Monday Night Football

This one's for you, Graham! It's true, I'm going to San Diego with Jason to go to the Chargers game Monday, September 22, 2008. Maybe you'll be able to see us on t.v.!

Time To Celebrate!!

Jason took me to get gelato to celebrate the release of my "new" ear! It's a great night! I had, of course, banana/pineapple/chocolate oreo gelato and Jason had a combo of peanut butter/banana/chocolate cake. Yummy!

I Can Hear!!!

This morning I had my ear appointment with Dr. Fucci. He took out the stitches in my arm (the first photo) and cleared out my ear of gauze and junk (second and third photos) so I can hear perfectly!

I didn't want to look at my arm while he removed the stitches, but there were 5 stitches. You can see a close-up of my arm in the last picture. Yummy! Just kidding...it's just a little bit pink and swollen. I am using A & D ointment to help it heal better, hopefully.

As Dr. Fucci was pulling stuff out of my ear, it was somewhat painful. My ear still feels tender since the appointment. He placed a tuning fork on my head and asked me where I heard the sound coming from. It was clearly coming from the front part of my ear...it was so loud it hurt. I remember that before I had the surgery, it was louder in the back. Yeah, I'm hearing normally now!

The doctor asked me what I remembered of the surgery, and I told him about how I heard people talking, and then the shaving of my head, and finally more talking again. At that point in surgery, I thought I was about to have a hearing test, but before I knew it, I was in recovery. Dr. Fucci told me I did a great job with my hearing test during the surgery. He also told me that I acted like a "quiet drunk" because I was silent throughout the surgery and only spoke when I was asked to. He said he gets a lot of patients who are very chatty and ask about everything that's going on during the surgery. They would ask what he was doing now, over and over again. It's nice to know that I'm not an obnoxious patient.

I asked him if I could get my ear wet and travel by plane, and he told me I could do whatever I want! I can dunk my head in water and be fine! I also asked him if he took photos or a video of the surgery, and he didn't. He said Pathology has my bone, so I have nothing to show for this surgery, other than the scar that will be on my arm. He did show me what my bone would look like and said that the ligament that is usually around it is comparable to a trampoline, but my ligament was more like concrete (immovable). So, it's actually the ligament that is calcified, not the bone.

After the appointment, I called Cara and used my "new" ear. My ear felt a little sensitive, or the phone was too loud, so I didn't keep using that ear. But, it clearly works well! Jason whispered in my ear, and I heard it! Yeah! It's a big day today...I finally can hear normally!

When I got to work, I realized I had to have a picture with my working ear and my bummed-up arm together...so that explains the "tough girl" pose.

Photo Break

During the time I was "forced" to write the post about my American Idol concert surprise, Jason sat next to me patiently awaiting the finished product. He did create a few distractions in the meantime, and this was one of them...a great photo of us!

Ear Update

I just want you all to know that I'm starting to hear out of my left ear!!!

Monday I went back to work. I was pretty dizzy all day and kept things at a slow pace. I started to hear high-pitch echoes in my ear from when I heard voices. It was kind of annoying, but it helped me start to believe that I would really hear one day! I was exhausted after working a full day, so I went to bed early to prepare for the next work day. (By the way, Jason's been awesome helping me get to and from work this week!)

Yesterday was a much better day. I started acting more "normal." I noticed I felt more comfortable walking faster and doing things at a quicker pace. It was great! I even felt like cleaning and getting things done after work! I know I'm not quite where I need to be to function like a healthy person, but I'm getting the motivation to keep busy and do things like I used to. My ear is really starting to work like an ear! I could start hearing a broader range of voices/sounds, and I even could hear my hair brush up against the cotton ball that is purposefully shoved in my ear. It actually got annoying, so from that point on, I decided to wear my hair up...even though it shows off my cotton ball.

I still didn't drive today, to be on the safe side...but I'm definitely feeling better. My appointment to see the doctor is on the 30th. That is when I am to get my ear cleaned out from all the gauze and junk stuck in there. I'm told that at that appointment I will love my doctor because I'll really be able to hear! Next Wednesday! Big Day!!

As of Day 12 post surgery, dizziness has been my largest obstacle with recovery. I definitely still get dizzy, but not as often and for not as long now. I haven't been nauseated or experienced vertigo at all...which I am grateful for. I have had a numb tongue, especially on my left side this whole time. I have also experienced off-and-on ringing and popping in my ear on a daily basis. A little off the subject, but you can see my shaved head a little in this picture! It's really not that bad.

Home Sweet Home

I was so happy to finally be home.

I was able to be awake when we were driving home so I could give mom directions back to my apartment. I didn't lose my appetite. On the way home, we stopped over at Wendy's for dinner. I got my kid's meal, of course. The next day, Jason brought us Oregano's for lunch. It was wonderful.

I actually didn't feel that bad on Friday. I wasn't too dizzy at that time, and my ear wasn't in pain. We got some pictures of my bandages. I have a cotton sticking out of my ear, and bandage wrapped around my left arm where they got the vein out, and a bandage around my right hand, where my IV was. I also had my ID tag on.

We took out the cotton in my ear, and it had some blood on it. It feels like every time I get out of bed my ear drains fluid. It's normal to bleed for a few days.

I have a nice bruise where my IV was placed in my hand. It is swollen, too. No wonder it hurt so bad.

