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How I Went Deaf:
A Thread
I had to book a last minute flight from Dallas to Chicago. I had a really bad itinerary that called for stops in OKC and KC, and it involved 2 different airlines.
To make matters worse, I had a bad head cold, and the weather forecast was bad.
A Thread
I had to book a last minute flight from Dallas to Chicago. I had a really bad itinerary that called for stops in OKC and KC, and it involved 2 different airlines.
To make matters worse, I had a bad head cold, and the weather forecast was bad.
As we left KC, two elderly ladies got into a physical fight. Turns out they were mother/daughter.
We were diverted to St. Louis where we offloaded the pair.
This would turn out to be pretty important as it delayed us considerably, and added an additional takeoff/landing.
We were diverted to St. Louis where we offloaded the pair.
This would turn out to be pretty important as it delayed us considerably, and added an additional takeoff/landing.
We left St. Louis for Chicago, but the storm was moving into Chicago, quickly. We were diverted again... this time, to Detroit.
We sat in Detroit for a while and we're finally cleared to go to Chicago.
We sat in Detroit for a while and we're finally cleared to go to Chicago.
As we approached Chicago, I think we were hit by lightning. The plane started a rapid descent. Masks came down. People were getting sick. And the stranger next to me, was clawing my arm, with both of her handed.
People were freaked out, but we landed safely.
People were freaked out, but we landed safely.
We were probably never in danger. But it was definitely scary.
When I got into the terminal, I noticed some blood on my shoulder. At first I thought it was from the lady who was clawing me. I later realized it was coming from my ear.
The airline took me to the ER.
When I got into the terminal, I noticed some blood on my shoulder. At first I thought it was from the lady who was clawing me. I later realized it was coming from my ear.
The airline took me to the ER.
The Doctors said it was probably from pressure, and released me. I drove back to Texas, rather than flying.
I saw a Dr at home, and he said I was fine. Told me to watch for dizziness.
A few weeks later, the dizziness would come.
I saw a Dr at home, and he said I was fine. Told me to watch for dizziness.
A few weeks later, the dizziness would come.
I was sitting at a drafting table, that day. I started feeling really hot. Then, out of nowhere, everything began to spin. I couldn't stand up. Definitely couldn't walk. I crawled to the bathroom to get sick.
I wen to the ER, they wrote it off as dehydration.
I wen to the ER, they wrote it off as dehydration.
This scenario would play out three more times.
Then, a young Dr. came in with a new diagnosis. I had a tear in my inner ear, and I needed surgery.
They would try 2 different shunt surgeries. Both failed. I now couldn't drive a car or work. Could barely walk. And the wife left.
Then, a young Dr. came in with a new diagnosis. I had a tear in my inner ear, and I needed surgery.
They would try 2 different shunt surgeries. Both failed. I now couldn't drive a car or work. Could barely walk. And the wife left.
Next try would be to cut my 8th cranial nerve. There was a significant risk of permanent facial paralysis. I literally chickened out and cancelled this surgery as they were wheeling me in. I was in my 20s... I could handle deafness, but could not handle looking like a Picasso.
Plus, I was now single.
So, instead they decided to do a Labyrinthectomy. They cut into the back of my skull. Sucked out all of the ear parts, and filled it in with tissue from my stomach. I'm literally a "fathead" now.
So, instead they decided to do a Labyrinthectomy. They cut into the back of my skull. Sucked out all of the ear parts, and filled it in with tissue from my stomach. I'm literally a "fathead" now.
This surgery was fine, because I still had perfect hearing in my left ear. The deafness in my right would be complete and permanent.
The surgery went poorly, though. I woke up with horrible vertigo. I couldn't walk, at all. I could no longer balance using my ears.
The surgery went poorly, though. I woke up with horrible vertigo. I couldn't walk, at all. I could no longer balance using my ears.
I had to learn to balance with my eyes. And I had to learn to walk, while balancing with my eyes. It was a long process.
The first day of therapy, I couldn't walk three steps. It took 17 days to learn to walk down the hallway, the benchmark for leaving the hospital.
The first day of therapy, I couldn't walk three steps. It took 17 days to learn to walk down the hallway, the benchmark for leaving the hospital.
I slowly learned to walk again.
A while later I started feeling stuffiness in my good ear. My first thought, hope, was that it was overworked from doing twice the work.
I wasn't that lucky. I had a tear in my left ear, too. It was just smaller and took longer to go bad.
A while later I started feeling stuffiness in my good ear. My first thought, hope, was that it was overworked from doing twice the work.
I wasn't that lucky. I had a tear in my left ear, too. It was just smaller and took longer to go bad.
There was nothing Doctors could do for this one. I just had to wait as the hearing slowly faded.
It took about 10 years for the hearing to fade completely. I stopped hearing right as Nickelback was gaining popularity. So, I won on that front.
Today, I communicate through lipreading. Which makes me pretty unpopular at parties.
Today, I communicate through lipreading. Which makes me pretty unpopular at parties.
