Silent as the Grave

I got a cold in my chest about a week before Christmas. I usually start with a sore throat and then move on to achy joints and headaches. This time it started in my chest and built very slowly. I started losing my voice about two days before Christmas and was totally mute except for a whisper from the 23 to the 27th. Do you know how frustrating it is to open your mouth to speak and nothing comes out? Or if you need to say something loudly or call to someone and there's nothing... Thank goodness, I didn't have to teach a lesson and the Choir had already done the Christmas program before my voice took a hiatus, so I really didn't have to miss anything important.
I have done this laryngitis thing for the last three years and frankly, I am very tired of it. I will have to find a way for this not to happen again.
How did my family feel about my lack of voice? I think they quite enjoyed it. When people asked Ray how he felt about it, he said, "she may not be able to speak, but she can still hear!"