'The Silence'

My husband is on a 2 week talking ban.  No, I did not put him on it.  It is per the Dr's orders. 

He has been having problems with his throat since October 2009; we think that he had a throat infection and then went back to work too quickly.  He is a Church Minister so that would have had a negative effect.  All through 2010 he visited our GP.  They referred him to an ENT Consultant who put a camara down, told him it was red and angry looking and then promptly dismissed him from his clinic!

He went back to the Dr in November 2010 who recommended a 2 week talking ban.  Can you start now?  My husband told him that as a Church Minister with loads of Assemblies booked, meetings at various Old People's Homes and the general Christmas Services that wasn't going to happen.  So by mutual agreement they booked the first 2 weeks of January for 'The Silence'.

So my husband wrote a list of all the things he was going to achieve during his 2 weeks off sick (the Church Leaders said he could take the time as sick leave).  He was sort of looking forward to the opportunity to get stuff done. 

Then he went down with the flu followed by a Chest Infection. He spent the whole of the first week of his Silence coughing and feeling like death warmed up.  I think he managed to read some of his books towards the end of the week but the first half was spent sat doing nothing or inhaling Vicks vapour from one of my cooking bowls!  (I will not be using that one to cook with again.)

We are at the beginning of week 2 and the antibiotics the Dr prescribed last Thursday are beginning to take effect.  He feels somewhat better. 

We communicate by me talking and him writing.  I can't understand his gestures (maybe that is a good thing) and he has been known to slip into whispering which was banned as well.  I am hoping the 5 days left will help heal his throat.  It is of the utmost importance; his job depends on it.