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Plankowner
Posts: 9163
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: How sweet it is....
..the last several months I've been battling an obstruction in my right ear. Impacted earwax. Hearing greatly impaired. This has happened several times in the past but never this bad. It usually had cleared up on its own after a number of days. Had the Dr go after it on several occasions and used the home cleaner kits to no avail. She finally gave me a referral to an ENT. Went to the ENT doctor yesterday. In about 20 minutes he had poked, prodded, sluiced and vacuumed the ear clean. Hearing improved almost immediately and as the day and lastnight progressed improvement continued. This morning it looks to have fully recovered. I now hear in stereo again for the first time in several months!
How Sweet It Is!!! |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1454
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Good on ya. Now you can hear Patty.
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Old Salt
Posts: 271
Location: Vista, Ca. | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
Good to hear Ric. I'd hate to listen to people call you a sonar girl for the rest of time. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2671
Location: New Jersey | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
HUH? |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3666
Location: Kansas City Missouri | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
Congrats Ric.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RK9NpGr2-s
Edited by GaryKC 2019-03-14 6:16 PM
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1602
| Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
That's wonderful, I know the feeling. I went through a similar experience, but instead of seeing the doctor Kaiser directed me to an "ear tech" and she directed me to the ear cleaner machine operator.
Afterwards I was able to lower the volume on my television and eliminate using closed captions. Did your doctor recommend anything on the market to use to prevent a reoccurrence?
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1576
Location: Wollongong, NSW | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
A little rubber pump squirter syringe and warm soapy water works as a deterrent. For wax build-up, wax dissolver is easily obtained. Simple instructions, either lie on one side, more face down and insert the drops. Stay still for about 10 minutes and gently squirt out the 'mess' with warm water. I used to lie face down reading a book and do both ears at the same time. Prevention now has negated the wax treatment for about 15 years.
Wax build-up is not uniform. The build-up does not go away on its own unless a very hot extra-dry period is encountered, for the wax to dry and crumble.
Some people prefer the use of cotton buds; this can push wax against the eardrum and worsen the situation. Can also cause pressure damage; care is essential if the bud is to be used.
Warm water and hair shampoo/liquid soap in the canal works well as a preventative. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 217
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A few years ago I went totally deaf. Although my hearing loss was relatively short-lived, it couldn’t have happened at a worse time.
I was scheduled to conduct a hearing in Ketchikan. Since I live in Anchorage, it was necessary to board a plane for the trip. The only flight available to me, unfortunately, was a mail run with stops in Juneau, Sitka, and Yakukat. So, there were a lot of take offs and landings, and my ears suffered each time we gained altitude and each time we descended to land. It became excruciatingly painful, and as the flight progressed I became increasingly deaf. By the time we finally landed in Ketchikan, I was totally deaf. I couldn’t hear a thing.
As a side note, I might mention that before this flight I used to scoff at people who complained of ear pain because of flying. After all, I had served on a boat that snorkeled, and when the snorkel head valve cycled, we were subjected to rapid changes in pressure in the boat. This was especially the case when Gil was manning the stern planes. So, I knew all the tricks for equalizing ear and sinus pressure. This time, though, on my lengthy flight to Ketchikan none of my tricks worked. And, so I suffered.
Besides being deaf, I was late for the hearing, and when I finally entered the courtroom it was well past the scheduled time for the hearing. I was so late that everyone was present except me. My client was there sitting by his lonesome. The prosecutors were sitting at their table. The arresting officers were there, and the court service officers were there, having transported the defendant to the court. Worst of all, the judge was already on the bench. That is never a good thing. Generally, judges wait in their chambers until everyone else is in place and ready to proceed. Not this time, though.
So, in I walked, knowing that I was in trouble, and sat at my table. The judge turned to me and was obviously talking to me, but I couldn’t hear a word he was saying. His lips were moving, but I could hear no sound coming from them. He didn't look happy, though, and I feared being sanctioned. When his lips stopped moving, which at the time seemed to take an eternity, I finally was able to explain my predicament, and the clerk solved my problem by giving me a set of earphones for the hearing impaired. That was enough to get me through the hearing, although I did need to ask people to repeat themselves on several occasions. At any rate, I made it through the hearing, and there was no sanction. I then reluctantly boarded my plane for the return flight, which fortunately had only one stop.
It took me several months and multiple rounds of antibiotics to regain normal hearing. I never again will take hearing for granted, and I now studiously avoid mail runs. |
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Plankowner
Posts: 9163
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
That is why I say "How sweet it is."
Though I had been to the Dr and done the home kit with the drops and rubber squirter nothing helped.
I just took a drive down the hill to the Marina and my ears popped and did that feel good. Helped the hearing improve more.
I do appreciate hearing much more now. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
Don't take hearing lightly. My hearing has gone South for the past couple of years. Been to the Docs and am fitted with hearing aides. Hearing is still getting worse and the next step is implants, which I'm not very excited about.
Be sides not hearing worth a damn music is terrible and sounds way off key and singers sound like they can't carry a tune in a bucket. Women and children voices are about a thing of the past. It's the hearing follicles that are dying off and also what is between the ears is doing great either. Comprehending and understanding what I do hear is getting slower too. Early stages of dementia?? Your guess is as good as mine.
Sometimes when I click off the hearing aides the silence is golden. Know what I mean Vern?  |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1602
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George,
But Shipmate you told the Seamen gang way back in '67 if we drank our Primo beer ration daily we wouldn't have to worry about ear problems caused by snorkeling. Little did we young lads know some of us were being mentored by a poorly trained Navy reservist out of the infamous Hunters Point four week sub school.
I didn't think you needed a stinking plane for travel in Alaska. I just assumed you'd have had a team of sled dogs and a few pounds of seal meat for sustenance on overnight trips. Every year I'd see the results of the Iditarod race and wonder why they omitted the name George Dozier. Too bad they never printed the results of beer drinking contests up there.
Thanks Rover for that info. Also Ralph although my hearing is now maybe normal, I too have a hard time sometimes deciphering words on the telly, and I'm continually falling behind. I never equated that with the onset of dementia, but with both short term and long term memory fading I can't rule that out.
Edited by Gil 2019-03-15 6:38 PM
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Plankowner
Posts: 9163
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
I've never had a problem with long term memory. Hell, I can even remember things I didn't do!!
Now what I did before breakfast sometimes is a problem. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 217
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Gil, I’m afraid that you have brought up a very painful subject to me. Two weeks before the scheduled start of the race, my lead dog, Pickerel, suffered a sprained paw in a training accident. Although Pickerel was still game to try, I was forced to sit out the Iditarod this year. The team was greatly disappointed by my decision to scratch, particularly my two wheel dogs, “Main Induction” and “Trim Manifold”. But, my withdrawal no doubt elated the other mushers, as they were given a chance to win for once. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1796
Location: Albany, GA. | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
No one has asked, so I will. Did you win the case? If you lost, was the hearing problem grounds for an appeal? Or as certain associates say you don't win or lose a case, you simply are ruled for or against. Which were you? |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 217
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Walt, the hearing in question was not the trial. Once I had the earphones I could hear well enough, and when I couldn’t hear something I asked for clarification. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1796
Location: Albany, GA. | Subject: RE: How sweet it is....
Thanks for the clarification. |
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How sweet it is....
