For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 10, 2019

We’ve gone high tech now – we look up on Google, not in a medical encyclopedia.

Body language works just as well .

Yes – but now they will have an excuse not to listen.

Sigh language. Loud sigh bad, soft sigh good.

Theodore Roosevelt had the solution to that dilemma.

I tend to get laryngitis about once a year. Years ago I used to work in retail. When my voice would go I kept a notepad in my smock pocket. One time I was working in automotive. I helped a customer using my notepad and hand gestures. A little later I was up at the service desk when that customer asked to speak to a manager. Miss S. was called. The customer commented that they thought it was wonderful that the store didn’t hesitate in hiring the handicapped! Poor Miss S. didn’t have a clue. She said, “While we do believe in hiring the handicapped, we don’t have any on staff at the moment.” The customer responded, “What about that lovely little mute girl in automotive?” I chose then to make my appearance and Miss S. explained my predicament. We all – including the customer – had a good laugh at that.

There you go. You went and found the silver lining.

My wife got her tonsils out in her late 20s. During the recovery period of no talking, she was one miserable lady. She developed a glare that would stop a freight train and when she finally healed, she made up for lost time.

I remember those days… haha! Looking for answers in our out-of-date encyclopedias. Crazy how much has changed in just 30 years.

judging from the last panel; she might devote a few minutes to a warm bath and shave her legs!

Easy,, leave a note on the door: “mom not on duty. Take care of it yourself” Will you be dealing with aftermath? Yes. But they gotta learn sooner or later.

FYI – ladies in many countries do not shave either their legs or under their arms. (I still have a scar on my shin from when I used to do it in a hurry.)

I’ve been thru that a couple of times – and I’m a teacher! I’ve fared quite well with writing things down and using a text-to-speech software – ok, so the latter’s out of the question for Elly :-) I have to admit my 6th-graders treated me very well for a couple of days, and after that I simply stayed at home. You can get very creative signing :-D

Get a white board and a big marker, and use large, capital letters when talking to the kids.

When I had to have my thyroid taken out (possible thyroid cancer), it had such large nodes on it that they also had to take my parathyroids. The doctor had to spread my vocal chords to get it all and, of course, it bruised them. I couldn’t speak above a whisper for about 6 months, and my doctor said I may never get my voice back to what it had been, much less never be able to sing again (I used to have some solo parts in my church choir). My boys were in their late teens and FULLY took advantage of me not being able to speak. They thought it was funny, but It was NOT fun!! Even 20 years later, I still lose my voice anytime I get a sore throat and my throat aches when I try to sing. But it was, and still is, worth it all because the pathology said it was definitely pre-cancerous.

well at least you have time to shave your legs

They may not listen to you, but I am sure they will be glad to comment on the hairy legs and the giant nose.

the last time I had laryngitis, I had a job where I had to talk almost constantly. it was brutal.