DAY FOURTEEN

The continuing saga of the ear infection from Hades

“Does that hurt?” She asks benignly.
“Yes.” I shut my eyes and grit my teeth, it hurts so bad.
“Is it sharp?”
“Yes, very!” Tears escape from under my scrunched-up eyelids.

Is it sharp? IS IT SHARP?????
YES, it’s sharp!! It feels like someone is stabbing me with needles around my ear!
And you should know, doc, since you are the acupuncturist who is doing the stabbing.

“Ah, but you can hear me now,” she continues, smiling wryly.
Sadist...

Saviour.

Urgent Care forgot to file the referral for the ENT specialist, the ear doc. The Emergency Room did file the referral, but my insurance won’t accept it (gotta love the U.S. insurance system). The nearest in-network ENT is one hour away and I am not comfortable driving on the freeway when I can’t hear the cars around me. The only ENT in my little town sent me a 23-page intake form, but forgot to check my insurance coverage and cannot see me for several weeks anyway. That, and the receptionist of this ear/hearing clinic hung up on me when communication became difficult for her, even after I told her I was all but deaf and using a voice-to-text app on my phone so I could understand her. 

So I called my favorite acupuncturist, Dr. Fang. Yes, that’s her real name. She could see me that day. She’s a five minute drive from my house.

And now I can hear juuuuuust a little bit!
My left ear gave a little pop after the first treatment, kind of like driving down a mountain pass and your ears pop. I was talking with my son when it happened and all-of-a-sudden I could hear him a little clearer. Wow!

After the third treatment, my right ear opened up a teeny bit. I can’t hear out of my right ear as well as I can my left, but both ears can hear a little bit now. 

Never mind that the treatments have been unbelievably painful. I have had acupuncture before, and it’s never been painful, but these visits bring waves of pain akin to childbirth. I haven’t used that Lamaze breathing technique in over 30 years, but it sure came in handy this week.

It has also left me tired and lethargic beyond belief. I have slept more this week than I can remember, but it’s my body telling me to rest so it can heal. 

So I rest.

My four little grandkids came home from a friend’s house today. I just happened to be at the top of the stairs when they came trundling in, all happified.  I just stood there and listened, listened to the happy noises only kids can make, and smiled.

“Gramma!” They spotted me at the top of the stairs.
“Hi kids! Did you have fun?”
“Gramma! You can hear better! Yay!” And they did a little happy dance for me.

And that makes all the pain and lethargy worth it.