Arghh.

[markno1]

My ears piss me off. They're an embarassment, and because nobody realises what I put up with I'm just left to deal with feeling awkward and ashamed. They've been so well behaved this summer, and now just before I need to go and demonstrate that I'm fit for surgery I get problems again

Comments

[markno1]

Yes, I'm due some form of a reconstructed ear drum using cartilage taken from the outer ear. I don't tend to worry much about not hearing people these days (unless it's completely excluding me), but I do get bothered that every time I push myself in any significant way one of my ears gets inflamed and puts this puts me out of action for a few days, usually right at a point in time where that's exactly what I don't need to happen.

Today at work was rubbish because there's basically no point in me putting my hearing aid back in until this has calmed down, so I sit there not able to join in group conversations, not able to join people for lunch, and generally feeling uncomfortable. I've declined to visit friends tonight because there's not much point if I can't hear group conversations, and because I frankly can't be bothered trying to hear people when I'm like this.

Generally the best way to get back to normal seems to be to rest, but this isn't very practical at the moment, nor are people particularly sympathetic of the fact that it flattens me.

I could go on, but I tend not to divulge all the horrors of my ears if I can avoid it!

[kangaroo]

Oh my goodness. I didn't realise there was so much more to your ears! That must be really frustrating and terribly isolating (which is the worst thing) for you. What a crap day, I'm sorry to hear about it. :( You'll have to take in a book tomorrow :>

Are you due this operation on both ears, or just the one? I don't think I've heard of it before, is it quite a new thing?

I know that on top of being harder to hear, it makes me feel really spaced out when I have to take out one of my aids for achey ears or whatever reason - do you feel the same way?

BTW, I might be in Edinburgh over the bank holiday weekend (depends on finances!) - would you be interested in meeting up, or would it be a bit of a trek from Glasgow? I'm never quite sure where you are based!

[markno1]

The surgery is only on one- too risky to do both! It's on the one that's currently good, as if by some twisted irony :/ I'm not sure how new it is, but I don't think it was around 6 years ago when I last had surgery.

Yes, spaced out is a good description. I described it as everything sounding "dead" to my boss. It's almost a creepy feeling, and it makes me all awkward and almost paranoid because I don't know what's really going on. So good to have that confirmed by someone else!

I live in Glasgow, but I'm from Edinburgh, so that's where my family are. I had planned to go to Edinburgh on Monday evening- what days are you around? Certainly anytime you are up a coffee and a good blether would be an excellent plan :)

Failing that, I would happily undertake some more ear chat, but perhaps we could switch to email? kingofthecastle@mark-macdonald.com. I'm just touchy about my ears!