After some time on my antibiotics, decongestant, and pain pills, it seemed that my ear troubles had all but left. I was still plugged up, but I wasn't in pain.
Until Wednesday.
The pain came back with a vengeance. At this point, I was ready to stab an ice pick into my ear to relieve the pressure. To avoid a brain injury, I decided to visit the otorhinolarynigologist instead (you know, the ear-nose-throat doctor?). Of course, because I have crappy grad student insurance, none of the specialists in town would see me immediately without a referral. I finally found one that would (but they wanted me to pay 100% of the visit at the time of service) and made an appointment for 1pm on Thursday.
The doctor was really nice and very helpful. As it turns out, my left ear had a complete middle ear infection (meaning that everything behind my ear drum was filled with fluid) and my right ear was partially filled with fluid (meaning an ear infection waiting to happen). Of course, because I am such a freak of nature, the weirdest things happen to me. The doctor tells me that it is really rare for adults to get middle ear infections, and he wanted to check my sinuses for a blockage (i.e tumor). This means that he stuck a friggin' camera on a pipe cleaner up my nose and up into the sinus cavity. Thankfully, he numbed me. It still wasn't pleasant.
Luckily, there were no blockages and my adenoids hadn't grown back (who knew that they could?!). Of course, this means that there is no explanation for my defective head. He went on to explain that sometimes people with my history (chronic ear infections as a child, ruptured ear drums...) have "defective Eustachian tubes" and they become easily blocked and infected. (For those interested, the Eustachian tube is the canal that links the sinuses to the ear canal). And then he busts out with the funniest thing ever. "We may need to put tubes back in your ears." I was dumbfounded. Children, like under 5, get tubes in their ears. Not fully grown, almost-thirty adults. I had to stifle a laugh. I am so fucked up. I think my mom was smoking crack when I was conceived. It would explain a lot.
After the tubes discussion, he told me that he wanted to rupture my ear drum to relieve the pressure. I was game; he planned to use anesthetic so I wouldn't feel it. Of course, that was the plan. Turns out that my ear drum is so scarred and torn up (from all of my childhood illnesses) that the numbing agent didn't work. And, when he went to make an incision into my ear drum, the scalpel wasn't strong enough to cut through the scar tissue. I am not joking. The man had to get a bigger knife. Only in my world does his happen. Damn, that shit was painful, too!
Happily, the office decided to bill my insurance (yeah!), and I got a hearing test while I was there. Turns out, I'm not deaf. Unfortunately, the medicine he prescribed was $160.00. Not so much fun.
Here I am, a full day later, ruptured ear drum and all. I survived, but I don't feel 100% better. The pressure is gone, but I still feel like I am shouting all the time. The ringing has stopped, and the crackling has gone away. Hopefully, once my ear drum heals, I will be back to normal. According to the doc, the ear drum should be repaired in only a matter of days.
Keep your fingers crossed. This shit is getting old.
1 comment:
You really are a medical mess. I still love ya though. I'm just glad that your the messed up one and not the rest of us (just kidding). Ya know the theory about mom smoking crack could be true. When you were concieved she had already been dealing with me for ove 1 1/2 years. That could have a lot to do with it. Seriously though I'm glad that things seems to be getting taken care of. I hope you don't have to get tubes in your ears again. I actually remember the first time that happened to you. Did you have the $ for the medicine? Thats crazy that it cost that much was that the generic version? Any way I hope you are back to "normal" soon.
I went to my first town government meeting last night. What a thrill I really liked it. It was about a Peace and quiet law the town wants to make. Of course everyone (minus 8 people or so) are against it and is getting really pissed off about the whole thing. The town wants to make a law that will make it hard to enjoy the country living that we are all used too....No four wheelers, dirt bikes, target shooting or any loud noises of any kind. If this law passes (I doubt it will) you will have to get a permit to have a party if there will be loud music Ex my wedding. We would have had to get a permit for that. Any way I went to this meeting and there were over 100 people there all but 3 were against this law. I felt like I was in an old movie or something. People were getting loud and shouting at the town board members. It was a great expeirence. I got up and spoke twice and then dad got up. I was really scared at that point. You know how he can be, but he did good. He made Don Barber (town supervisor) look like an ASS in front of everyone. I LOVED IT. He called me later and told me he was proud to see me getting involved in the community government. I'm finding it's so easy to make him proud (I just wish I would have realized this sooner in life). So today I have been on the internet reading over the way the local government is supposed to function. I'm really getting into this shit. There is another meeting on Tuesday night and I plan on attending. I think I have some more to say.
Well that's enough I guess..Love you and I hope you get well soon
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