Ear Surgery

December 4, 2016

Back in September, I got sick with what seemed to be normal ear infection. I got some medicine from urgent care and didn't think anything about it.  A couple weeks later and it was not going away even after trying a different medicine.  I went to an ENT and was prescribed stronger medicines. We tried everything for bacterial infections, fungal infections, nothing was working and the cultures were all coming back negative.  More weeks passed, debilitating ear pain and absolutely no answers.  My ear drum was wrecked and there was obvious infection but nothing was working.  

 Asher had to accompany me on a couple of doctor visits.  

My ENT suggested surgery to repair the ear drum and to get a good culture from the middle ear where the infection seemed to be the worst.  On December 1st he performed a Tympanoplasty and a Mastoidectomy. Of course my mom came into town to be with me and to help with the kids and I had lots of people praying for me and for answers.

 They called just a couple of days later saying that I needed to see an infectious disease specialist right away.  The cultures had shown that I had a fungal infection, Aspergillosis, in my left ear. This is a fungus that we are exposed to every day and rare that it was affecting someone like me who is generally healthy, no compromised immune system and fairly young.  The infectious disease specialist basically said I was "unlucky" and put me on a very strong antibiotic for 2-3 months and assured me he thought I would get over this easily.  I have to be careful while on this medicine that is so hard on my liver....no drinking, no driving at night, etc.  Praying that this is finally the solution!