<p>Thanks -but it’s not my daughter - it’s cartera45’s. And I know we’re all hoping for the best for her. My D has been going to her friend’s junior recitals - they’re really important.</p>
<p>Cartera,Be Careful- anti-inflammatories can do weird things to a singer’s throat, so I would avoid them in this case and use only Tylenol, and only if necessary. When it comes to throat drops, do NOT use anything with Menthol- and READ labels, because what may have been fine last year could have had a change of ingredients this year (such as Ricola, which is now verboten!).
Neti pot, steaming, keeping a humidifier running and Mucinex are fine, and if your D really isn’t up to par, I would have her go to her voice teacher and see if she/he would talk to the Dept. Head and see if the recital can be postponed- it’s not worth risking the voice and possible damage that could put her on long-term vocal rest.</p>
<p>Thanks again to everyone. Dress rehearsal going on right now. She is holding her own right now with no meds. She stays away from Menthol and has a decongestant on hand only. So far, doing well with neti pot, steamer, Mucinex, pineapple juice, and lots and lots of water. She knows that aspirin and ibuprofen can increase chances of vocal cord hemorrhage so she stays away from them. Nothing hurts right now. She sounds a bit stuffy and things will not likely flow as easily as she would like. Of course, things could go south between now and Friday if it travels to her chest, but she is hopeful. Her science teacher was kind enough to let her move her science test from Thursday to next week so she can get more rest. That was a great help.</p>
<p>Thanks for the update, I was wondering. Please do keep us posted and we’ll keep her in our thoughts.
Cheers,K</p>
<p>Best of luck to your daughter cartera45! Sounds like she’s doing all she can do. Luckily adrenaline works wonders during the actual performance.</p>
<p>About 5 days before my top-choice-school audition, I had to play volleyball in gym and in trying to hit the ball, the ball yanked my finger backwards and left it swollen and hurting. Problem because it was my index finger and I’m a saxophone player. We thought about trying to reschedule my audition, but it got better in enough time. I know that this is an injury, not a sickness, but that’s what I did.</p>
<p>She wasn’t thrilled with the dress rehearsal - ears a bit clogged so she couldn’t hear herself as well and felt she had lost a little off the top. I reminded her that because of congestion, it will sound differently to her than to the audience. Yes, adrenaline will also help. </p>
<p>Thanks so much for the kind words - </p>
<p>Caramello, I’ll bet adrenalin helped that finger too.</p>
<p>Absolutely. But I was fine, and I’m sure she will be too :)</p>
<p>The first thing singers have to learn is not to listen to themselves. Every performance space, audition or practice room is different acoustically, and if the singer tries to satisfy that room, they are adjusting their technique, which is a very bad idea. cartera45, your daughter worked these pieces into her voice technically when she was healthy, and she must trust the motor memory from that process, assuming her vocal cords are not swollen, in which case she should not be singing at all. She can monitor how she feels physically while she sings, how she uses her body, and then she must let it go. She will be fine if she sings from herself and lets it be what she has already made it to be. Toi toi toi</p>