Ears

Anna-Kate has a bad history of ear and hearing problems. As a newborn, she failed her hearing test multiple times (evidently, c-section babies don't get "squished" and all of the fluid doesn't drain out of their ears).

ANYway. If you'll recall, {back at Kaiser. Urgh. I so thought that statement would be done by now.} Anna-Kate failed her hearing test at her 4 year well-child. She went back in for a recheck and the nurse chalked up her not saying when she heard a beep to be shy (yes, she cleared her for "shyness"). She had an ear infection early this fall but the ear wax was so bad that the doctor couldn't even see her eardrum, he could just see redness. We went in for a follow up to remove the ear wax and allhellbrokeloose as they shot pressurized water into her ear, which dislodged some wax, but then shot water directly onto her ear drum (I have chills just thinking about it. It was horrible). I was supposed to take her back in for a follow up, but she was so traumatized, I just waited until we switched back to our old pediatrician.

Fast forward to two weeks ago. I took Anna-Kate in for an infected splinter on her foot (I know, it's random--it was black and raised off of her foot) and while there had the doctor check her ears, just for kicks. She was alarmed at the amount of ear wax, got some out with a pick thing, about hit the roof when I told her that she'd been passed for hearing because of shyness and did another hearing test. Which she failed. Utterly. I left with instructions to clean her ear every night with 1/2 peroxide/water mix and come back for a re-check (and if she failed that we had to go to an ENT for a complete audiology work up). Today was the day. I felt fairly confident we were doing well and got there ready for a quick hearing test and then off to school. The appointment was at 8:40, we left at 10:15--to say it was a long morning would be an understatement. In fact, in Anna-Kates' words, "I've had a very rough morning".

She looked in the ear and found more junk. She tried to clean it out but it was too pressed in. She failed the hearing test (both kinds. She only heard the beep on the loudest time). My doctor said she needed to go on to the ENT as she was basically not hearing out of her right ear. However, she suggested fully cleaning it out and trying one more time. They didn't use the pressurized water, but like a water bottle thing. However, Anna-Kate flipped out when she saw them walk in with it and her water in her ear (she totally thought it was going to hurt like the last time). I'm talking it took me and another nurse to hold her down and she was still struggling. Her face has broken blood vessels around her cheeks and eyes because she was crying so hard and so long. She screamed like someone was torturing her. It was horrible. I cried. The boys both sat there still (amazingly) staring wide eyed at their poor sister. Random little pieces and four chunks (about the size of half of a dime)came out(about 25 minutes to get it all).

I got out of her afterwards that she was more scared than hurt. Coulda fooled me! However, praise the Lord, when the doctor checked her ears again (that would be the fourth time in 2 weeks) she has perfect hearing! Now, I evidently have to clean her ears with peroxide/water every other night indefinitely. {Yippee}. Though, if we can avoid ever having to do that again, I'll call it a success.

{Though she knocked the pan catching the "goodies" and I was covered--knees down--in peroxide and ear wax. Ewww.}