When I start to wonder if I'll ever be "normal" again, I come into this forum and read a lot and realize that I'm not alone! I wish I could sit down in a (quiet) room with you guys.
Your entry Amy, hit home-- but I hadn't even thought about riding my bike yet and now I wonder how that will go!(when the snow melts.) The first time I went to get the mail after surgery, I realized my life was goimg to be different because when I went to cross the road, I almost got hit by a car! I hadn't realized how I depend upon hearing in both ears to do so many things....and I guess I didn't really "look both ways" before I crossed the road that well before because I counted on my ears hearing the vehicles, you know? I'm still very wonky head most of the time but I'm thinking that will get better as time goes by. Noisy, crowded places are very annoying (and make my ear and head hurt) and I can't carry on good conversations because I miss a lot of what people are saying. My husband has been awesome at repeating things and being very empathetic about that when we go out places...he keeps me "in the game" with what's being said and if he senses I'm having difficulties, we leave or go outside. He's also very attentive about sitting to my left so I can hear him better.
When I'm walking in hallways, I find myself running my hand along the wall on the side I have no hearing--I started doing that a few months before I had the surgery because I found it helped me have better balance. Still have no taste on that side either and maybe won't ever get that back but you know, all in all, I'm coming along. Helpful to hear your experience--hang in there....it helps me to just keep a sense of humor about it--we're all so human and fragile after all.
