I think it was water that told me things were different.
About two weeks ago, I found my left ear seemed quite badly plugged. I’ve had this happen before, but not for probably 40 years, so I knew I didn’t need to start making out my last will.
A week ago Saturday, I went to the Urgent and Primary Care Clinic at Parkwood Place. I got there reasonably early, but it was already quite busy. I checked in and took a seat.
My name was called and the nurse verified who I was, then asked what I was there for. She made a few notes, then showed me into a small room to wait.
When the doctor came in, she went over things again, including the fact I had the same problems many years ago. She asked if there was any problem with the right ear, and I told her there wasn’t.
She got out a small otoscope and took a look into my left ear, verified there was a blockage, then checked my right ear to verify it was clear.
She told me the best thing to do was get some oil and pu a couple of drops into my left ear just before I went to bed each night, then come back in about a week and they should be able to flush it out.
After I left, it occurred to me I had not double-checked on what kind of oil to use. After thinking about it for a couple of minutes, I decided 10W/30 was NOT recommended, so I picked up some baby oil at the drugstore.
The good news when I put the oil in each night was that I have slept on my right side for years, so the left ear was in a position where the oil could run down into the wax blockage.
As the week went along, I found more frequent occasions each day where the ear would sort of ‘pop’ and become clearer, but then it always replugged.
Saturday, I went back to the clinic. The doctor used the otoscope to confirm the blockage was still there, but looked softer. The nurse then came in and gave me a small rounded plastic bowl to put under my ear to catch the water and wax as they flushed out.
Then she used what felt like a fire hose to start flushing things out. A couple of times she stopped and showed me the water with pieces of wax in it.
After she finished, the doctor came back in and took one more check to make sure things were clear, and I was on my way.
I got home, with things sounding a little clearer but not fully so.
I started running the tap to get a glass of water – and that was when I heard everything clearly in my left ear.
I was happy.