And then there was one...who was not on antibiotics in our house. Yes, I succumbed during the night last night. I woke around one feeling like there was a worm wiggling it's way into my brain through my Eustachian tube.
At three, it felt like someone was sticking an ice pick in my eardrum. I got up and took a decongestant, thinking that might help. It didn't.
At four I got up, having never gone back to sleep and took some ibuprofen. I also heated up my buckwheat pillow and went and sat on the couch and rested my head on the hot pillow. I slept a little but when I woke the whole side of my head hurt. Uh oh.
Earache.
I've been down this road before. When I was a week away from delivering Punkin I awoke to the same pain. Then I had been avoiding decongestants because of, you know, THE BABY. That time the pain was a lot worse. In fact, it was unbearable. I woke Mr. Daddy at 1:00 am and told him I had to go to the hospital. I didn't want to wake up Bubba so I just told him to stay home and I'd go by myself.
You should see the looks on people's faces when an extremely pregnant woman walks into the ER by herself. Everyone visibly relaxed after I explained why I was there. I was triaged and sent back to the waiting room.
And then I waited. And waited. And waited. The ER was empty so I couldn't figure out what was taking so long. I had to pace because the pain was so bad.
Finally, around 4:30 they took me back to a room. Where I waited some more. (By this point I was beginning to think I should have faked labor. I certainly would have been seen sooner. I hope.)
Finally I got to see the doctor, who prescribed me not only some antibiotics, but also some fantastic pain medicine. I was seriously jonesing for it by this time. I filled the prescription at an all-night Walgreens and finally headed home. Exhausted.
I got home around 6:30, took the medicine and went to bed. Where my eardrum promptly ruptured. Ruptured, people. Actually, it's not as bad as it sounds and it actually made my ear feel tremendously better. BUT, that occurrence meant that I had to go see a specialist, who was kind enough to work me in when he found out that I was having, you know, a BABY in two days.
Fortunately, everything healed just fine. No hearing loss. But when I woke last night with the pain I was afraid I was in for a repeat performance. Perhaps my right ear is going to be repeat offender. We'll see. Either way, I have an all new empathy for babies with ear infections. No wonder they scream so loud. It hurts like hellfire!
Mixed Bag
12 years ago
Posts
11 comments:
ooh baby, I hope you feel so much better REALLY REALLY soon (fedexs soup and pain meds)
Not again!!
Have you gotten pain meds yet? I think they now have OTC ear infection soother for babies..perhaps you could buy that and triple the dose?
(PS my doc gave me some fabulous pain meds for recovery. lemme know if you need some ;))
I haven't had an ear infection in five years, but it was one of the worst things ever; the doctor said I had blisters on my ear drums and he had never seen it before.
Needless to say the only thing that helped me not walk out onto the freeway was the pain meds.
I really hope you feel better soon!
Oh, my! First, let me admit that I didn't know you were expecting, or if I read it somewhere, it went in one (non ruptured) ear and out the other. Wow, how exciting! I can only imagine what those people were thinking in the ER when you came in, saying "It hurts! It's going to rupture!" :) keep us posted...I was a week late to Lauren's good news, so I'll try to be on time here.
Susan -- NO!! Bite your tongue! I was recounting the story from the LAST time I had an ear infection. No pregnancy here. No sir! Not no way. Not now how!
It is super painful. I used to get them a lot when I was a kid.
At least you can have better drugs now that you're not preggers.
No! I am so sorry. I hope you soon begin to heal, and everyone else in your family as well. There is nothing worse than being sick while trying to take care of everyone else. I hope you have some good help.
Gosh, my ears are hurting now. I know first-hand the excrutiating pain of an ear infection. And my son, Gus, used to get them all the time. Not fun.
I hope that you feel better soon!
Sorry to hear (no pun intended)that you and everyone else at your house are sick. A speedy recovery to you all!
MQ: Oops. That's what happens when you are reading blogs while you're at work and multitasking. Amazing how missing that one sentence or two can do!
Sorry!!
But hey, glad your eardrum ruptured away the pain. Just think, we could've been talking about LABOR. :)
You can tell me that it felt better after it ruptured, but I won't believe you. "Ruptured" is such a horrible, horrible word and makes me cringe in pain even though my ears are just fine. Ouch.
I hope everyone is feeling better soon. Sick sucks.
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