Where In The World Is Billy Bush?

Michael Starr of the NY Post caught me. He wrote in his column today that I have been off the air for a week and a half due to a staph infection in my Larynx.

It's like the ultimate curse on a professional talker.

Michael e-mailed me last Friday inquiring about my absence (nice of him to notice), and not wanting to encourage speculation I did what always happens in Hollywood I told it to him straight.  

I think its been festering for months, but now, with 72 hours of a strong antibiotics in my bloodstream, the base in my voice is returning. I seem to finally be healing.

In October and November, I was conscious of strained vocal chords. In January, it was almost totally unmanageable. Early this month, I was done. I prayed, I pleaded, I went to the doc every day.

A few weeks ago, after church, I walked around to the "prayer rail," where trained healers help people pray for whatever ails them. I shared in some moment.

I knelt at the rail, laid my hands into those of a stranger, and when I briefly looked up into the eyes of this person, I recognized him.  He was a regular cast member on “The West Wing.”  

So there's faith in Hollywood! It was classic.

In this process, I have also learned something about doctors that I'd like to share with you: Many of them are not receptive to the idea that there might be "something more" to what are some standard symptoms. They see a problem and they throw out a solution or worse, give you a quick fix (I took EVERY medication imaginable).

Many doctors have lost the intellectual curiosity that lured them into the field in the first place. You can see it in their demeanor.