POST-OP DOCTOR VISIT A MIXED BLESSING

As the old geezer sat in the waiting room, looking  about the room, it came as a bit of a shock just how much sound was missing from me life.  The telly could not be heard.  Conversations going on round were not heard.  Small Children playing could not be hear.  Paul chatting with two patients waiting was beyond my ability to listen in on.  Point of fact, the room was very quite, although was told that there were many sounds at play.  I have entered a new phase in the downward slide to total loss of hearing.  Major effort has to be made to hear anything at all, and that is dependant on the co-operation of folks round.  I can catch sound, it just is a whole lot harder.

I had prepared a list of things to ask the good doctor and he was more than willing to answer all of me questions.

First off, the old geezer apologized for shouting when last in office.

First question asked was about the loud ringing and swishing sounds heard.  That noise is not real but coming from the brain.  The Tinnitus can be more pronounced after the surgery had.  In some cases, the ringing and swishing can be more severe after surgery and never go away.  My doctor believes that in time, and one must remember that it has been but one week since I had the operation, the Tinnitus may well sort itself out.  He pointed out, however, that that may not be for me.

Second question asked was about loss of sense of taste and the very strong metallic taste.  The good doctor explained to me that in order to do what he had to do to remove the massive diseased areas, a nerve was cut.  That nerve controls the taste on the tongue.  That means that sense of taste on tongue is lost forever.  The sense of taste, sweet, salty, sour and bitter are controlled by the tongue.  Meaning that there might well be some taste to come back on the very right side of the tongue.

I was also informed that smell plays a role in how things taste, and while there was nothing done to impair me nose, there could be other reasons for that being off as well.

Truth be told, the old geezer failed to ask the proper questions in going into this operation.  The good doctor reminded me that in order to bring the horrid disease under control, he had to do loads of cutting away.  The damage to bones and nerves was massive.  I have no doubt the the good doctor had a right hard time clearing up the damage.  He also did reconstructive surgery to ear canal and ear drum.

I was quite honest in telling the doctor that had I known just how severe the operation was going to be, I would not have done it.  The problem with that stand, as the doctor clearly pointed out, was that the damage was MASSIVE, not responding to treatment, and all the while, nasty things were eating away at everything in its path.  Rightly so, the doctor reminded me of just how huge the problem was, and failure to do the operation, would have more than like continued the decline and could have caused to to suffer brain infection that would kill.  In other words, I was damned either way.

I had to be reminded that I am over 60, take thyroid drugs and high blood pressure medication.  ALL of which play into the loss of taste and smell.

I keep coming back to my sense that the operation would be a 'piece of cake'.  Too wrong.

I have the good fortune of having a most clever ENT man.  He knew what had to be done and did it.  He never promised me miracles.  He just told me that when he was finished, the diseased parts of the ear would be gone forever.  Given the state of me poor ear, I have no doubt that he dug, cut and jack-hammered away to do it right the first time.

It may well be that I was told about some of the losses, but was so locked into me face dropping, that it never registered.  Mind, given that the old geezer loves his groceries, you would think I would have locked in on the loss of taste.

The plug from ear was removed as were the stitches behind the ear.

TIME will heal some of my complaints.  More time than I have allowed so far.  We are talking months.  Like the numbness of ear, all of the nerves were cut to peel it back and it is going to take months for that to sort self out.  What may have been lost or gained in hearing is also going to take time.  I have to face this one day at a time.  I need to not be so impatient.  Go with the flow...

The good news is that the nasty headaches are all but gone.  The pressure in head is greatly reduced.  The vertigo is way down.

My ears do not look normal inside.  The right ear suffered a major blow out last year and that has left its marks.  No doubt the left ear is quite different now.  Hearing tests have revealed that even with hearing devices, the level of hearing to be gained is never going to be anywhere near normal.

I still have some hearing.  Bit off at the moment, but am not completely deaf.  The trick will be to see if the operation keeps it a levels before the surgery or it drops further.  I am much better at reading lips, reading faces and getting myself placed correctly to help the sounds get to me.  My days using the telephone may well be limited.

All in all, I rather think that things are going well.  The surgery gave me the three things hoped for.  Massive win I should think.

While it is a quality of life issue not imagined, the loss of taste, does come with its good side.  More than like will drop a stone or two in weight.

I have had loads of time to get used to loss of sounds.  There are many things I will never hear again.  I will have to be more careful.  Will I miss the sound of a fart????  Or a mobile???