Vocal treats and vocal issues

So when I attended the retreat in Nashville I got a little goody bag with Sunnydew and a tiny Sunbreeze essential oil bottle. We also had unlimited Calli tea there! I really need to get some more tea- it’s the best!

I loved the tea and bought a giant box of Calli mint. I somehow never used the Sunbreeze until this year and not how it was meant to be used. I was super clogged up one day (nasty oak junk everywhere sets off my allergies) and noticed it on the music shelf waiting for me to have a headache or muscle tension.

I remembered its strong scent and wondered if it could unclog me. In desperation I dabbed some under and inside my nostrils and lo and behold after a short time it seemed to melt away the gunk and I could breathe again. This seems to work best on mild to moderate clogs. It works similar to Vicks but no petroleum jelly base. Now it’s my secret weapon when I’m plugged up - that and a tiny splash of Robitussin on the back of the throat (Not the cold and flu kind, the one that is strictly a decongestant). I heard about that one from a dear teacher in college Dr. V. I also learned to chew on my tongue if my mouth is dry and no water is on hand from playing in band. Works for singers too!

Issues that affect my voice

Coughing is apparently pretty bad for your voice as is clearing the throat like most people do. Madison suggested vocal fry instead for itchy throats along with the straw in cup hack, which can be found in the Vocal Hacks program released by Singing Success.

Breathing is vital to singing so figuring out how to deal with allergies and other such obstacles is crucial. Like Brett Manning says “As singers we are living instruments with good days and bad, so we should give ourselves grace and kindness when our voices won’t cooperate. “

If it’s the big day to perform and you have some issues maybe plan a less flashy but solid lineup. Or if you can’t get out of a particular song be okay with that day’s sound and pour yourself into expression and believability. I can testify that the vocal therapy program is really effective! I was asked to sing at a funeral and when the big day came my voice wouldn’t cooperate at all! I stressed out all morning and since I have the SS VIP program I had somewhere to turn for help. First thing in the morning I followed the protocols in the vocal therapy program which include drinking lots of water along with other interesting tricks and exercises. By the time of the funeral I had something to work with. I’m sure if I’d had more time to repeat some of the exercises I could have gotten even more out of my voice, but all things considered it was a miracle that I could sing at all. I need to ask for a recording of that to upload here. It turned out very well actually- only I knew it was shy of my best sound. The clients were very happy and I was super relieved! I have recently come to terms with the fact that I am limited physically in my singing. I can’t do better until I address my nearly constant breathing difficulties which stem from a deviated septum and inflammation in my breathing passages that sometimes strangles me causing coughing fits. It’s not mere allergies nor is it mucus like I always thought. It’s a problem that needs to be addressed with surgery. It got so bad this year I finally talked to an ENT and allergist.

Dr. Sam Lam is my wished for doctor to do my rhinoplasty. He’s also an ENT and is known for his good work, which is aesthetic and functional. Doesn’t take insurance and is far away, but worth it from all that I’ve read. He really cares about improving his craft and keeping up with the healing progress of his patients.

The obstacles I need to overcome are

*a place to stay for a week in DFW as I will need to rest and recover afterwards and see him in a week. I know I could see him by zoom, but it would be ideal to see him in person

*someone to keep the kids off of me, particularly the one year old who still drinks milk and needs lots of attention, while my body heals and is in a delicate state. The first week is critical, but really it will take a full year to completely heal and have final results. In the meantime I will have to take extra care to keep the kids away from my face. I may have to postpone such a surgery until they’re a bit older!

*$$$. At least the financing terms through care credit are good, but I’ll still need to raise the $ to pay it off.

All in all I have my work cut out for me, but I pray that sooner rather than later I’ll be able to fix that and become a better singer as well as improve my quality of life and breathing!

If you find yourself stuck and unable to use all your God given resonators properly as a singer it wouldn’t hurt to check with an ENT or allergist to see if there is more to your recurring problems like I did.

Good luck everyone!! ❤️