The day I lost my Trumpet by Dr. Noela Mogga

It was Monday afternoon when my voice quality changed. I was now hoarse.

Come Tuesday, I had lost my trumpet. Upon attempts at phonation, no discernible sounds came out. Just eh’s and ah’s and sounds you commonly associate with a mute individual. 

Now became the harrowing ordeal. You see, losing your trumpet, is like losing yourself. I found how much of our voice is associated with our character, our persona, our authority. I still went to work, but interesting dynamics as I could not participate in meaningful conversations except to gesture and nod Yes/No and smile. I pondered on how effective I would be as an anesthesiologist if I could not communicate? Now I conclude that losing one’s voice is a handicap. In an emergency situation of high fluid dynamics I would not measure up to my duties as a physician.

My children were disturbed by my lack of phonation. My oldest wondered loud when would my voice come back? Time, my daughter, only time. My 5yr old wanted to know why I did not tell him over the phone that I had lost my voice? If anything at all, losing my voice converted me into a better listener. My children could finish their stories in peace without my haste, subject changes and interruptions.

I lamented the inability to make phone calls and my husband immediately reminded me that my voice sounds terrible. Now my dog, the beast, ignore my commands to go to his cage. Only to see him obey my husband’s audible voice.

So now I was regulated to an observer in my world, not a participant. Surprising to me was how long the ordeal lasted. I would wake up each morning hoping to have phonation, but to find it elusive. Yet I knew it was only a matter of time. God’s time and not mine.

Nothing I did improved phonation. Not the antibiotics, not the hot lemon honey teas, nor the spiced ginger milk teas. Neither did the nasal saline rinse, the cough pills nor the allergy medicines. Who knows, it could have been worse had I not taken all these remedies.

I eventually regained my trumpet. In full, after what seemed like forever.

Dr. Mogga wrote this article in 2018. Featured image of a trumpet credit goes to Eric Awuy, unsplash.