I had a hle in my ear drum. I had an operation done on it. It has got a piece of skin put over it. Due to the ear being so small, they cannot put stitches on it. Instead, they use padding to hold it in place, and hope it grows into it.
I had this done last thursday. I'm not supposed to get it wet for 4 weeks. However, I had a shower today, and some water got in. Not buckets, but water still got in. I had a cotton wool bud in there, and it was soaking, I believe, though not dripping. My mum put some more in there, and tried to see if it was damp or not. It wasn't. We couldn't feel wetness anywhere.

HOWEVER. Now, many many hours later, my ear is hurting. The sounds its making are ones that remind me of what happened when water got in the hole in my ear drum. However, that MIGHT be the packing thats inside it...

I'm scared this has stopped it from working. We do not have health insurance. It cost my parents over $5000. If it doesn't work, they may do it again. I can't let them do that!!!! It costs too much! As of now, I'm crying! Please pray for me! PLEASE! My faith, though I wish it were strong, is not that strong! I've prayed and prayed it'll work but I have little faith in my own prayers! I'm desperate! They can't afford another operation! Please pray for me! Pray it'll work! Pray that my parents will have no wasted $5000! PLEASE!!!! If I get lots of people praying, then.... I don't know.... maybe it'll increase my chances.... I'm desperate. I don't cry, but I'm crying now, pretty hard for me!

This may seem like a shallow request but my parents can't afford for an operation like this not to work. $5000+ is too much money... right now they don't have an income. They're learning to stock trade. They know how to do it, and they keep saying they're ready to make money, but never buy stocks. They arn't making any money. We're living off our savings. This is not a good time for my parents to be paying for a $5000 operation THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK!

PLEASE PRAY FOR ME! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!

Be comforted Windmill,

The prayers of your brothers and sisters here are with you.

--Ren

Windmill, I understand your plight with no insurance and needing medical care. I am also praying for you.

I'm not sure I totally understand what type of surgery this was but please do all you can to dry the area up--using a blow dryer on the warm setting or perhaps replacing the possibly wet packing? Forgive me for my poor suggestions because I'm not familiar with what exactly you had done. Perhaps you could be more specific about exactly what the surgery was and why you are not to get the area wet.

I am praying for you Windmill, and I know God will make things clear and give you wisdom to understand these things as well as peace and strength for your parents. Our Lord is able to carry us through all these things, but I dont know why these things happen, but do not lose faith.
Here are some words of encouragement:

quote:

---

1 Peter 1:6-9
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

---

What I would do is schedule a "post-operation follow up" with your doctor, and let him\her know the situation and how you feel that the surgery may not have been successful.
In other words, call up your doctor, speak to the receptionist or to the doctor directly and say "Hi I would like to schedule a post operation follow up for surgery I had with doctor so and so. My name is Windmill, and I am experiencing some unusual pain that should not be happening with this type of surgery"
You will need to emphasize that you feel you are getting worse, and the doctor will schedule in immediately since that is how you feel.
Now keep in mind that this has to heal, and heal properly.
God Bless,
Will

Windmill,
First of all, BREATHE! Calm down. We will keep you in our prayers. Know that with God, ALL things are possible! One suggestion I have for you though.... I know money is tight, but maybe your parents can get you some wax ear plugs for when you take a shower? It would really help when trying to keep water out of your ear. If that is not an option, dip a cotton ball (wool bud) in some vaseline (petroleum jelly) and put it in your ear openingto block water from getting in there. I know the ear will feel greasy afterward, but it truly works when trying to prevent water from getting in the ear. I had to do that when I had ear infections and we used the wax plugs when my sister had tubes put in her ears. I hope this all helps.


Debbie,
I think I understand what Windmill was trying to say. Basically, she has a hole in her eardrum....sort of like it ruptured. My guess is that her ear drum didn't "grow back" like most people's drums do and she had to get it surgically repaired. since the ear is so small, they couldn't put stitches in it to hold the skin/new drum in place. So, they put a type of packing in it to prevent anything from getting in and causing an infection.


Am I right about what I was thinking, Windmill, about the operation?

Take care and God be with you!

yes you are.

Thank you all for your suggestions and support. It means a lot to me

Thank you Stephanie for making this more clear to me. I really appreciate it and even though I didn't understand it clearly, the Lord did when I prayed about it this morning.

I like Will's advice because if you phone the doctor and tell him what has happened--using the terms like Will said "post operation follow-up" then surely whatever the doctor does won't be so expensive as sometimes "after surgery" phone calls and visits can be free (they are already part of the surgery charges). But if you are in pain yet when you read this, I would phone him now! The longer you wait the worse it might get unless you can somehow figure out how to dry it up -- would putting a heating pad over the eat or a hot water bottle help? It might help the pain anyway.

And using some kind of better protection when you do shower as Stephanie suggested is an excellent idea.

Keep us informed on how you are doing!

As I was praying for you, the thought came that since it's winter the water needs to dry out of there. Consult your doctor and ask if a hairblower on gentle heat could help dry the inner ear out.

Windmill,

First, know that I am praying for you, as well. Second, what Steph suggested is a very good idea, the ear plugs. Unfortunately, they don't make WAX plugs anymore. You will have to, if you can find them at a store, use SILICONE ear plugs. The ONLY reason that I know that the silicone plugs are all that's out there is because about a year ago, my daughter had to have tubes put into her ears b/c she was having ear infections every month. Doc said that the only way to stop them is by putting tubes in them. Well, this was all new to me, I was about 7 or 8 when our little sister (Steph and I are sisters) had to have her tubes. But, the doc was kind enough to tell us about these silicone ear plugs. They actually don't recommend using cotton (buds) and vaseline (petroleum jelly) anymore. The vaseline could get into your ear and cause problems. I feel for ya, kiddo! I will continue to pray for you! And, I send a big hug all the way to you, from Michigan!

*grins* I thank you all so much for your support and great ideas. I had a panic attack, and even my friends got a little scared o.O I'm still worried it won't work but knowing I have support makes me feel a lot less anxious thank you all very, very much Ear plugs are a good idea, I'll see if I can get some ^___^ also great news, my parents are starting to put money into the stock market *shock, horror* so they may even start finally making money! ^^ God is good! =D