minivans
> exclusively as pace cards. "Oops, there's a pace car
> up ahead," I'd tell my family, "we better slow down."
>
> The interesting thing is that as I changed what I
> called them and began to appreciate minivans or pace
> cars for slowing me down, I found it atypical to be
> stuck behind one in the passing lane. Today, it's
> exceedingly rare for me to be slowed by a minivan on
> my commute, and when I do I give thanks for them.
>
> By changing my mind about minivans and celebrating
> them as pace cars, I had changed what they were for me
> and they became a gift rather than a challenge. If you
> will begin to call the people and events in your life
> by names that spur positive energy in yourself, you
> will find that they no longer bother you and in fact
> can be a real boon for you. Change the words you use
> and watch your life change. For example:
>
> Instead of...
> Try...
> Problem
> Opportunity
> Have to
> Get to
> Setback
> Challenge
> Enemy
> Friend
> Tormentor
> Teacher
> Pain
> Signal
> I demand
> I would appreciate
> Complaint
> Request
> Struggle
> Journey
> You did this
> I created this
>
> Give it a try. It may feel awkward as you begin, but
> watch how it changes your attitude about the person or
> situation. And as you change your language, the
> situation will change.
Silence IS golden!!
Take good care sis ~ enjoy the observer post!
Love,
Berna
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