Eh? What? What's that? Speak up; I can't hear you!

Or something to that extent...  Prior to September 22, this past Tuesday, these are all phrases you would have heard from me at some point.  Prior to September 22, I had mild to moderate hearing loss in my right ear as a result of the Face Tumor.  Apparently when the tumor melted away (that's the technical term), it caused a bunch of scarring in my sinus area, which in turn closed up whichever ear tube allows for fluid drainage (also the technical term).  Basically, there was a large amount of fluid just chilling in my ear because it had nowhere to go, which meant I couldn't really hear out of my right ear.

Whew.  So.  Finally, after multiple ENT visits and more than a handful of frustrating delays, on September 22, this past Tuesday, I had a tympanoplasty and tube procedure on my right ear.  That really is the technical term.  For those of us who are not certified otolaryngologists, the doctor went through my ear drum and stuck a tube in my right ear.  After some mild sedation that turned out to be some serious general anesthetic and fifteen minutes of blissed out blankness, I can hear!  And there hasn't even been any strange ear-discharge.  Hooray...?  I guess this is the procedure doctors do on a lot of little kids with persistent ear infections.  In yet another example of how things come back to haunt you, I can distinctly remember being maybe five years old and freaked out by the other kids my age who had these weird plugs in their ears at the pool.  I wasn't a very accepting little person, and now here I am under strict orders not to get Any water in my right ear.  Ear plugs, here I come.  Apparently, it is very unusual for someone my age to have this procedure done.  So said my doctor to my mother.  He was a good, nice guy, the doc, but he was kind of oblivious.  Yeah, most almost-23-year olds don't have ear tubes put in.  Most of us don't get leukemia and face tumors either.  Deal.

Regardless, it is so strange to have surround sound in my head again.  I was in Target yesterday, and there was noise everywhere.  I was freaking out a bit because I didn't know what was coming from where.  But I am adjusting, and I am so happy.  I can hold my cell phone up to my right ear again.  I can stand to the left of someone and carry on a normal conversation without having to move to their right side so I can actually hear what they're saying.  I can go to bars again and actually talk to people!  The possibilities are endless.

So that's what's good here.  Also, I'm pretty sure I haven't mentioned this, and I will only do so briefly now, but I am currently living at home and working at the Starbucks in our little downtown.  So I am employed in some fashion, although it is Very weird for me to be living back here again.  So many memories that I would prefer to put in a little box for the time being and let them get dusty....  But I'm getting by, saving money, that whole big deal.  Life is okay.  Hope yours is as well.  Peaves.