Ended up getting – or so I thought – water in my ear.
Couldn’t shake it out.
But we’re in Taint – the period between Christmas and New Years, when nobody’s working. So I didn’t think to call the doctor. Went swimming again on the 31st, still with the ear blockage. Thought maybe the presence of water would encourage the ear to release what it was holding.
But nothing.
Tried the over-the-counter earwax stuff. It percolated a bit in the ear, but nothing. Still partially deaf. But by then I knew it wasn’t just water in the ear. Figured it’s probably earwax – thus the earwax stuff. Could be an infection, but there wasn’t any associated pain or fever.
Back to work on Thursday, January 2nd. Figured by then maybe the doctor’s office would be open and I could get in the following week. Called and they had an appointment for 8:45 the next morning. Took it. I need to get a physical done for Scouts anyway, and there’s a $100 bonus in the offing (if I remember right) if we get our cholesterol checked this year. The bonus comes from the insurance company. Weird.
Dr. Merzlock confirmed, after a gentle probing, that I did have “quite a wall” of earwax in there. So after the chest x-ray, the EKG, the bloodletting (almost passed out during that; should have laid down on their couch like last year) they hosed the ears out, after first putting in their own ear drops.
Amazing. Cleaned me out with what felt like a fire hose. I could tell instantly the problem was fixed, as I could HEAR the water gushing in and gushing out. The collection cup for the left ear looked like it was holding stew. Right ear, some gunk, but not so much.
So I can hear again. But my ear canal and such were tender in both ears for most of the weekend. And they let me keep the cleaning-out syringe, so I can self-doctor myself the next time this occurs.
Actually looking forward to getting an ear blocked now.
This is how a middle-aged guy starts 2020, folks.
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