I haven't taken off the bandage on my left arm yet, but I can after today. I had to keep in on so the steri-strips won't come off while I'm asleep.

I'm allowed to take a shower today! I'm pretty nasty and greasy. I hope I'll be able to handle it today. I've been feeling extra dizzy these last 2 days.

Friday night, I was feeling really good. (By the way, when I got home Friday, Jason had flowers delivered to my apartment. They were so beautiful. My mom put them in my room, and the room smelt so good!) That night, I called all my family and friends to let them know how I was doing post-surgery, but Saturday, I think I did too much. Curtis came over on Saturday morning to see how I was doing, and I'd say I was feeling good then. (He was so great and brought me red gerber flowers and a card.) I stayed up most of Saturday and watched a movie and then played canasta with Jason and mom. Sunday, I felt really dizzy most of the day and didn't want to do much. I was having a hard time even with talking to friends on the phone. Jamie stopped by to see me, and that was nice. But by 6 pm, I was asleep for the night. I didn't get up until 1:30 pm today (Monday). Again, I am not feeling well. I am really dizzy. I am not in the mood to do much of anything. I'm seriously writing in this blog so my sister won't yell at me again...but I'm feeling pretty yucky. I hope it all makes sense in the end. I'm nervous I won't be able to drive tomorrow to take my mom to the airport. At this rate, I won't be doing much this week. I am getting tired of sleeping and not being able to hear. When I sleep, I'm blocking my good ear, so I really can't hear now. I wish I could do more, but even watching tv today has made me dizzy. Mom has left me alone at this moment to go on a gelato run. I'm going to try to get her just as addicted as I am! I'm excited for her to bring home banana/pineapple/chocolate oreo gelato!

Last Minute Pics After Surgery

Mom took some great pictures for Cara...hopefully she won't pass out before she gets a chance to see I updated the blog!

There are some pictures of my IV, my hair dangling down off the bed, a drop of fluid about to drip, and my final photo in the hospital recovery room.

Oh, I forgot to tell you all...the doctor came in to tell my mom the surgery went perfectly. I had 100% hearing in the operating room.

I currently am unable to hear because my middle ear is filled with guaze. It will dissolved within a couple of weeks. My doctor's appointment will be July 30th. At that time, I'm going to be hearing and so happy I had this surgery!

In the Meantime...

While I was being operated on, mom was exploring the hospital. She found some cute places to visit. Too bad Tanner and Mia weren't here to see them with Nana!

My Head's Getting Shaved!

Here are some close-ups of my shaved head and tattooed ear!

I felt them shaving my head in the operating room, but I didn't really think twice about it at that time. The next thing I knew, I was asleep, and then a few minutes later I heard talking again. I thought I'd be taking the hearing test pretty soon, but before I knew it, I was in the recovery room.

In the last two pictures, you can see the bandage on my left arm from the vein extraction. Lightly touching that area is a bit tender. My ear really didn't hurt that bad. I ranked it about a 3-4 on the pain scale. What bothered me most was the fact that I couldn't move. I had to lay on my right side for 4 hours. It was so confining and claustrophobic! I was getting really antsy. My couldn't stop moving my feet. I was also uncomfortable the whole time because I continuously needed to go to the bathroom. I had fluids being pumped up in me all morning. By the time I left the hospital, let's just say, I became a bedpan pro!

Cori's Stapedectomy Day!

On July 11, 2008, I had my second surgery...a stapedectomy! I was diagnosed earlier this year with Otosclerosis and was told this is the procedure to have.

I lost my hearing in my left ear due to calcium build-up on my stapes bone. A stapedectomy is a surgery where they go in through the tympanic membrane and use a laser to take out the stapes bone (the smallest bone in the body) and place a prosthetic device in its place. On one side of the device, they use a piece of my forearm vein to bind it to the footplate of the bone still attached to the cochlea. The other side of the device is twisted around the incus bone tightly. The calcium will continue to build up, but it isn't able to bind to the material the prostheses is made out of...titanium. Don't worry, I found out I still can go through metal detectors and be scanned by MRIs.

My mom was able to fly down to Arizona on Wednesday to come be with me during my surgery. She did a great job of documenting the day.

My surgery day started out with me not hearing my alarm go off to get ready to be at the hospital by 5:45 am. What woke me up was my mom getting up....thank goodness for her! At 5 am I woke up to quickly take a shower and get dressed for the procedure at Banner Desert. We left my place at 5:45 am...oops! It was fine...they usually give you plenty of time to get there late/on time!

We got all checked in, and mom got her usual great compliment that she couldn't be my mother...she's way too young! Then we went up to the waiting room. I was told to go change into my gown, socks, and head cover. Then I was to wait for my doctors and nurses to get me all set up for the surgery. I got my first IV in my hand. It had to be the most painful part of the whole procedure. It didn't feel too comfortable. Then I met my anesthesiologist. She talked to us a short while before Dr. Fucci came in to visit with us. I have to admit I was getting more nervous around this time. I teared up a little bit with my mom. Dr. Fucci is my surgeon. He asked me which ear I was getting worked and marked it with a permanent marker "YES." He reviewed the procedure with me and then took off.

Mom took these pictures before I rolled away to the operating room.

Within the next few minutes, I was in the operating room. The room appeared to be a large cluttered room. I didn't even know if there was room enough for my bed to be in there. I heard some talking for a little while, and then the next thing I know...