My name is Sarah Kennedy.
Three years ago, I thought something was seriously wrong with me.
I live in Phoenix with my husband Tom and work as a project manager for a tech company.
I'd always been healthy. Never had throat problems. Never smoked.
That's why when I started clearing my throat constantly, I was confused.
It started so gradually I almost missed it.
A slight tickle. The feeling you get when you need to clear your throat.
But clearing my throat didn't help. The sensation remained.
Within a few weeks, I was clearing my throat every 90 seconds.
All day. Every day. At work. At home. In meetings. During dinner.
People noticed. Of course they noticed.
"Are you feeling okay? That cough sounds bad."
"Do you need some water?"
"Have you seen a doctor about that?"
The embarrassment was unbearable.
I'd be presenting in a meeting. Clear throat. Lose my train of thought. Clear throat again.
My coworkers would look concerned. Or annoyed. I couldn't tell which was worse.
At restaurants, I'd clear my throat between every few bites. People at nearby tables would stare.
I started avoiding social situations entirely.
Declined dinner invitations. Stopped going to movies. Made excuses to work from home.
My entire life shrank around this constant, uncontrollable throat clearing.

