Of all the things...

First off, thanks for all the emails and messages this week! It really cheered Hadley up to know that people were reading and thinking of her.

After a second consult with Hadley's ENT, we left wondering whether Hadley had an about-to-emerge ear infection or TMJ in her right ear. It was too close to call, so we opted to keep a close eye on the affected ear, continue with ibuprofen, restrict Hadley to soft foods, and follow up with a dentist. By Wednesday night, Hadley was able to insert her hearing aid into her right ear (first time in three days).

It just so happened that Hadley had a dentist's appointment already scheduled for today, where the dentist agreed that Hadley had TMJ. While it's a relief to have a firm diagnosis in hand, it's still a surprise that this severe ear pain has nothing to do with her ear! I understand the physiology, but it's still amazing to think that it just takes a tiny bit of swelling to make it impossible for Hadley to insert her hearing aid into her ear. Hadley now knows to be cautious about opening her mouth widely (when, for instance, yelling at her brothers), is avoiding gum, and already received some suggestions for mouth exercises from her music teacher. She'll be seeing an orthodontist soon to see what might plans might be in her future.

It's been a long, exhausting week for Hadley as she battled an infection in one ear and unknown pain in the other. While it's temporary and certainly not life-threatening, a friend reminded me that it's okay not to minimize this to others. Yes, Hadley will get through this and will return to (her version of) normal, but it's still been a challenging week...for all of us. For two days, she didn't hear...and she made the best of it. She relies on her hearing just like any other "typical" person. I'd be tired, cranky and confused, too, if I suddenly lost my ability to hear (add -ier to all of that; Hadley made this week look easy in comparison). We're all looking forward to a return to life as usual, with perhaps a better appreciation for how hard Hadley works every day to keep up in a hearing, listening world.

Living without Listening

The good news is that only one of Hadley's ears is infected. We're back on track with the drops her ENT wants (over-the-counter clotrimazole; quite different than what the pediatrician's office recommends), and Hadley should have a healthy ear in a few days. The better news is that Hadley's other ear just needed to be cleaned (even though it was just done six weeks ago). The bad news is that her healthy ear is still sore from the debris. She couldn't tolerate her hearing aid yesterday, and today is just the same.

I'm trying to remember the last time Hadley was without both hearing aids for an extended period and the answer, I think , is never. This is a hearing, listening, speaking kid; she doesn't like to miss anything. The last day has been challenging and exhausting for her. Although she is an excellent (self taught) lip reader, it's tiring and she expends a lot of energy in the process. She crawled into bed early last night and was asleep within minutes.

Hadley woke up disappointed this morning that her ear still hurt so much (I took a peek with my otoscope; it appears that the skin is a little irritated from the wax that was removed yesterday). She misses her friends. She's annoyed that she completed two school projects early and now is absent on the day they are due ("They're going to think I stayed home because they weren't finished!"). She's bummed that our downstairs television doesn't have captioning that works, but doesn't want to go upstairs away from people.

Surprisingly, there hasn't been a single complaint yet this morning. Hadley's doing the best she can while we wait for the ENT office to open. While I'm not certain there's anything we can do other than give her ears some time to heal, it's worth a co-pay to have that confirmed by someone who actually went to medical school. (This is definitely one of those times when I wished Dan and I had made different grad school choices!)

In the meantime, we'll stock up on library books and do some math. You don't need optimal hearing to practice math facts!

There's a Fungus Among Us

Will she ever get a break? Hadley wages an ongoing battle with otitis externa. She gets swimmer's ear just from taking a shower. (I exaggerate...but that's what it seems.) She dries her ears carefully after baths and showers, typically taken at night so she can leave her aids out and go straight to bed. Her ears are cleaned regularly by her ENT to avoid wax buildup (that can trap moisture in the ear canal). We've done vinegar solutions (approved by her ENT) as a preventative measure.

Regardless, Hadley is now experiencing her fourth or fifth fungal infection of the year. (I'm placing my money on last week's humidity as the most recent cause). She complained of the familiar aches, itchiness and swelling in one ear, and was seen by her pediatrician a few days ago, confirming what we suspected. She's been using ear drops ever since, forgoing the aid in that ear, and feeling better. Last night, she felt it starting in her other ear and woke up feeling worse.

Hadley's never had both ears affected at the same time, so being without both aids is a new twist. I'm readying my fingers to call the ENT as soon as the office opens to get her on today's schedule. While I know that one ear is on the mend and the other soon will be, I'm beyond frustrated that this continues to occur. By contrast, Hadley's a trouper. Not only is she enduring the pain and discomfort, but she hasn't complained about missing activities or going without her hearing aids. (It helped that she just happened to learn about a cyber friend's son and his frustrating obstacles with his cochlear implants. She's old enough to understand the different layers of challenges all HOH kids face.) Her only comment so far has been, "Isn't it kind of funny how it started in one ear and went into the other? It's like the infection is playing hopscotch!" Oh, and to ask for hot chocolate at breakfast. She knows how to work the system!

Hopefully, we're an hour away from having a scheduled ENT appointment and just a day away from getting Hadley back on track. An extra special thank you will be given to the nurse who can find an appointment that doesn't conflict with preschool pick up or today's dentist appointment, and happens when it's not sleeting outside. If we can't get a permanent cure for fungus, can't we at least get convenience??

UPDATE: This is why families need to work so hard to find great professionals to help their kids. I called the ENT office just as it opened this morning. My wait--even on a Monday morning-- was less than one minute to talk to the front office. I explained the situation to the receptionist, got transferred immediately back to a nurse, and received an appointment for later this morning, with Hadley's actual ENT. We're on our way!

The Dangers of Passive Listening

Hadley has been sick with a summer cold for the last five days: headache, fever, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, and now conjunctivitis and an ear infection. She has not been a happy camper, and the long days at home plus long nights being awake have taken a toll on us all (read: we're all cranky). Early this morning, she took out her left aid after complaining of pain in that ear, and put it down on her chair. I was mediating a property dispute between her brothers (item in question: recycling truck) while unloading the dishwasher and making breakfast, so noted to myself that one aid was out. Sometime later, Hadley left her seat to throw away her medical detritus (used tissues, cough drop wrappers, and hidden candy). I was vaguely aware that she said to me, "I'm wrapping my aid in tissue to keep it safe", but was in the middle of doing laundry and not in a position to take her aids.

Yes, we all know what happened next.

Sometime later in the day, I was fortunate enough to question why the mound of used tissues I had just picked up from the kitchen counter felt so heavy. A few synapses clicked, and I was able to rescue the abandoned hearing aid. It is now resting comfortably in the Dry & Store, where it should be.

Hopefully, the antibiotics she started today will kick in for Hadley to resume some activities tomorrow. At least we're not missing beach days at the end of the summer...