I having been around much except to lurk and read. I have been having issues from an increase in headaches after thinking I had them pretty much figured out to an allergic reaction that has cost me about 50% of what hearing I had in my hearing ear. Didn't want to come on moaning and groaning feeling bad for myself so just didn't
Beginning of story ... On November 5th 2015 I took my mom to the doctor, we ate at a buffet that we frequent and came home. My throat and sinuses were a bit itchy and burning that night. I just figure I was coming down with something. The next morning I got the girls up early because State Finals for High School Marching Bands were being held. My ears, throat, mouth and sinuses were still itching and burning. I gargled some liquid Benadryl and went about prep to leave. AS I was going down steps to get in truck I heard a popping sound and instantly was deaf to sound around me but could her my own voice when I talked and my teeth touching each other. I kind of flipped out then I got the girls to the high school, then went to emergency clinic. My ear looked fine to them. No infection, blood fluid... nothing. They gave me steroids and antibiotics just in case and sent me on my way. I went to the competition and watched bands march without hearing them. I didn't sit with friends because they kept trying to talk to me. I wanted to ask them were they stupid and what part of "I can't hear did they not understand"
Monday I was sitting at the door to my PCPs office waiting for them to open. He couldn't find anything wrong with visual inspection. He could see whole surface of eardrum because the way my skull is made and inner workings of ear are it is not visible. He suspected allergy due to itch. My throat was red but no infection. He thought maybe eardrum had ruptured. I knew my ear was working but some how was blocked since I could hear myself. I was like that for 4 weeks. They had me flushing ear with a solution because ear wax was building up and thicker that usual. One day a pea size ball that was bleached white came out ear and I could hear but with a buzz. I took the ball and headed to doctor. It was wrinkled looking. He was looking at it under microscope and then picked at it teasing it out of the ball. It was a tube of skin about 3 inches long my ear had peeled reinforcing his idea of an allergic reaction to something.
He sent me to an ENT that used a flexible camera and found a hole in eardrum. It was partially healed and he thought it would close. It hasn't. Now hearing sounds like when you hold a shell to your ear. I have issues carrying on normal conversations if it is more than me and two people. ENT says I need surgery to close the hole. insurance said give it til first of May and they won't pay for the surgery but will pay for anesthesia and the bed for 24 hours. So I am not having it. I can't afford to. I guess I am just ranting. No one around me seems to understand the way I am feeling. I have a daughter that is going to school on a music scholarship and I want to hear her. I do't want to hear it could be worse. I know that. But I still want to hear.
Thanks for listening
