Disaster at Sea!!!!!!

Well am finally home after what I can only say was a very cursed 2 weeks indeed!!! I usually have the absolute time of my life on Minerva and sing some of the best concerts as I am relaxed and full of happiness at being on the ship. This time however I spent most of the 2 weeks in excruciating pain as my wisdom tooth decided that it would be a good idea to start cutting through my gum. Not only did my gum become infected but my jaw and muscles went into a spasm which made the left hand side of my face swell up! The pain was so unbearable that talking, eating and even singing was out of the question  I managed to see the on board doctor and get a course of antibiotics but it was a week into the cruise before the pain started to subside. Lucky for me a passenger who was a dentist on board advised me and no sooner did I follow her instructions I started to feel better. I managed to sing the first 2 concerts dosed up to the eyeballs on painkillers and thought that was it. 

Sadly that was not the end to my woes. In the third concert I developed an awful frog in my throat which affected my singing voice quite considerably  Believe me singing Norina's aria when your chords are not meeting properly is nothing short of a disaster! As the concert progressed my voice became more and more raspy. I soldiered on but knew that something really was not right. The next day I had developed a chest infection with a hacking cough that left me completely hoarse. This meant that sadly I had to pull out of the last concert which is something I have never had to do since becoming a singer. It was so frustrating as not only was I unable to do my job but I had absolutely no energy to enjoy myself on board the ship as she made her journey from Istanbul to Civitivecchia. It was sad that this experience of being on board Minerva is one that I want to forget!!!!

Safe to say I am so glad to be back home.I still have this cough and praying to all the gods that I heal quickly as rehearsals for Don Paswuale start next week!!!!!!