I Can Hear!

Back on February 14th I had ear surgery. It was my second ear surgery. I had had ear surgery between Hannah and Lydia to remove a cholesteotoma, a growth of skin cells, inside my right ear. Before that surgery I had some hearing loss in my right ear but after the surgery the hearing loss was significant because the growth had eaten away at my ear bones and the growth had actually been helping to conduct sound through my ear. I was told at that time that I would need reconstructive inner ear surgery but then I got pregnant with Lydia, we moved to Houghton, etc and it never happened. My hearing loss was significant all that time but I just dealt with it.

This past fall I had a routine checkup and Glenn wanted me to mention my hearing loss and the reason for it to see if I something could be done about it. I was referred to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist and the surgery was scheduled for Valentine's Day for titanium prosthetic ear bones to be placed in my ear. The surgery happened without complications and I was down and out for about a week (my kids played a lot of Legos that week and didn't get much school work done. After about a week I started feeling better but I was disappointed not to be able to hear yet. I have been in for a few post surgery appointments and at my last one on June 22, right before we left for SC, I finally had another hearing screening done. Here are the before and after hearing screenings. They are kind of hard to see. Hearing in my right ear is still not perfect, or as good as in my left, but it is so much better!! The doctor said that the ear may still be healing as well and there may be some more improvement at my 1 year post operation checkup. I have pictures of my scar too and myself right after surgery but they are a little gross so I will keep those for myself.

Before

After

Thanks God for successful surgery and improved hearing!