Doctor Check Up (Iowa City)

I had a doctor appointment this last Thursday to see my doctor for some issues with my right (bad) ear. I felt like there was some pressure and noises that worried me and since we all know where it got me when I didn't act on what my body was telling me before, so I decided to go back. I needed him to make sure my eardrum wasn't retracted again. This was the reason for my tubes placement to begin with of which had to be removed during my surgery for fear of spinal fluid leakage getting behind my eardrum.

Dr. Hansen said my eardrum was a little retracted but nothing to worry about at the moment. Just because it is retracted doesn't mean it will continue to get worse. It's a wait and see game...worse case scenario, I will need a tube put back in.

While I was there I had him look at my left ear. This is the one he removed the tube "in office" a couple of months ago and then placed a temporary "patch" over the hole in my eardrum to allow for healing. The patch is gone however, my eardrum still has a small hole in it and the doctor said if it hasn't closed by now that it probably won't. Since this is my "good ear", and I am not an avid swimmer, having to deal with water in the ear he will wait and let it be. I have to watch for drainage and hearing loss in that ear...worse case scenario, I will need to have some fat graphed onto the hole to permanently close it.

Also the doctor mentioned the idea of a hearing aid again. He thought since my hearing loss is not due to nerve damage that I would benefit from a hearing aid to just get the little additional help I need to hear better. I left there with about 6 or 7 names of places within the Quad Cities to check into. This does not, I repeat, does not mean I am getting a hearing aid!!! I'm having a real tough time accepting the fact of maybe wearing one. Especially because this whole thing is my own fault. I didn't listen to my body and get my ears checked out at the first sign of hearing loss.

Well, that's the update for now....