NBC 5's Chief Meterologist David Finfrock blogs about the irritating throat condition keeping him off the air:

"Last winter I caught a bad cold, which then went into a sinus infection. And at the same time, I was fighting allergies from the peak of mountain cedar pollen season. After the first few days, the cold symptoms improved, but I fought a lingering cough for six weeks. We had so many calls and emails from worried viewers, we even decided to run a "What's Wrong with David Finfrock" story on our newscast. Finally, after three courses of antibiotics to fight a sinus infection, and beginning a course of weekly allergy injections, the cough subsided.

My voice gave me no problems for months. I have been continuing my weekly allergy injections. In fact, I had one earlier today. But in mid July, I came down with a summer cold. Within days, the runny nose and sore throat were gone. But ominously, I noticed an increase in sinus drainage, and the return of the dreaded cough. So it wasn't just allergy-induced. I immediately called my doctor, and suspecting another sinus infection, went back on antibiotics.

But when the cough continued for several weeks, I got a referral to a specialist. The new doctor, an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist is well regarded as an authority on voice problems. (On the walls of his office are autographed photos of some of his other patients, including LeAnn Rimes, Mick Jagger, Celine Dion, Bette Midler and the Dallas Opera)! He sent me for a CAT scan of my sinuses. But the results showed no sign of infection, suggesting that we had been treating the wrong problem.

He says that his examination showed "hyperkinetic" vocal cords. Basically, they are stretched too tightly, perhaps a result of the cold virus I caught last month settling in the vocal cords. So I then started an inhaler, and a muscle relaxant, to relax, and reduce the stress on the vocal cords.

But the inhaler itself caused a secondary problem. Last week, in addition to the irritating cough, my voice began to sound weaker and hoarser by the day. I called the doctor and he confirmed that sometimes those inhalers can cause yeast infections in the throat which can cause hoarseness. So he sent out a new prescription. And I got rather a shock when I opened it and read the instructions for curing a "vaginal yeast infection"!

No, I promise that we are not planning to do a new "What's Wrong with David Finfrock" story featuring a sex change! It just turns out that both yeast infections have the same treatment. And the treatment worked. The hoarseness is gone and my voice sounds much stronger today than it did last week.

Still, I have the cough. The doctor told me that there is no quick fix, but that he thought the muscle relaxant would eventually do the trick. Let's hope that works.

The good news is that I feel just fine. As long as I don't talk, you would never guess there was a problem. But since I talk for a living, that is quite a problem indeed.

Although I feel I am doing better, management has decided to let me rest my voice this week. After all that's why we have a team of professional meteorologists here at NBC5. So James Aydelott and Steve MacLaughlin will fill in the next couple of days while I work on other projects. I also have another doctor's appointment tomorrow, and hope to have reports of further progress.

Thanks to all of my loyal viewers who have expressed concern for my health. Really, I feel fine. It's nothing serious. It's just frustrating."

To keep up to date with David's condition, and to hear what other NBC 5 meteorologists have to say, check our their weather blog..