First, you must know that I went home for a short week to celebrate my friend, Devin's, wedding. It was a quick, but awesome trip. I got to hang out with family, meet my 3 best girls' boyfriends, see my pregnant friends, and eat American food (of course). OH, and be there for the 4th of July! yay!
Anywho, I arrived back in Japan on Sunday, and in much discomfort. During my flight from OKC to Houston, my ears never equalized. I think that I was slightly congested and it made the take off and descent uncomfortable. I had about 30 minutes to run across the Houston airport and connect for Tokyo. All the while I was chugging water, pinching my nose, and yawning. I even stopped to buy a pack of gum to try to get my ears to pop. None of it was working. Therefore, another painful take off and descent.
When Mason picked me up from the airport my hearing in my right ear was significantly muffled. I was tired, slightly grouchy, and every bit of irritated with my ears. I went home and went to bed, hoping things would ease up by morning.
Well the next day I went straight to work. Unfortunately, I did not experience any relief. So after the working day was through Mason and I went to a local ER. They examined me and told me that I would need to see a specialist the very next day (because by that hour, all offices were closed).
So another night of discomfort.
This brings us to today. Mason was a judge for the junior high Interactive Forum (you may remember me blogging about last year). Since he was judging, he needed the car to get out to the location. So I had to ask my nurse if someone from the school would take me to the specialist after I taught all of my classes for the day.
My vice principle volunteered to take me, and the time was set for 3:30.
Fast forward to seeing the doctor.
He sat me back in his fancy chair and took a look in my ears. There was this cool little computer screen where I could see what he was looking at. He explained that the ear drum was fine, but that the auditory tube behind it had air trapped in it that was causing the pressure. He agreed that the congestion made my ears unable to clear during the flight and that all of my discomfort was due to that, not infection.
Now, here is where the story gets interesting.
"I think the most important thing is to relieve this pressure. It has been two days like this. So I will use this (holds up long metal tool) to go through your nose, into your throat, to put some pressure on the middle ear tube that is connected behind the throat. Okay?"
I think I may have turned 3 shades lighter as images of Egyptian mummification documentaries flew through my mind.
"恐い!!!," I said (Scary!!/I'm scared!). The doctor laughed and said, "Your elementary kids can do it."
Oh okay, that doesn't make me feel any more brave. "The key is just to relax."
At that moment the nurse touched my ear with a camera and I jumped and squeaked like the kindergardener I am. Again, everyone laughed and then the proceeded with the treatment.
They did the left side first. It was quick and easy. I was surprised at how much my left ear needed to be relieved of pressure. The right ear had been so uncomfortable that it wasn't allowing me to notice how strained my left ear was. "Just like that, okay?" said the doctor and he continued with the right side.
Ugh. It. Was. Awful. The right ear, being worse, took longer to get to equalize. The longer I had to feel that long tool moving in my nose and throat the harder it was to stay relaxed. My cute vice principle was patting my shoulder and in her best English saying "relax, relax, relax."
It was not painful at all. But it was creepy. creepy. creepy.
I was still all nerved up and jumpy after it was over.
I am glad to say that I did experience some immediate relief. I was prescribed some congestion medicine and told to return for a check up on Friday.
When I go, I'll try to snap a picture of that torture device and add it on here.
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