Update on Hearing Problem

 

This is a picture of my father, Isaac "Ike" Tipton, Sr. taken in August of 1990 at his three and a half acre home outside of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. This picture has nothing to do with this blog posting but I came across it while looking for another more appropriate picture for this posting but I found this one intriguing. We had a complicated relationship which I've written about often in this blog. I will write more about that relationship in future posts. I don't think he ever liked me and the feeling was mutual but he was my father. Ironically I am a lot like him much to my chagrin. I even look like him!

Yesterday I had my long awaited appointment with my ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist. Yes, I have all those problems. 

Remember when I wrote about my left ear plugged up after my trip back from California? I thought I was going to be in that condition for the rest of my life. Well, thank goodness my ear is clear now. I can hear out of it, with the help of my hearing aids, perfectly now. 

When I initially went to the doctor the ENT center, they discovered I had a dried blood in my inner ear which was causing the "plugged" sound. They scheduled a CAT-SCAN for me. Yesterday I got the results. Turns out the dried blood has dissipated. I was curious and asked "Where did it go?" thinking do I have dried blood flecks floating around in my brain.  She (I forget her name) looked at me bemused and said "It just goes away." Oh, okay (I guess). The important thing is that I can hear now! I told her about my ear problem every time I fly in a plane. She said a blood vessel had probably burst because of the pressure, which prevented my ear drum from bursting. Well, when I heard that information I told her "That does it! I'm not flying anymore!" 

This short video was taken September 6, 2016 on a flight back from Toronto Canada to the Philadelphia International Airport. I was visiting Pat.

In my life I've been very lucky in that I've never had an earache but I do have trouble with my ears when I have flown. I absolutely cannot fly in unpressurized planes which I have done several times in my younger days. Low flights are all right but higher up the pressure kills my ears. The pain is so intense. This last flight the pain was so bad I thought I was going to pass out. And now with all the problems with airport safety and delays, I have a final reason never to fly again. Remember my last flight when I missed the connection in Phoenix to Palm Springs? And the expense! It costs me almost a thousand dollars for all that aggravation just to be squeezed into an airplane seat next to who knows who. Twice now I've sat next to a Middle Eastern young man who reeked of sweat. I'm thinking "What am I going to do if this guy is a terrorist and springs into action to take over the plane with his cohorts?" All kinds of crazy things are going though my mind. I don't need that stress folks in addition to maneuvering around airports looking for my gate number.

Pat still wants to go to Palm Springs every year in February for Modernism Week. I told her we could drive (Pat's a good driver) but he's not too keen on that. For once I would like to experience Middle America. All my life I've lived and worked on the East Coast, including the three years I was in the Army (New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maryland). I was born and grew up in Pennsylvania and now am living my twilight years in Delaware. The only time I've been anyplace else is when I've visited California and one memorable weekend took a plane trip to Cleveland for a disastrous weekend with a buy named "Lenny" who I met in a bar in Philadelphia. That was in 1979. I don't think I've written about that weekend in this blog. Maybe I have. I've never forgotten that disaster. But I digress. 

I told Pat that if he wants to fly to Palm Springs next year that he can go by himself. I'll share his experience vicariously via FaceTime. That's how we share our lives now anyway while we await the American Consulate in Montreal to interview him so he can get the final approval for us to get married. Long sentence there. Bottom line is I'm not flying anymore. So there. 

Now it's time for my weeklong visit to the Restore Thrift Store, the highlight of my week these days.

P. S.

At this time of my life since I'm so near to my Final Exit, I often wondered will I see my father again? I know I'll see Bill because he's with me everyday in spirit. He often communicates to me by mental telepathy. Bill is waiting for me as are all my friends but will those that I wasn't so fond of be there? Something to wonder about.

Got My Hearing Back!

Fishermen on Wagonmond Pond, Milton, DE

 Good news folks, I have my hearing back! 

Wednesday I had a CAT-SCAN taken of my left ear. I haven't received the results of that CAT-SCAN but I do now have my hearing back which is wonderful!

By the way, the picture at the beginning of this post was taken of Wagamon Pond in Milton, near the facility where I had my CAT-SCAN. As you probably know, I'm always on the lookout for an iconic scene. This one was perfect although the two people on the boat kept moving about. There was actually a better scene but by the time I parked my car and hobbled up to the road to take this picture, they had relocated to a different part of the pond.

This photo was taken in the early morning light which is always the best time to take photos. Second best time is late afternoon. Worst time is high noon.

Again, great news, I have my hearing back!  

Hearing Aid Test

 

Last month I began to notice little signs that maybe my hearing wasn't normal in my right ear. Then about three weeks ago I felt like I had to pop my right ear like you would after a long plane flight. My hearing for the past three weeks has been seriously compromised. For the first time in my life I realized what it is like to be hard of hearing.

This morning I had an appointment for an audiology test. I had a thorough examination. The audiologist discovered that I had a big hunk of ear wax imbedded in my right ear. Ah ha! 

The audiologist performed a suction procedure to take out the ear wax. At times it was very painful. I am one of those lucky people who have never had an earache. Now I realized what an earache was like, not good. Almost as bad as a toothache but not even close to my kidney stones passing. More pain for Ron. But this time is was worth it. I can hear out of my right ear now! Now I have a new appreciation for hearing. 

My audiologist performed other tests on my hearing and determined that I am a candidate for hearing aids. I will get them because I want to hear. I've had a taste of what it is like to be hearing impaired and I didn't like it one bit. Now to get my cataracts removed. I'm scheduled for cataract surgery next month for my right eye, which is now cloudy and in August for my left eye. Now if I could do something about my arthritis. I'm getting old folks. Actually I am old folks!

For all you youngsters reading this blog, don't take  your good health for granted. Appreciate it because if you live long enough you will see your health gradually deteriorate like mine is inexorably going downhill. I'm not at the stage where I need my afternoon nap (at least an hour sometimes more) then to bed early at night. I don't take my good health for granted now. I value each day. And today was one of those beautiful 72 degree sunny spring days. 

It's just past 10 o'clock now. I'm listening to "The Last Work" with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC now as I type this blog. My eyelids are heavy with sleep. I will call it another day as I prepare for bed. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?