A long Hearstory of my ear.

I was only 10 at the time, but I remember everything very well. I had a disgusting green-yellow fluid coming out of my right ear, and it smelled horrible. This went on for quite a while until we paid a visit to my doctor. He gave instruction to my parents to wash my ear out with a solution of vinegar and peroxide. This would, allegedly, solve the problem.

Or perhaps it would have had my problem not been in later development. Of course we didn't know anything was very serious at the time so I would have my ear cleansed with the strong smelling liquid everyday, to no avail. The drainage never left.

So I was sent to a specialist about an hour away. He told us that my eardrum had collapsed due to a condition called Cholesteatoma. It causes a small tumor to form on the eardrum for whatever reason, usually a tear or something can cause it. We were a little freaked out, but I don't remember being very worried, which is odd, because I do remember being a worrisome kid. Maybe I was just relieved to know what was wrong.

The doctor, who's name I can't remember, sent us to a specialist surgeon in Little Rock at the Children's Hospital, Dr. Dornhoffer. I'm pretty sure that's how it's spelled.. Anyway I remember how excited I was to get better and the hospital was great, everyone was friendly and considerate, and very careful to keep such a young person comfortable, and calm. I wish adult hospitals took so much care! Maybe I'm just overly sensitive.

I'll skip to the surgery. It wasn't bad, I remember my mom and I crying a little when they talked to us before hand about the procedure, and how I'd have to have a breathing tube. I'm not sure why, but that alarmed me and I cried. Also, I remember being paranoid about the doctors seeing my legs; I was/am weird.

The procedure was fairly straightforward, apparently, I had an incision made down the back of my ear where it connects to the skull, and the doctors go in and remove the tumor, and installed a new eardrum and a prosthesis where my Eustachian tube was, I think. Honestly I can't remember exactly what they did in my ear. Although I've had the surgery three times.. or two.. I know two, for sure.

It's funny how memories blend. Especially when something is repeated. In any case. The recovery time was two weeks, and I had to be fairly still, which was hard for a hyperactive imaginative kid. But I did a pretty good job.

Skip to several years later, I'm 19 and I'm still able to hear! Which I'm grateful for. Ever so grateful. I do experience pain in my ears with even semi loud sounds, and I have to wear earplugs almost constantly, especially if I'm in a situation where I have to speak up, or others are speaking. I also, have a problem with "popping" and pressure, and other weird sensations in my ears, my right moreso than my left. But I can hear. So I'm grateful.

It's funny to me how many people take their senses for granted though. I know so many people that do damaging things to their ears, and their eyes.

I think that people assume that they're obligated to have perfect perception from all of their organs their entire lives so they don't take care of them when they should. Anyway..  just some words some me. :)