The technical term for a vocal cord weakness
is “paresis”
Symptoms: shortness of breath, hoarseness, inaudibility
The voice, despite something to say —
to shriek —
struggles to escape the constricting throat.
Wikipedia, my grandchildren’s reference source of choice,
ascribes many causes:
viruses, tumours, compression of nerves through intubation,
or even the splendidly sonorous
laryngopharyngeal reflux (hard enough to pronounce
when one’s voice is cooperating).
It mentions trauma, too.
I wonder if this confirmation of the thing dreaded,
(the slow random erasure of self,
like a whiteboard in a corridor
brushed by passing shoulders)
counts as trauma, even if not sudden,
and far from unexpected;
Because, God knows, my voice is struggling
and all that comes,
after the strained and stretching silence,
is three ragged, ridiculous words:
“Thank you, doctor.”
Part of the Anatomy project