Asthma

Along with my usual seasonal allergies this year (which seem to last in every season but winter now, but I digress) I have developed asthma. I don't have it to a terribly bad degree yet, but it's there. I've found that the asthma affects my voice as well. This, I'm assuming, is due to the extra stress put on me from trying to breathe. However, after using my inhaler, I speak clearer than I did even before the attack in many circumstances. Albuterol is a bronchodilator, so it should have no effect on my lungs or vocal cords. Over the years I have overcompensated for having abductor-type spasmodic dysphonia by becoming very breathy with my speech. With the albuterol increasing air flow and relaxing lung muscles, this allows me to take deeper breaths, and therefore have a more powerful voice.

In other news, I have become quite busy with my medical transcription job. I personally work on three different hospital accounts. This year I started work on the third. My job still continues to work out well for me, as the only communication I have with any coworkers or bosses is through chat or email, as I work remotely at home.