As a follow-up to https://upsdownsfamilyhistory.wordpress.com/2019/04/11/earitated-lifeoffaif, I decided to give my ear infection story. I briefly talked about it at https://upsdownsfamilyhistory.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/the-first-100-signs-you-need-to-know-american-sign-language-youtube-video.
Starting in high school, I developed really bad ear infections. It eventually took an ear doctor putting in tubes to clear them up temporarily as draining them didn’t work and medicine was not helping. It also left me with holes that open and close where the tubes were inserted. I found the hard way when I used ear drops one time and it felt like I poured liquid fire in my ear. According to the ear doctor, that was a sign the hole had re-opened. They close and open on some weird schedule that I can’t predict.
If that wasn’t bad enough, about every 5 – 6 years, I would get ear infections that would require antibiotics to clear up. In one case, creosote was used. Some of it drained from my ear to my mouth. It tastes as bad as it smells. In 2000 and 2006, I had to undergo ear surgery to remove the infection as medicine didn’t help. Thankfully, I haven’t had a relapse since 2006 that required medical intervention. In 2006, the ear surgeon was originally to close up the right ear hole, but decided against it because I was getting so many infections.
I haven’t seen a picture of my ear drums, but the doctors assured me they are as cratered as the Moon due to the numerous infections. The infections have caused a 60% hearing loss in one ear and a 40% in the other ear. Hearing aids haven’t helped much.
