Total Deafness (Almost)

[Crazycat]

On my last sojourn to Florida in February I had a bad head cold. As the plane descended into Tampa, I began to notice that I was becoming increasingly deaf in my good ear.
We all know what it's like to have our ears close-up and pop open from changing air pressure but due to my sinus infection, my ear closed up and would not open again for more than two hours later. This was the closest I've ever come to experiencing what it must be like to be close to 100% deaf.  I mean, I needed a hearing ear dog to get off the plane. I was seriously frightened by what I experienced. It took at least two hours for my ear to reopen; and it was a gradual return without any "popping".

  It's moments like this that provide a very dramatic demonstration of how completely and utterly deaf you are in an AN effected ear—when hearing in the good or remaining ear is seriously compromised as well.

I may have spoken of this before but I cannot remember as I do not post as much as I used to.

[Palace]

Hello CrazyCat,


You might not post as often however, when you post---you have "something to say."

I've enjoyed your video contributions.  Thank you for being there for us.

I'm still learning from this forum and literature I receive in the mail from the association.

I've lost much more hearing with my AN ear since my last hearing test.  I have another ENT appointment in one month.

Being totally deaf is very frightening.  I still have a goal to learn "sign language."



Regards,



Palace

[Crazycat]

Thank-you Palace!

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Crazycat:

All SSD people (me included) are vulnerable to complete deafness.  Your recent 'temporary deafness' experience was clearly frightening and certainly brought home that vulnerability to you in a very personal way.  Although you couldn't have prevented this situation, it points out the vital necessity of preserving what hearing we have in our 'good' ear.  Thanks for sharing this real-life reminder.

Jim

[Crazycat]

You're welcome Jim!

[jerseygirl]

This is really scary, Paul! I am glad everything is OK now!

                 Eve

[Kaybo]

CC~
A few years back my good ear kind of felt funny and had some "stuff" in it -- I don't know what possessed me to try to "dry it" w/ a Q-tip, but I did.  I adhere to the "Don't stick anything smaller than your fist into your ear..."rule, but I did it none the less.  On the way to lunch I commented that my ear was really bothering me and my best friend told me I really needed to get it checked out b/c that was my only ear.  I called & of course, the Dr.'s left on Wednesday afternoons but the PA could see me.  Well, the PA took one look and got the Dr. that happened to be there (once again, it was my high school buddy that bailed me out the other day!).  He looked at it, gave me drops and medicine and told me to call him if it got worse.  During the night I got up to go to the bathroom and as I sat there, I realized I wasn't hearing anything...NADA....NOTHING.  It really freaked me out and I usually am not a Freaker Outter!!!  After we talked to the Dr. the next morning, I had to go the ENT & get a shunt put in.  I could hear nothing for about 4-5 days -- it was AWFUL because the 2 youngest girlies were 1 and 2 1/2!!  It gave me a taste of being without hearing and certainly made me value what I have even more!!

K

[Raven]

Crazycat,

I experienced total deafness (almost) for a month after my second surgery. I could hear sounds but not words, but if you called me on the phone I could hear you perfectly in my good ear. I had fluid in my inner ear, my Dr. extracted it by going thru the eardrum.......very painfull but I instantly got my hearing back. A couple times since then my hearing has gone down a little but nothing like the first time. I learned to hold my nose and try to blow thru it, this helps open the eustachian tube and drain the fluid, I can feel my ear pop when I do this. Being deaf was no fun at all and very depressing.

John