Now Hear This... If Only I Could

So last week sucked at work because I've been sick. Had a three day weekend which was pretty much wasted being sick. Awoke Tuesday and suddenly I can't hear a thing! Man  that scared the crap out of me because, next to my son, music is my life. I did everything I could think of and searched for to get some hearing back. Finally chewing gum did the trick and my ear popped on my right side but dropped me to the floor like a rag doll because with the pop sound came the pain as if someone stabbed me in the ear. After I pulled myself up off the floor I could hear a bit on my right side. Good news, painful but good news. So I kept up the chewing and with every pop came more pain but I had to do it just so that I could at least hear the tone on my cell phone so that I could tell work I would not be in and to call the doctor.

I got into the doctor right away that morning. They performed a hearing test and the results were bad to say the least. Upon examination the good news was that it was not an infection but looked to be a build up of fluid in both ears thanks to this dumb ass cold. So they have me lay down and place a few drops of something into my right ear. The doctor says it will take a bit to work in and that he would check on me after a while. So I'm laying there starring at a blank wall when after awhile it feels like something is very slowly creeping its way into and through my ear. Almost like some kind of creature out of Star Trek was invading my brain or something. Next thing I know my nose starts to run like a sink faucet left on high, but I was told not to get up and I want my hearing back so bad I don't dare to move as per instructed. The doctor comes back after what felt like forever and says - "Looks like its working. Would you like a tissue?" --- a tissue!?! I feel I look like a babbling idiot, of course I want a tissue plus a shower and a sponge bath from the cute nurse who checked me in because I feel that dirty.

The process of medicating each ear and then testing my hearing goes on for the next three hours. Finally I'm asked if I want to continue or do I feel I have recovered enough of my hearing to go back to work the next day. At that point I could hear everything around me and decided I had enough "fun" for the day. The doctor then next prescribes me some medication to take for the next 7 - 10 days in order to help the fluid build up and clear my hearing. I go to the get the prescription filled but when I go to pay for it the woman behind the counter warns me of the drug's side effects. No exposure to direct sunlight for periods longer then ten minutes or so while taking the medication or severe sun burn "may" occur. WTF??? oh well at least my time in personal hell was over and I could get back to work.

Only benefit of the day was I couldn't go back to work with all the "drainage" I was experiencing and was able to play a fair share of Bioshock for the better part of the afternoon. Still would have liked that sponge bath though... maybe next time