Maremy's Blog

...regarding my ear. Yes, I feel like I'm back at the beginning with it! All last week, I felt like something wasn't quite right with my ear. I didn't know if it was healing properly; it was very itchy, sore at times, I heard weird popping noises, pressure would build up just like it did before it ruptured, etc. On Friday (also my day off), my gut instinct was to go see a doctor. So, I called the Family Practice Clinic at the hospital and managed to get an appointment for 11:30.

I was a little worried about the doctor I would be seeing after my experience in the E.R. The doctor I did see turned out to be GREAT! So, I found out good news AND bad news. The good news? The tear in my left ear has healed. The bad news? When the doctor looked in my left ear, he said "WOW" almost immediately; not a good sign! When he was finished looking (after what seemed like a full minute), he said "Your ear drum looks pretty messed up right now". GREAT! Here's the scoop: I have fluid built up in my ear again. The doctor drew me a diagram of a normal ear drum which in supposed to curve inwards. Next, he drew a diagram of my ear drum, which is currently bulging outwards from all the fluid. I also have what's called an "ulceration" on my drum. This ulceration is the pre-cursor to my ear drum rupturing! If I had not gone to the doctor, my drum probably would have ruptured again! Awesome. He also looked in my right ear and said there's a lot of scarring from having chronic problems with my ears.

I'm on antibiotics for the next three weeks. I take one pill a day for seven days and after that, I take one pill every other day for two weeks. I also have ear drops again. This is exactly what happened when I was a kid; I would be fine for a few weeks between infections and than get another one! The doctor also wrote me a prescription for more of the antibiotics if I start to have the same symptoms again after I'm done this round of meds. He also said if that does happen, I'm to call his office and he'll see me again and decide what needs to be done. It was great to hear that. Odds are, I'll have to see a specialist. If the infection/fluid builds up again, I'll probably have to get tubes. I'm leary about this because they can lead to hearing loss...but so can having chronic ear problems. I really need to weigh out the pros and cons if it comes down to that.

I also asked him about hearing loss. He said to go for a hearing test in late May/early June. I could have some hearing loss from all this. Wonderful!

I'm feeling better than I did. I'm not thrilled about being back on antibiotics again but I don't want my ear drum to rupture again and I don't want to damage my hearing anymore than what might have happened from when it ruptured. The scary part is the doctor said my ear drum could still rupture so I've gotta be careful for the next few weeks.

The positive part from all this though was having a great doctor (something that I was losing faith in from my experiences at the Goderich hospital). If the doctor I'm trying to get in Mitchel doesn't work out, at least I have something to fall back on here in Goderich (at least regarding my ear!).