Medical Trivia About Me…
1. I have abnormally small Eustachian tubes in my ears. They are relevant because, a. they help regulate pressure in the ear, which is why I can’t easily swim deeper than 12 feet and why I’m very sensitive to elevation changes, and, b. when blocked they are the culprit behind ear infections, which I was plagued with as a small child. I must say, I loved the pink antibiotic syrup with the cool measuring spoon-- it was a staple of my youth.
2. As a result of my ear infections, I have scarring on my ear drums. I don’t know what it looks like, but every time a doctor looks in my ears, they pause and then comment on it…
3. As a related item, eye doctors always pause when looking at my eyes because I have a freckle on one of my Iris’s. Apparently, that’s really rare.
4. I also have a blood vessel that’s larger in one eye than in the other, but my eyes are equal in terms of my contacts prescription. You’d think there’d be some impact from the blood vessel, but no.
5. I have very small/hard to find veins. Even skilled “I’ve been doing this for 20 years” lab technicians have had a hard time finding a good vein to tap. FYI, when you’re sick and sad, it’s not fun to be a pincushion (not that it’s *ever* fun to be a pincushion….)
6. I have abnormally large tonsils. I’m not sure about the specifics of the cause/effect relationship, but I am also prone to tonsillitis/strep throat. I get some version of it about once a year and always have to go to the ER to get the penicillin shot because my tonsils swell up so big that they kiss each other and block my throat and I can’t eat or drink or even breathe well…it’s those days when I’m a sad, sad panda.
7. And the newest addition to my list: Last week my dentist casually mentioned that I have a playful tongue (?!?) I have to admit, I’d so very much rather hear that from some guy I’m making out with then from my dentist! Admittedly, he’s a professional, so he should know, but still...it was a little disconcerting to hear that from him…