I’ve written some pretty detailed posts about my daughter Josie’s ear surgeries. If you want to read them they are here, here, here, and here. But the cliff’s notes version is that Josie was practically deaf. Scar tissue from years of untreated infections marred her ear canals. Both ear drums were broken. And to top it off there was some sort of invasive abnormal cellular growth taking place, which had rendered her ear bones useless. The doctor had to cut around her ear, fold the whole thing forward, DRILL her ear canal, SCRAPE the bacteria and scar tissue out, create new ear drums from her scalp facia, and seat prosthetic ear bones in her right ear. Other than the prosthetics, both ears went through the same surgery.
We gave her more than a year to heal, but we’ve been monitoring her hearing. She had definite improvement, but we weren’t sure she was hearing as she should. So Kim took her to Danville Monday for a check up.
The doctor couldn’t have been happier with her progress! She’s got some hearing loss, but the doc said that her ears–even the bad/right ear–looked beautiful. No recurring abnormal tissue, no scarring. She was thrilled with how Josie has healed, and remarked about how grown up and mature she looks! She talked to Josie about a possible hearing aid to bring her up to 100%, but assured us that Josie is doing better than she expected.
As they finished up the appointment and headed for hime (via McDonalds for ice cream!) Josie turned to Kim and said, “Mom, thanks for taking care of me and my ears.” She said it kind of matter-of-factly, but it hits me. Even now…even though I wasn’t in the van with them…
I can’t imagine our life without Josie. She has only been in our home since October of 2010, but it feels as though she’s always been our daughter. And mommies and daddies take care of their daughters.
To know better ways of protecting your ear from any form of issue contact Tinnitus & Hearing Center of Arizona.
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