RUSH:  Jennifer in Floyd, Iowa.  Hi, Jennifer.  Glad you called.

CALLER:  Hi, Rush.  I am so glad you are back.  I was having serious Rush withdrawals.  I mean, I was grouchy and everything.  It was just… It was rough.  We have missed you.

RUSH: Well… (chuckling) Thank you.  It’s mutual.  Believe me, I missed not being here.  In fact, my plan was even if I had no voice today, I was gonna come in here, and I was at least gonna open the show and let everybody know that the only thing wrong here is I can’t talk. Steyn’s on standby.  If something happens — and it won’t as long as the adrenaline keeps going.  You know, the adrenaline… Snerdley says, “Your voice sounds like it’s getting stronger.”  I said, “It is.  It’s the adrenaline.  It’s after the show it’s gonna die.”  I mean, temporarily.  But I was gonna come in and just intro the show no matter what today, but it’s working out well. What is “Rush withdrawal” like?  What kind of symptoms were you experiencing?

CALLER:  I mean, I was just grouchy.  So, like, I have my 9-year-old daughter and 5-year-old niece, and I was just grouchy with them and I was just kind of mopey.  And every time I’d listen for the music to come on and I’m like, “It’s not Rush.”  It was just really hard.

RUSH:  Were you worried that the left was gonna get away with stuff?

CALLER:  I thought they might get away with some things that we wouldn’t find out about without you there.

RUSH:  Yeah.  Well, you are so sweet to mention that.  I know what you’re saying, and I appreciate it.  It’s great to be back — and, believe me, it’s as painful for me. When I’m perfectly healthy, when I’m feeling top of the world but the main thing I use to do this — my voice — doesn’t work , the frustration is just out of this world.  And there’s nothing you can do.  You heard the old saw: “Well, drink some hot tea with honey.”  Doesn’t do anything.  Look, I’m a trained professional.  I know now at age 67, there’s nothing you can do for a voice.

Occasionally chocolate doughnuts (I don’t know why) and they brought some in today. Occasionally, chocolate doughnuts do something to take back the gravelly aspect away from speech.  But then, you know, it comes back after a few short minutes.  But, thanks again, Jennifer.  As long as it remains this strong, I’m here, and I don’t anticipate… It just a cold in there.  I can just tell there’s a cold. I’ve got congestion right there in the larynx, in the voice box.  But it’s been getting better all week.