Losing My Voice to Asthma
So asthma never fails to surprise me.
The latest “fun” with asthma is that I now lose my voice when I have a severe asthma attack or when I get sick with pneumonia.
It also happens to be my hubby’s favorite time – when I lose my voice! True story. That man is so patient with me, because I love to talk. I just have so many ideas in my head and I need to get them out before I forget!
Losing my voice after an asthma attack
I didn’t always lose my voice with an asthma attack – in fact, this just started a couple of years ago.
When I have a bad asthma attack, it will usually take several hours before my voice comes back. So, I whisper. Which has an interesting effect on everyone around me. I will try to talk to my husband by whispering, and he will whisper back. I’ll say, “You don’t have to whisper just because I am whispering!” He'll respond with “Oh…..riiiiiight!”
It always picks the worst time to happen – like when I have a full day of presentations and need my voice. It can also make for some interesting meetings at work. I think that’s one of those tricks teachers use – talk softly. People really pay attention to you! (And I think they feel bad for me too!)
When I lose my voice, the worst of my asthma attack is over and I no longer feel bad, but I sound bad.
Losing my voice when I get sick
But, when I get sick – it’s a big problem. I had bronchitis this spring and knew it was time to see my asthma doc and get some steroids. But – how could I call and make a doctor’s appointment if I couldn’t speak? Hmm.
Well, luckily my daughter was home, but they probably wouldn’t let a teenager make an appointment for her mom. So I had to pull up my husband’s number and hand her my phone. Then I had to whisper instructions to my daughter to tell my husband that I needed to call the asthma doctor and make an appointment.
Did you follow all of that?
Then my husband had to call my daughter and let me know when my appointment was scheduled.
It was fun trying to talk to my asthma doc too! He also listened very carefully to everything I said. He had to – he couldn't hear so he had to stay close and really pay attention to everything I was trying to say.
Why do I keep losing my voice?
Has anyone else had this problem? And is it also your family's favorite time? When you lose your voice and can’t speak?!
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