Answer As A Man and Voice Update

Hi All!

Well - I finished another book! I actually finished it yesterday but forgot to scan the cover so I didn't get it blogged. This is another from my grandma's stash (which seems to be growing instead of shrinking) and was again set in the early 1900's. This one was in the United States and dealt with immigration and World War I and "fun" topics like that. The characters in this one are very real and interesting to read about but the whole book is sort of sad - an Irish man's struggles for wealth and love. Oh well. It was pretty good.

I don't know what I am going to do about the next book I am reading - the front cover is torn off. I know that supposedly means that the book was illegally resold but after all these years - who knows what happened!

I thought I should probably post an update about my voice. It has been a while since I directly addressed that. My voice is still doing very well. In fact, it is doing so well that I can periodically forget that I have ABSD. Then I have problems saying a word (usually starting with h, p, or w) and I am reminded that I have a vocal disorder.

I still struggle to accept the fact that my voice won't ever be what it used to be and that when I am in a noisy situation I can't make myself heard. The phone is still a bit of a problem but I am slowly overcoming my anxiety about the "regular" phone and still love my outgoing voice amplification phone.

Yesterday wasn't a "good" day for my voice. It was still there and audible but I had a lot of cracks and false starts. I realized that I now choose words which are easier to say to start off most of my sentences. I can feel when I am going to have a problem saying a word and switch to an easier word. I am getting so used to doing this that I don't even realize I am doing it most of the time. I am also a lot slower when I speak. Not as slow as my speech therapist would like, I am sure but, I do speak slower.

I had sign language class yesterday and as I was driving there, I wasn't too happy. My voice wasn't good and while most of the time is spent signing, not talking, I do talk to my lab partners after class. I didn't really feel like talking but . . . by the time I had spent time in the lab and in class not talking, I was happy to talk after class. And, my voice wasn't too bad. It helped that we were in a quiet area and standing rather close together. Thank goodness my lab partners understand! They might be young but, for the most part, they are kind and know talking isn't easy for me so they make adjustments!

I am still working on my vocal exercises and larynx massage. Hopefully this will help me keep going on the "good voice" path I am currently on! God Willing!

Trisha