Good news!

I went up to Los Alamos and saw and ENT on Monday (all the ABQ ent's were booked until February!)  And I don't have nodules, like I thought.  It's just swelling-- which is much easier to fix than nodules.  Apparently they've just been swollen since I got sick back in September.  I can talk!  (No yelling or over-doing it of course.)  All I have to do is no singing for two weeks while I take some steroids to help reduce the swelling quickly.  After that, I should be back to normal.  I feel so blessed that it isn't a bigger problem!


Arthur went with me to my appointment, and frankly, we were both kind-of preparing for the worst.  We were trying to come up with a plan for if I needed to fly out to UCDavis Medical Center and have surgery followed by six-weeks of vocal rest and what we would do with the kids during that time-- who might be able to help us for certain chunks of time, etc. etc.  So when the doctor told me they looked fine except for some swelling, I wanted to jump out of my chair and hug him!  


I'd been so worried about the possibility of losing my singing voice and what I'd have to do to get it back--It's been this constant nagging worry in the back of my mind.   It's such a huge part of my life, not only for personal enjoyment, but also, it's the primary way I serve the Lord, especially since right now my callings are Ward Choir Director, and Stake Choir Director.  I'd like to think that I've come a long way since High School, and that my identity isn't solely based on my musical abilities anymore.  But when faced with the prospect of going through that same thing with the long recovery, and all the uncertainty about whether or not I'd be able to sing again, I kind of started panicking inside.


So I feel like a huge burden has been lifted--I feel physically lighter, and the tenseness I was harboring in my chest has eased.  Ask Arthur--I was skipping out to the car in the parking lot after my appointment, and have been thanking Heavenly Father every day since.  Thanks to Carrie who helped get me into that doctor, and thanks to all of you who were praying for me. I really appreciate your thoughts and concern and faith in my behalf.