Outer Ear Infection

The week before Memorial Day I started getting an ear ache...

...it started getting worse so I visited my doctor here in town.

 

Diagnoses: outer AND inner ear infection.

She gave me drops and an antibiotic.

 

Neither of those things touched the pain or cleared anything up.

It was the last day of Kindergarten for Pierce and I couldn't even function:(

I was miserable and beyond bummed!

 

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Side Note: I had a bride scheduled for a spray tan Friday night in Sigourney (about 40 minutes away).

I did not want to let her down so Travis stepped up and took me!

Best.Husband.Ever.

 

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I called Mercy On-Call Saturday and they said give the antibiotics and drops a few days to work.

I have never had pain like this before!

I had a fever, I was emotional and just down right a hot mess!

 

I toughed it out Saturday and had another restless nights sleep.

 

Luckily Mercy does a follow-up call 24 hours after and they asked how it was going.

 

I still had a fever.

My ear was so plugged the drops weren't getting to the infection.

My pain was at a 10.

I couldn't hear ANYTHING out of my left ear.

The whole side of my face and jaw were swollen.

The infection started in the other ear as well.

 

With all those things they gave me the green light to come to the ER.

{they told me I put up a good fight and it was time to try other options!}

 

I was excited to finally get some relief but I had no idea what I would have to go through to get there...

 

The ER doctor could not believe how bad my ear was.

He wanted to wash a lot of the infection out.

 

That involved him shooting saline through a syringe directly in my ear...

...HOLY PAIN beyond belief!!!

 

I about jumped out of that bed and ran home!

I am not a crier...I hate crying...

...but I bawled like a baby and couldn't stop sweating and shaking!

{I have given birth 2 times and I never cried once...not once! 

This was so much worse then child birth!!}

 

They decided they wouldn't go any further until I had an IV of narcotics!

That was so much better!

 Thank you Jesus for good narcotics;) 

 

I felt amazing after the doctor was done...that might have been the narcotics;)

They inserted an ear wick...

...which sucked for my hearing but it was getting my drops to the infection!

The ER doc also told me I did not have inner ear infection but a nasty outer infection!

 

It was another couple days of pain and recovery but I survived!

I had 3 appointments with the ENT (Ear Nose & Throat doctors), 2 more wicks inserted and removed, a hearing test and too many days off:(

 

Luckily it all happened over Memorial day weekend so there was a few days I didn't have to take off from work!

 

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THE CAUSE OF OUTER EAR INFECTION (for me):

 

Excessive use of Q-tips!

I have chronic itchy ears and i got a little aggressive itching them!

{Travis said when I use Q-tips it looks like I'm rowing a boat!}

I thinned the tissue in my ear canal enough to let infection in!

 

Luckily I was already on enough meds and drops so when it moved to the other ear I just started doing drops there also. 

Thank God my right ear never got as bad as the left ear!

 

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I could not have survived the week long illness without Travis for putting up with all my bitchiness and emotions, for trying really hard to be compassionate when I know that's not your strong suite, for doing all the cooking and cleaning and for taking care of the boys and getting them out of my hair when I needed it the most! 

 

Also a huge thanks to my parents who came and got the boys when Travis was working and I was miserable!  It's tough when you don't have daycare and momma is sick and dad is working!  My mom also made me amazing homemade chicken noodle soup!  Moms are the best!!

 

Another huge thanks goes to  my daycare families!  I understand it's a bit stressful when your provider is sick and you're left finding backup!  Thanks for understanding that sickness happens and there's really nothing we can do about it!  You are all the best and I'm the lucky one to have your kids all day!!

 

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Sorry for the long post!

It was not a fun time and I pray it will never happen again!!!

 

No more Q-tips for Kim and the ENT doc prescribed me with drops for my chronic itchy ears...YAY!!!