Category: Ear Surgery

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Video Update – What in the world is semi-circular canal dehiscence?!!

Today we’re off from school because I’m on my way to Baltimore — to Johns Hopkins  — for a six month follow up after my 6th ear surgery last year!! (Okay, in reality I’ve had about 15 ear surgeries in my lifetime, but six of those were last year!!). I had a terrible year last year which resulted in my becoming deaf in that ear, but it has a good...

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I’m Going Deaf Today (Single Sided Deafness, That Is)

Yes, literally! After 10 months of ear problems , I am heading into my 6th (and hopefully) final ear surgery this morning at Johns Hopkins. [You can read about the previous 5 surgeries to address my semi-circular canal dehiscence and the crazy symptoms  here.] My symptoms these past months include severe dizziness and balance issues, vision problems (things blur when I turn my head and bounce around when I walk/move),  problems with...

My Surgery Update 0

My Surgery Update

I had another major ear surgery last Tuesday (June 3).  I’ve had a whole range of problems and complications stemming from some ear surgery back in October.  I seem to have a “dehiscence” or hole along the horizontal semicircular canal (#2 in the picture below) which cause a range of problems from noise sensitivity to balance issues. And while it seems it would be easy to just plug the hole...

Ear Surgery #5 – Trying to End my Noise Sensitivity, Autophony, Balance Issues and More 2

Ear Surgery #5 – Trying to End my Noise Sensitivity, Autophony, Balance Issues and More

While we have had a really wonderful few weeks homeschooling, the past several weeks have been extremely challenging for me in other ways.  I never imagined all the medical difficulties I would face. Tomorrow morning (today as you read this), I am going in for my 5th ear surgery since October. Along with other things, I seem to have semi-circular canal dehiscence in the horizontal canal.  My last surgery in...

In Crisis Lies Opportunity for Growth 15

In Crisis Lies Opportunity for Growth

Just over a week ago, I had my fourth ear surgery since October.  I was braced for a tough recovery.  The surgery was a bit more invasive than the one three weeks ago so it was definitely uncomfortable afterwards. As far as we know the surgery went well. Right now we’re in a long waiting game to see how things settle down.  If you have followed my story, you know...

My 4th Ear Surgery Tomorrow 9

My 4th Ear Surgery Tomorrow

Actually, this is my 11th ear surgery (plus 2 others for other things) if we’re truly counting… but tomorrow is the 4th surgery on my left ear since October.  It’s supposed to be a doozy. I have been spending a lot of time day dreaming about all the amazing things I’ll do when… I can drive again. I can talk again (without the sound reverberating around my head). I can...

My Debilitating Medical Problems and Crazy Symptoms 4

My Debilitating Medical Problems and Crazy Symptoms

This note made me choke up the other day. ED brought it along with breakfast one morning when I had fallen back asleep on the couch: This blog has been an incredible outlet for me the past couple of months because I have had some debilitating medical problems — all ear related.  I’ve really tried not to pour out my woes too much on the blog, but life has been...

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My Ear is Broken. Sigh…

I’m in the process of creating a more optimistic, upbeat post but couldn’t get started with that until I vented about my ear issues again. I’ll pour my heart out here and then move on to more positive things.   Last week I wrote about my ear surgery 10 days ago and explained that the surgery was only partially successful. My doctor was able to drill out and remove the...

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Mom Down! Why I’m in Surgery Today…

The past three months have been very difficult.  If you’re a regular reader, you know I had ear surgery in October.  I have more complications than I can count on one hand. Healing was very slow and a couple of weeks after the surgery I came down with something called BPPV in two semi-circular canals (in my ear) which causes vertigo, the entire world to spin, balance issues and incredible...

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Living with Dizziness, Vertigo, and Balance Issues

Have you ever spun around on a swing or something and when you get off you feel dizzy, can’t focus your eyes, feel out of balance and sick to your stomach? That’s what life has been like for me for over a week. It’s a complication of my ear surgery from three weeks ago.  It has made life very tough.  It has been difficult to walk straight. The ceiling and...

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A Rough Week–When None of the Trivial Stuff Matters …and Only the Trivial Stuff Matters

This past week was really rough.  Last Wednesday, I had some ear surgery that was to reconstruct my ear canal and the inner bones in my ear.  The surgery was supposed to be relatively straight-forward, but wound up being much more challenging for the doctor (the surgery took a lot longer) and for me (I came out of the surgery very ill and in pain).  There was more damage and...