Oh for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
I have been having trouble with my tongue. First, I find myself getting angry or frustrated easily, and yelling at Pat. It’s not that I don’t have things to be angry or frustrated about—I do. But they are (mostly) not Pat’s fault. That is problem #1
I have been having trouble finding words and getting them out correctly. My speech is not as fluent as it once was, and I will use awkward constructions sometimes, and then correct myself. Example: I want to say: Let’s choose another program, but what comes out is: Another problem, er, program, let’s try. This happens occasionally, but not all the time. My perception is that my tongue is not as nimble as it should be. Problem #2.
I am having trouble swallowing, not always, just sometimes. Rather, I am having trouble with keeping food or drink in my mouth until I am ready to swallow. For example, I was eating a popsicle and the liquid moved to the back of my throat and almost went “down the wrong pipe.” This is happening more often than it used to. Implication: My tongue is not doing its job. Problem #3
Small problems with an unruly tongue, you might say, but they are also signs and portents of something big on the horizon. I still have not been fully evaluated and it may be several more months before I am. And I may be noticing every little mistake now that I know it is possible I am developing dementia. They call such selective noticing “confirmation bias.” So I will read this aloud and record it. Listen if you want and then let me know at the bottom.
And, finally, about the hymn, which I hope you have listened to—people can still sing when they no longer can talk. This hymn will be one I keep singing.