Monday, December 23, 2013

Feeling awfully alone

About six months ago I had a bit of a freak accident, while I was wearing an ear bud in my left ear, I was electrically shocked. The cord to the ear buds had peeled back and a wire was exposed, this wasn't like when you hear static in your headphones, this is like lightening to your inner ear.
This obviously caused a few problems, a bit of hearing loss (luckily still within normal ranges) but still enough to be annoying, and permanent nerve damage in my left ear.

Nerve damage, what does that mean you ask? well, for starters it means pain. It means that playing the piano, or listening to slightly loud music in the car with my sisters, or sitting in worship at church, or talking on the phone through my left ear, cause me pain. It means it will never get better. It might mean that if I'm not careful it could get worse.

I am so sick of going to doctors and being told there is nothing they can do, I'm sick of being told it won't get better, I'm sick of wearing ear plugs in church, I'm sick of keeping my distance when my sisters gather round the piano and sing Christmas carols, I'm sick of being in pain, I'm sick of misunderstanding people, and I'm sick of people acting like it is no big deal.

I'm alone, endless googling and sharing my story with friends and I still have never heard of anyone living with nerve damage in their ear. So if this story resounds with you, if you feel like I'm telling your story, or even one similar, please let me know. No one should feel alone.

No comments: