Take that break, postpone a meeting, your voice will thank you for it.

The Covid pandemic effected everyone during the past couple of years, it’s for sure something we will all remember experiencing and for some have been dealing with it's lasting effects.

I had some slight writers block on this post as I wanted to just keep it simple, make some awareness for people who do a ton of speaking all day long and be aware of your voice when it’s showing signs of needing to take a break.?

For some backstory,??I got Covid in January 2022 and didn’t take care of myself properly and continued to work. I figured I was at home so why bother taking time off. ------Big mistake, Health is always first.

I had kept handling my meetings with a “sore” throat. Not realizing the more than normal symptoms I was also experiencing was going to cause some changes in my speech. Let's say several sinus related issues were off the chart and the many visits I had done to the doctors just didn't seem to make a dent in the problem. I had months of mis-diagnosis, meetings specialists for ENT, Allergies and other challenges. Obviously there is a ton more detail but the purpose of this is to help others not have to go through all that and to get some help.

I have been doing some therapy, many activities that are similar to having laryngitis. While in recent weeks I have been improving, it took a ton of work to get there. For a while I couldn't count between 60-69 or 80-89 well without straining the sound, I can once again say these numbers and some words I had trouble with for a while. The old saying “think about what you are going to say before you say it” can’t be anymore true. I have to think in my voice before I say something aloud and had to slow it down to ensure I am more clear.

While I am not a fan of getting medicine or treatment, apparently Botox is supposed to be helpful to smooth things out again, I am just waiting for an appointment but I have been trying to get better without it as it's not really a permanent solution.

The recovery process has been on going and I really wish I took a break from the early sign of some type of vocal fatigue. If you see some sign of an issue, take a moment to look after yourself, apparently experiencing some type of virus or bug can cause something like this, at first I thought it was strep throat but it really was covid that started it all. I am at about 89% over the past few weeks, I used to not be able to have too many calls or meetings (Interviews) earlier but things are much better during the past month.

Perhaps one of my ideas to be voice actor as a side career may happen afterall, who knows!

If anyone needs help with vocal recovery feel free to reach out.

Thank you

Wayne