As some of you may know, I've been having ear trouble for a while. Most recently I developed swimmers ear in the right ear. So I've had vertigo in my left ear and an infection in the right one. Life is never that simple and over the past two weeks things have grown steadily worse. The infection spread to both ears and I was going mad with pain and blockages. I sought medical advice and from there things got really serious.
Yesterday I went to see the Nurse Practitioner and she referred me to an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor who saw me this morning 9:30. Apparently, I have a fungal infection exacerbated by a severe allergic reaction to the Polysporen ear drops I used for Swimmers' Ear. This had caused my ear canals to swell up and close completely. I now know what it feels like to be totally deaf. Thoughts of a spring arriving without birdsong really upset me. I like sound and a truly silent world terrifies me.
As well, the ears began to ooze lymph in an attempt to heal themselves. The ensuing itching and pain has been impressive. The nurse practitioner put me on antibiotics and Prednisone (steroids) yesterday to reverse the hearing damage and these are making me ill. Yikes!!! But the steroids went to work immediately. The improvement was measurable. No wonder athletes like steroids: they speed up the healing process.
Warning: some of the following information may be too graphic for young children and squeamish adults. If this is you, stop reading.
The ear doctor picked up a motorized suction tube and vacuumed out both ears to remove the gunk from the oozing that clogged the ear canals. It was not enjoyable. In fact one could describe it as painful. But it did clear the the canals enough to hear again. He was the nicest Grenadian man who kept speaking so gently while engaging in these Nazi interrogation techniques. Had I known any secrets at all, I would surely have spilled the beans completely. Instead, I was reduced to a whimpering ninny with gratitude when the Hoovering stopped.
He then gave me yet another prescription for drops, booked another appointment and sent me home in better shape than when I arrived. I can hear for the first time in four days.
My pharmacist, who has been living my adventure with me, (I've seen him so often this past week) said he was at a seminar about allergies recently where Polysporin was identified as a new allergy danger. The rate of allergic reactions in Canada is now around 9% and climbing. So think twice before self prescribing. The drops may help with a bacterial infection, but can cause serious damage for a fungal infection and there is no way to know what kind of infection you have without a doctor taking a peek. I started the drops a week ago last Monday at my doctor's suggestion. I never had a reaction before, so he can't be blamed. My ears got progressively worse and I stopped the drops, but too late. The damage was done.
You may now resume reading and the children can come back into the room.
To add to my frustration, I had taken my computer to Micro Age last Thursday for a minor repair, and then was too sick to pick it up again. So I spent four days computer-less and unable to listen to the radio, or watch TV. I just read a lot instead. I'm not out of the woods yet. The healing process will take time.
Oh and to add to my delights, the furnace conked out last night and the emergency repairman came out to fix it at 4:00 A.M. Bless him. He was good natured about it too. He laboured hard to saw a chunk off the air intake pipe because it was plugged solid with ice. That accomplished, he got the furnace running again and left two hours later. The house is toasty and warm again and I'm very grateful. To keep the house from freezing I had two heaters going upstairs, the oven in the kitchen, the electric fireplace in the living room and the wood fire roaring in the den. Kathleen slept through it all and mentioned today that she heard strange noises in the night. She knew I was ill so it couldn't have been me. It must have been someone outside who was building something. Funny as this may be, in summing up my situation, I say...
We are not amused.
P.S. On the upside, I have my computer back and am catching up on life.
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About Me
- kingmisha
- I'm bigger than a pile of breadboxes, but smaller than a Sherman tank. I'm overeducated, underpaid but very content with my life. I have loved infrequently but intensely. I dated a poet, divorced a Dean, had an affair with a jazz pianist, was engaged to a diplomat, and widowed by my child's father. The men in my life were all very special. Not all grand passions but much loved in their time: Leonard Cohen, Alfred Pinsky, Billy Horn, Wendell Goodin, and Elliot Hirschman. Thanks for the memories... I'm a lapsed artist which doesn't really trouble me because I'm a very successful parent. I lacked the requisite conceit to persevere as an artist. I just couldn't make myself believe that my art came before my child. The world really doesn't need another sculptor (even a good one), but it does need another good human being. It can use all the good human beings we can turn out. I present Mambolica as my evidence so judge for yourselves.