Sickness Update . . . Again

I'm not sure what it is about this third pregnancy, but for some reason, I just have to be sick at all points in time. I'm starting to get a bit irritated about it.

Thursday evening, after my weekly OB appointment, my ear popped, and for the next few days, it got worse. Saturday night was probably the worst, pain-wise. There was so much pressure in my ear that I couldn't get comfortable. I put heat on it. I took Tylenol. I broke into Henry's numbing ear drops (which, I'm sad to say, don't really work that well).

At about 3 or 4 a.m. on Sunday morning, my ear drum finally ruptured, and some fluid came out. My ear felt a little better at that point (not much), but I was able to fall asleep.

I had full intentions of getting up with the kids on Sunday morning so Willis could sleep in on Father's Day, but I didn't hear the kids when they woke up at 6 a.m. (I'm, like, seriously deaf in my left ear right now.)

I've been living with cotton in my ear (and, most of the time, I dip the cotton in rubbing alcohol to prevent further infection). Stuff keeps coming out. It's pretty gross.

Last night, I was pretty confident I'd be able to sleep, but between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m., I started feeling the pressure build up in my ear again. I had to run downstairs, take some Tylenol, and get a heating pad. Once I got the heat on my ear, my ear drum ruptured again, and this time, lots of fluid came out for the rest of the night.

I actually have crust outside my ear now because of all the gross fluid. This is exactly how I remember my ear infections as a kid. I haven't had one this bad since I was in elementary school. I had a whopper ear infection in college one time, but I didn't have anything rupture on me.

I called my OB who told me I needed to call my regular doctor. So, I called the ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctor. Henry already has an appointment set for the 29th (the day after my due date), so I called to whine and see if we could both get in, like, right away. The soonest they could get ME in was Wednesday. They have my name (and Henry's) on a list, though, so if someone cancels, they're supposed to call us.

I tried our regular, family doctor, but I ended up on hold for a few minutes. I gave up on that. I usually can't get in there for a few days when I call there, too. Besides, I have a feeling he'll just send me over to an ENT anyway. Hah. (I've played this game a few times.)

I just hope I didn't lose hearing in my left ear permanently. It's gone for now, though. It's not good.

In the meantime, it'll be alcohol cotton swabs, heat, Tylenol, and maybe stealing some of Henry's ear drops.