PLAYING IT BY EAR

About a week ago, during the CMD class on Monday, I started feeling a sharp pain in my left ear. It was taking small knocks and I didn't think anything of it. Later that night I found out that it was cauliflowering and that it was much bigger than my first one.

[photograph coming soon]

I don't remember exactly when I got my first cauliflower, but it was pretty small and most people wouldn't see it without looking for it. I went to a doctor who told me it wasn't cauliflowering and that it would go away. Later that week it hardened.

This one was sizable enough, though, that I didn't really think it was such a hot idea to let it become permanent. So just this afternoon I went to get it looked at by a doctor, who told me I could have minor surgery done on it.

The alternative was to just simply get it drained and leave it alone, meaning it would probably fill up again in a day or three. I went for the more lasting option.

I am told that it would need to take place in an operating theatre. OK, that's fine. I get there at the appointed time and I am directed to Day Surgery, where I am instructed to change into a robe and wheeled on a hospital bed into the next waiting area.

Around this time I started feeling a little awkward. Was all this really so necessary for an ear? I mean, I thought I could just walk there. I didn't say anything though, because it was my first surgery and I thought I may as well see what it's like.

We get to the waiting area where I switch beds again and wait some more. Once we get moving again and I'm in the operating room, the first thing I remember thinking is,

"Ooh, operating lights are pretty when they're off".

And then they were switched on, which was actually quite painful. I then had some thick hospital-type paper(?) towels draped over my head and I was made to look to my right, so now all I can see are shades of blue and yellow spots where the lights were.

Before we get started I am informed that the procedure will involve four buttons being sewn into my ear to stop it from filling up again.

It was a very weird feeling, as even with the local anaesthetic I could still feel quite a bit going on. I thought parts of it were bordering on dicey - at times my head was being pulled up by the ear and I was still bracing myself for any pain.

When it was all over, I felt a little groggy and was suddenly thankful that someone was there to wheel me back to my stuff. The doctor said that many patients complain of increased pressure around their heads after this type of surgery (which is surprisingly common).

I did feel a fair bit of pressure at first but it's quite alright by now. I'm also pretty noticable walking down the street, being that the bandage they put on my ear makes it stick right out (think, Dumbo), but thankfully this is only the case when someone looks at me from the front or the back.

I'm also pretty thankful that this happened at the end of the year - the gym is closing for the Christmas-New Year break soon and I'll have until the second week in January to get better.

Thanks also go out to my fiancee, for threatening me with pre-emptive divorce if I didn't get this done.