I’ve had an ear infection for a little over two weeks.
I had some ear drops that were making do, but I was really just hoping it would heal. I hate medicine, and I really hate doctors. Even now, as I write this, Stephen has come and forced me to actually take the medicine the doctor gave me. I hate swallowing pills.
After a little over week of not being able to hear out of my left ear, Stephen decided I should visit the local clinic. It was getting annoying enough for him to always sit on the right side of me and to hear, “I’m sorry. What?” nearly eighty times a day.
So we visited the local ENT doctor yesterday. As I sat in the “waiting room”, the doctor came out, and simply looked at me with raised eyebrows. I assumed that was asking why I was there, so I said, “Ear infection,” while I pointed at my ear with a pained face.
He turned and walked away, so I assumed that meant I should follow.
“Sit.”
He then stuck the otoscope (I just Googled that one.) in my ear–the uninfected ear–along with a long tube. And he turned on a machine that then began to SUCK THE LIFE out of my ear.
It wasn’t pleasant.
He then stopped, and switched ears. He again put the otoscope in with the long tube and turned on the machine. And this was far more than unpleasant. Within a few moments I was pulling away with tears in my eyes. He stopped to say, “You can’t go away. Stay.” I tried to tell him it was infected and very painful. He then asked Stephen to hold my head still while he continued.
This went on for way too long. By the time he had finished, I was lightheaded. He confirmed I had infection and gave some medicine, but that was all a bit hazy to me.
I can hear a little better now. And I’m hoping this medicine works.
But I will continue to avoid doctors unless absolutely necessary. Maybe even more so.