I managed two miles for my Wednesday run today…
…which is still not very far, but it’s more than I’ve managed on a Wednesday for weeks, so I’m quite happy about that!
I’m having a really bad time with my ears at the moment. Since I had to have them syringed eighteen months ago, I’ve been using oil once a month to try and keep them unclogged. However, about three weeks ago, they very suddenly became badly blocked (requiring my hearing aids to be cranked up to max volume and even then feeling like I’m underwater), and so I’ve been using oil in both ears daily to try and improve the situation. Some days have been better than others, but on the whole it’s not working and is really starting to make my ears itch.
As such, I called the GP this morning to see if there was any chance that I could come in and have them syringed again. They said that they can’t do that at the moment due to COVID (and have no idea when that will change), so I’m at an impasse, and I’m really miserable with these blocked ears.
Geth bought me a home syringing kit at the chemist the other week, but I decided at the time not to use it because the first three items on the ‘DO NOT USE IF…’ list printed on the back were:
- DO NOT USE IF you have a history of ear problems
- DO NOT USE IF you are inserting anything else into your ears, such as hearing aids
- DO NOT USE IF you have ever had a damaged eardrum
I’m normally a bit devil-may-care with these lists as it’s just medical companies covering themselves, but I know I do have to be careful with my ears as they’re in such a mangled Frankenstein’s monster state after everything that happened to them when I was a kid. However, I’m at my wits’ end, and so I’m tempted to have a go with the kit anyway – after all, it can’t be any more damaging to my ears than having them painfully powerwashed out with saline solution as part of the ear irrigation process at the GP clinic.
Another option I’m considering: Geth’s mum has suggested heating the oil before putting it in my ears as this ‘activates’ it. I’ll probably try that tonight, though I am getting really, really sick of putting oil in my ears now.
Anyway, in non-medical news, I was able to wake up early-ish again today, so I’m hoping to get all my work done in good time today and relax with some videogames this evening. I started playing Beyond A Steel Sky last night – it’s got some tough puzzles and I’m still on the first section, so I expect it will keep me occupied for a week or two.
Two more days until I will know for definite about the London Marathon, which is both nervewracking and exciting!
Today’s earworm playlist:
The ‘Sheila’s Wheels’ advert music from the ’00s
Duran Duran – ‘The Reflex’
Michael Jackson – ‘Smooth Criminal’
Duran Duran – ‘Rio’
