I visited the doctor again yesterday in follow up to my December ear surgery, and now have a bit more detail about what’s upcoming.
The scoop? Things are healing well. Hearing capacity in the formerly tumor-filled ear has actually improved relative to things pre-surgery, but it’s still in the realm of 50% of normal. So yes… if you’re talking to me, you’ll want to be sure you’re hollering in the RIGHT ear. It’s amazing how difficult it can be to hear with only one good ear…
I’ve got another follow-up visit in September. At that point, the reconstructive surgery to replace the bones in my ear will be scheduled (probably November or December). It’s another fun surgery… about same procedure as the first, opening everything up again to inspect for regrowth of the tumor, then installation of prosthetic bones. So I’ll look at lot like that guy to the right again late this year.
The good news is the doctor thinks he’ll get my hearing back very close to normal levels. Which will be AWESOME… I would have never dreamed having even partial hearing loss would be such a pain in the rear. I’m SO sick of having to ask people to repeat themselves over and over… so tired of not really truly being able to enjoy music the way it’s intended to be heard… frustrated at not being able to tell where certain sounds are coming from.
But it’s still eight or nine months out until surgery, longer until everything heals properly again.
So bear with me until sometime in 2010. Yell if you have to. I’m not completely deaf… it just seems that way.
I know how it is, John. I have an inherited progressive neural deafness. Its not easy, and there are sounds that will be distorted and confusing. It can be quite disorientating at times. People are not always very patient or understanding.
Good news for me is the recent acquisition of tiny, practically invisible, blue-tooth enabled hearing aids that mean I can listen to my iPod through them – no need for earplugs or headphones. And if you see me supposedly talking aloud to myself, please don’t assume I’m mentally ill with auditory hallucinations. I’m chatting hands-free on my cellphone which is in my pocket and there really is someone there on the other end.
Modern technology is quite amazing – and very exciting for those with a hearing loss. If you don’t get back all your hearing eventually, there are some great innovations that will make even those with the best hearing feel totally envious!
God bless. 🙂
[…] If you know me or have been following my blog for a while, you know I’ve been battling a cholesteatoma tumor (basically a benign growth in the middle ear that results in hearing loss) for a while (see here and here). […]
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