Some of you may remember that back in November I had long term grommets in each ear to try and cure partly my hearing but also constant recurring ear infections. It worked in so much as I haven't had an actual infection since but my hearing hasn't improved and I've had constant ear ache in my left ear for the past 7 months!
Having been backwards and forwards to the Doc, in April I was referred back to my lovely Consultant who suggested that the following were my options:
1) To have my ear drum removed and a hearing aid inserted
2) To have a hole drilled in my head (actually called a Mastoidectomoy) to allow air to circulate through my ENT passages
3) To leave it, do nothing and hope that the pain disappears!!
After an afternoon of having major meltdown and much consultation I decided that number 2 would be my option of choice. I couldn't bear to leave it and do nothing and having my ear drum removed seemed more drastic than having a hole in the head (just!!).
I thought that having made my choice I would be ok with going into hospital but when they sprang the operation on me with just under 2 weeks notice I went into complete panic again! Cue much writing of e-mails to my nearest and dearest who understand my crazy, to tell them exactly what they should do in the event of my demise. I even planned my funeral just in case and then sent it to my BFF......
Once I'd done that I felt even more like a woman on the edge but I managed to keep it together until about 5 minutes before the Op when they left me in a room on my own while they did last minute prep!! I was almost rocking back and forth by the time they came to get me!!
As you've probably guessed by now, I survived!!! Hurrah! Funnily enough the most pain that I suffered when I came round was from my poor back where I'd been laid flat for 2 hours whilst they operated!! I was looking really hot when I first came round:
I wish I could say that hospital was the best place for me but I think that I managed to sleep for about 2 hours in total between people being sick, coughing, talking and being monitored constantly. Thankfully the next day I was allowed to go home....again looking very hot:
God bless the staff of the NHS. They couldn't have been more friendly but there just aren't enough of them to go around. Yes, they provide basic care but the poor old lady opposite me who had been there for weeks only saw any staff at med time or if she was being monitored. I don't know what the answer is to the NHS problems but I'm still grateful to them!
My friends, family and especially 'The Man' have been awesome. Especially during the first week I was very spoiled with chocolates, flowers and magazines. Extra brownie points go to my lovely Mum who came to visit and then ended up washing all the blood out of my tangled and matted hair (yuck!!)
I've been home for about 10 days now and have improved massively. I'm still off work and struggle in busy and/or noisy places as everything in my right ear seems extremely loud and as it's only in one ear, I feel off balance and disoriented quite a lot of the time. I'm not sure what's happening with my left ear as it feels like someone is sticking a hot poker in it tonight. On the plus side the stitches have healed pretty neatly and I have a bit of a funky hair do:
In November when I had my last operation I was bored out of my brain at being stuck at home the whole time. This time I'm like, Olympics - hell yeah!! Goooooo Team GB :-)
