First a little backstory…
I had a seizure while driving 9/11/07. I was fine, everything was mostly fine, except my car I just bought the day before. My airbag went off, but it was delayed, my face hit the steering wheel [apparently pretty hard, as it had to be replaced] prior to the airbag deploying. I stayed the night in the hospital after a trip via ambulance. I’ve not had a seizure since.
I had been having a lot more sinus infections + strep throat, so my then family doctor referred me to an ENT, [this was sometime in late 2010 / early 2011] to have my tonsils removed. After some testing and such, it was determined that I did a number on my nose during the accident 4 years prior and it had wrecked my sinuses and septum and such. I had a surgery in late June 2011, that was to fix the septum but it was a bit more involved [and worse when they got in there]. I was off work a bit longer than I had intended. All healed well.
I had been seeing an allergist, I think before this, we tried shots, they were too strong and I reacted petty bad and we stopped immediately. I’ve had allergy testing done three now and the doctor who did my surgery above, didn’t want to do the shots. The allergist still the same I see who tried the shots and I reacted does not want to do them as I reacted.
Fast-forward to yesterday. I called to make an appointment, thinking it would be a few weeks at best, likely February. The lady said she just had someone cancel could I come tomorrow at 8:30, yes! I just stated I preferred it be anyone but Dr. C [the doctor who I previously saw and did my surgery above, I just did not like him nor his bedside manner]. This wasn’t with him!
I got checked in, met with the nurse, went over everything; still have that popped ear feeling in my left ear, with difficulty hearing from it. The doctor, Dr. V, came in and he first said he was upset that they didn’t try to lower the dose of the shots, and try again. I could tell he was a bit fired up about it, and I was glad to see he was advocating for me within the first minute of meeting me.
He checked my hears, throat, nose, and then the dam dreaded camera thing up my nose. It’s horrible, but it really is most effective. My adenoids are huge. He’s fired up that they weren’t removed during my surgery [which I pointed out that I asked why this stuff was kept in when I was under and all that… and was told it didn’t pertain to this surgery]. I then went to do a hearing test. Fairly certain I’ve not had one since elementary school?
It was interesting, I let her know I was struggling with my left ear feeling like it needed to pop. She told me, initially the right ear did great, very much in the normal rage, the left ear isn’t quite where it should be. I went back out to wait to see the doctor again. He showed me the audiologists report. He has some concern that’s a bit more than “just needs to pop”. That concern is a small benign tumor sometimes is found on the cochlea or cochlear nerve. I’ve got a special MRI scheduled to [hopefully] rule this out, January 13th. He said that my hearing / my ear feeling like it needs to pop for longer than a week is what makes him a bit more cautious with wanting to get this checked out. It’s a bit later than this next week because we have to get insurance approval. I’m told this is just a formality. I follow up with Dr. V on the 17th. From there what it sounds we are look at is:
- surgery to remove my huge adenoids
- allergy testing [again… ] but this will mean I can be done with my former allergist and have all my care at one spot, one doctor
- possible change of allergy meds
- starting allergy shots
While I realize the MRI is more of a ‘ruling out’, it still makes me a little nervous but I’m trying to not think about it. I have learned that my adenoids are huge because my allergies are causing my sinuses to be pissed off, then my adenoids can’t handle the drainage… then it causes the ear problems. I sleep on my left side so it kind of “settles” there. Though I do have issues on the right just not as much. He said I must have great pain tolerance! That my seasonal allergies are more like year round!
I’m mostly just glad to have someone who wants to get me healthy, and have some sort of path started. It might not be easy, it’s probably going to get sucky before it gets better, probably expensive even with my good insurance, but my health is worth it. Who knew that the second ear infection, UI Quick Care NL being too full to see me, and the amazing doctor at Mercy Urgent Care’s insistence in just calling to get an appointment and he’d give a referral if needed would have landed me on this path, but I am grateful.
*This was written Friday, posted Saturday.
everyday jess 