But do you get the alien reference? 'Cause that's pretty much what I thought for a second when I saw this:
For those of you not in the know, that is neither an upside down pink V, nor a picture of the feminine nether regions, but in fact a picture of my vocal chords. (Meanwhile, I apologize for the poor clarity of the upload of a picture of a picture that was printed out).
Basically, that's what I saw when the Ear, Nose, and Throat guy scoped me today. No, he didn't creepily give me a once-over like some perv on the train... He put a camera down my throat attached to a long metal rod and it tickled!
Though I only gagged once, and that was whilst trying to breathe after holding quite a long extended falsetto "aaaaaaayyyyyy" and before having to repeat said singing... and did I mention there was a metal rod down my throat?
And everyone, keep the comments clean, my grandparents read this blog.
Luckily it wasn't one of the ones that has to go up through your nose 'cause that probably would have REALLY tickled.
But basically the amazing Japanese doctor (thanks for the recommendation, Chris!), looked in my nose and throat and chords and told me that I have acute chorditis vocalis inferior. Which I have now come to understand means my chords are quite swollen, most likely caused by a cold/sinus infection.
I'm guessing singing 18 shows this week didn't help either...
But, the good news is, despite my Gemini internal debate of hemming and hawing, Kathryn lovingly mothered me into going even though I somehow made it through 5 shows yesterday feeling better than before. The REALLY good news is I seem to have caught my problem before a polyp could have developed in the next few days.
So I'm supposed to not sing for 3 days, but well, that clearly can't happen.
The doctor is working his magic trying to get me through the special event and Kathryn's visit Friday, and hopefully clearing me to sing a day early. So I have to go back tomorrow morning, but for the next 5 days I have 5 wonderful Chinese herbs/medicines as well as a shot in the arm of anti-inflammatory today and a 2 minute session of anodization.
And did I mention 95% of this happened in Japanese?
Now you know while I felt like an alien.
But I am MECHA impressed with the efficiency and care of the Japanese system. My possible "long wait" was a mere 5 minutes, and I from the time I walked in until we had forgotten our umbrellas in the lobby was only 45 minutes. And there are like 7 nurses and you get passed from station to station and are never waiting around for your various treatments.
Bam, bam, bam! You are in and out like a fox in a henhouse.
And the visit only cost 140 bucks INCLUDING the scope and medicines, and that, of course, will be reimbursed by insurance.
And the US is fighting this kind of system... really?
In visiting news...
Kathryn is here! And we had such a great dinner at Monsoon last night, a late start in the FRIGIDLY rainy day today, and a lovely afternoon at coffee. One benefit to a fall without Pumpkin Spice Lattes?...
The Caramel Eclair Latte. Salty and sweet with little crunchies. Yeah, be jealous, 'cause none of you are getting any in the States.
And we ate at the most amazing Curry House upstairs in the Daiei and it was phenomenal. It seriously has 3 booths a bar, but it's like the Chipotle of Japanese Curry and NO foreigners go there, so it was DELIGHTFUL. And after my doctor visit, Kathryn made an amazing spaghetti, and I made garlic bread and baked cinnamon apples for Evan and Blair and ourselves. And it was DELICIOUS.
And now I should go to bed since I have to go back to the Doc early tomorrow and I have a long day of rehearsing to my sick track.
Keep me healthy, Lord!
