Huh? What'd you say?

I recently underwent an ear surgery that has a nifty long name that I can not pronounce nor spell, but they cut behind your ear from the top of the ear down almost to the ear lobe. Take some tissue from inside that area and graft it into the ear drum.

You see a little over a year ago I had a really, really BAD inner and outer ear infection. I went into the Urgent Care since I did not have a family doctor, at the time, and they fixed me up with a good dose of anitbiotics, pain killers and ear drops. This was all around Christmas. Well my ear drum had burst and the doc asked me if I was planning on going on a plane anytime soon and after saying "No" he said "GOOD! Cause that ear is awful!" So nice to know thanks for telling me what I can FEEL for myself! I am grumpy when I am in pain, but I didn't say it, just thought it.

Fast forward about 6 months and I noticed that my ear was feeling like it was stuffed and I couldn't hear real well out of it. It was quite frustrating really. Feeling stuffed, but having no remedy for it. I was starting to understand to a small degree the sadness people feel when they are fine their entire lives and then something happens and they lose use of a part of their body they were privileged to have for so long. I thought it would go away on its own, but it didn't. It began to get worse.

 After we found a family doctor and after a few months of going there they noticed that that particular ear looked kind of funny on the inside. I was sick and the ear was hurting. Either my ear drum had a hole in it or my canal was crooked. So I was told I should go to an ENT. I went and sure enough after some tests it was all confirmed that my hearing in that ear was going. I had a hard time hearing high pitch noises and it was harder for me to sing well. The doc said that I would need surgery to repair it and restore my hearing and when an ear drum is ruptured it shouldn't get wet and apparently I had gotten it wet. Well after really thinking about it I had had the ear drops that were put into my ear and it was kind of painful, but I thought it was helping not hindering the process. I didn't know not to get it wet and you would think that the Urgent Care doc would know that. So, note to self  "avoid Urgent Care at ALL costs! Only go to the docs that know you well and you trust."

 Well I had the surgery last Thursday, almost a week ago. It was much more invasive and painful than I thought it would be and the doctor didn't really say too much on the subject, so I played it off as if it was no big deal. Now I know. :)

I sure LOVED those painkillers! One night I was talking to a friend over the Facebook instant messaging and said "Man, these pain killers are the BEST! They make me happy!" She said "Ummmm, yea they are." I am sure she got a kick out of me that night! :)

This morning I started to freak because I thought I would hear much better by now. I can barely hear out of it. I was getting pretty worried thinking that I would never be able to hear again! Just as a side note I can assume the worst sometimes. *insert warning to hubby not to say a WORD!!!*

Well after looking up my surgery, remember I didn't know what it was called, well I do now, though I am sure if you asked me in person I still wouldn't know it nor how to spell it. Tympanoplasty. So, I googled it and found out that hearing can seem worse for about 2-3 months DUE TO ALL THE PACKING they put in! Ahhhhh, why didn't I think of that? I am sure the doc told me after the surgery, but in my defense I was still pretty drugged. Morphine to be exact. Drugs and I don't mix too well either. They hit me faster than the average person and I get really sick after surgery. So I had a TON of drugs in me to keep me from tossing my cookies. The nurse even gave a bit extra because I was so pasty white for so long after wards. I still wonder how anyone really voluntarily goes under the knife. So NOT an experience I want to have again.

Today has been a better day. I am still on Ibuprofen, but I was able to get some cleaning done (mommy approved) and homeschooling. Then I was pretty pooped. I am hoping that tomorrow I can keep it up. I go in on Friday to get the stitches out. Not looking forward to that part at all. It makes me nervous.

After all is said and done there is one thing that I have learned and that is "It's easy to take our senses for granted". I am indeed VERY grateful for my hearing, touch, smell, taste and sight. I am truly a blessed person and am an ungrateful creature. I need to enjoy these blessings more because it can all be taken in a second and they provide beautiful things that I would greatly miss if I did not have them. God has great creations and I am grateful that He has seen fit for me to have these that work relatively well. I am also grateful to a dear hubby that takes care of me through all the not so fun stuff and  loves me stitches and all. Also for a sister that took time out of her life to spend an entire week with the kids and me. She even homeschooled the kids two days in a row! Such an AWESOME sister! My kids for all their prayers and help around the house when daddy had to go back to work. Then last, but not least to all my friends who have called, texted or emailed me to make sure that I was okay and taken care of. Thank you!