33. Tonsil Stones
I have a public service announcement.
First, the dangly thing in the back of your throat is your uvula, not your tonsils.
Your tonsils are the wall flaps on either side of the uvula. This basic understanding of human anatomy would’ve been helpful for me know two weeks ago.
Second, tonsil stones are a thing.
The morning of my birthday, I felt something caught at the back of my throat. In the mirror, I saw this white growth behind what I now know is my tonsil and freaked out. I thought it was some kind of ulcer, but it didn’t hurt, so I tried to temper my concern.
After reaching out to a medical practitioner friend who wasn’t worried about it, I also consulted my Tarot cards for what this throat growth was inviting me to pay attention to. I pulled the King of Swords. In an episode of the Tarot for the Wild Soul podcast, Lindsay Mack says that the King of Swords is a sign that something needs to be spoken. Something needs to come from the heart and out of the throat. That podcast episode also happens to be number 33, of course.
Upon hearing this, much of my anxiety lifted. It became clear that I was suppressing something—some feelings, some truth, some words—that needed to come out, and this growth was a physical manifestation of that.
The white growth went away the next day, which was reassuring. But then it came back again. And this time it grew…and grew…and grew for the next two weeks. No pain. No irritation. Nothing. Only a mild awareness of its presence whenever I’d speak.
During those two weeks, I went on a whole inner journey and realized how I’d been chronically denying my feelings across many areas of my life. Then, just as I was speaking about these newfound feelings the other night, I literally coughed up this growth.
Yucky. I know. It was.
I’ll spare you the details, but it was a mind-blowing occurrence of divine timing.
As I embraced and expressed what needed to come out of my heart, I released this physical manifestation of what I’d been suppressing. And out came even more feelings, even more truth, even more words.
Now I’m feeling all these feelings. It’s a lot, and it’s wonderful.
Turns out, tonsil stones are a normal occurrence.
After sharing my experience with others, I learned that this growth was in fact a tonsil stone. And a number of my friends have also had tonsil stones many times before! Such a relief.
I’m no doctor, but it seems like tonsil stones don’t need treatment. Gargling with salt water can help prevent buildup. So that’s what I’m continuing to do.