I’m Sorry, I Can’t Hear You. Did You Say Gin For Breakfast?

On By SuzIn As blogged by Suz

I’ve been in a bit of a not-so-sunny mood lately; there’s several thoughts of why, but here are a few that I will share. I hope I don’t sound too whiney because I’ve not even had wine yet.

It was just last January that I blogged about my decent hearing and Coach’s lack of hearing. Well, I cursed myself.

HUH?

I can’t pin point the time because time has lost all meaning. And that’s not just because of the pandemic, it’s me, I no longer have concept of time. My hearing has drastically diminished. Even my husband who can’t hear anything has noticed. Also, lots of pressure in both of my ears and pain in my left jaw/ear when I open WIDE to eat my morning ‘nana.

Just looking at those hurts my jaw.

I noticed the jaw/ear pain around Christmas, but before we both came down with The Covid. Was the ear pressure there before? I don’t remember.

The Coach told me a few days ago: “Dang, you were snoring so bad last night I almost left the room.”

WHAT?
I’m not a snorer. But sure as heck the next night I woke myself up with a snore. A snort. Is a snort a singular snore? Well I did that twice.

WTH?

Add the ear pressure, not hearing, jaw pain with my never-ending tinnitus that seems to have ramped up, I finally went to the ENT.

The good news: I’m probably not going to die; he thinks I might have had an *infection that has lingered and built up all sorts of pressure. (Covid maybe? but that was more recent. Right?) And my deviated septum that I had repaired with I was 16, is still deviated.

WTH?

Yeah, he’s concerned that I can’t breathe out of my nose, but this is something I’ve dealt with all my life and I would gladly live with if the head/ear pressure could go away.

*I’ve heard of people having ear issues after flying and we flew to California in August. It makes me wonder if that was the start of my hearing issues? Again, no concept of time.

I was given audiometry test as well. (where you sit in a booth with a headset and you have to repeat words or press a button when you hear beeps) My hearing isn’t great, but not completely gone. My next concern was that the headset was so tight, I thought I would depart with brain damage.

I’m on steroids for two weeks (pray for Coach in case I get ‘roid rage) and the Dr. suggested I take Zyrtec nightly.

Nobody Invited Arthur-it-is

Remember the two incidents that happened in a short period of time involving my beloved left middle finger?

I’m no doctor even though I play one on my blog, but I do believe that finger has The Arthritis. There is a dull ache all the time and the knuckle is swollen.

Sometimes I open my mouth and my Mom pops out.

Mom, Aunt Trish and Uncle Jim swear by the Drunken Golden Raisins concoction for arthritis. 9 gin soaked raisins in the morning and all your dreams will come true your ailments dissipate.

When they showed up at my house for Thanksgiving in 2008 swearing that this concoction helped their malady, I could only shake my head and think: You funny, old people, just looking for another way to ingest alcohol.

Guess who is also a funny old person?

*Points arthritic finger to self*

You’re supposed to wait until the gin evaporates, but I was in a hurry and now I’m drunk.

Wish me luck!

Have you tried any -off-the-wall- type of health concoctions for yourself?

I’m going to be taking a blog break next week, so please don’t do anything fun.

XOXO

{EDITED TO ADD-Friday morning. My right ear is already showing improvement, so the steroids are working. I’m not sleeping well and my face is flushed/red, but I’m starting to hear again, so there’s that. I’m hoping I don’t feel murderous later though.}

34 thoughts on “I’m Sorry, I Can’t Hear You. Did You Say Gin For Breakfast?”

  1. Sorry to hear about your ear, jaw and nose issues but good that you’re seeing doctors who I hope will help you. I’ve never heard of the gin-soaked raisins cure for arthritis, but why the hell NOT? Beats Ben Gay all to hell. I have some arthritis in my hands too (welcome to Old Age) but it comes and goes. Hasn’t been too bad at all this winter. Now I’ve probably jinxed myself too. I’d better buy some gin and raisins.

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  2. Are you my twin?
    My hearing has been terrible lately, and I have noticed a slight hissing or whine that is omnipresent. That was definitely NOT here before, but I cannot pinpoint when I started to notice it.

    And…my right hand, the one that was holding my granddog’s leash when he spotted an Intruder Dog at the lake and decided to chase it off, thus DRAGGING ME FIFTY YARDS, has developed a painful arthritis in my thumb and little finger. Those were the two digits that got bent under and slightly dislocated. Now, whenever the weather is inclement, those joints hurt like hell.

    I am old and I simply cannot abide gin. (Long and entertaining college days story. Involving an elevator first and lots of throwing up later.)

    BTW–there are more than nine raisins evaporating in that photo. Just sayin’.

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    1. I might have over indulged in my gin raisins; hoping for a quicker cure. Once the raisins soak up all the gin, they eventually just taste like wet raisins.
      Also, I could never drink gin. It is on my no-go-list. Blech.

      I wonder if your hearing is from The Covid too? Do you have tinnitus? I’ve had that for many years, but it has been worse lately.

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      1. I did not have tinnitus; the hissing and whining in my ears is new, post-Covid. I was recently to my doctor, and she checked my ears and found them to be healthy. I was so hoping that there were ugly clots of hideous wax in there, but alas! not the case.

        Keep me posted on the gin-raisin medicinal treatment. I trust you to be unbiased and true. If it works for you, then–and only then–will I try it. The only thing I hate more than gin is raisins.

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  3. Bijoux

    Well, that sounds all sorts of unpleasant. I have thumb arthritis and I believe it started a few years ago after I slammed my car door onto my hand. Oddly enough, it disappeared over the summer and started again in November, so weather can affect it? LMK if the raisins help at all! Hope your jaw improves soon!

    My daughter got a planter’s wart on her foot at age 4 and we tried all sorts of concoctions (vinegar, banana peel, carpet tape). Nothing worked, including laser at dr office.

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    1. I think the colder weather does affect our joints. Yikes, closing your finger in the car door sounds traumatic and painful.

      Bummer about your daughters plantar’s wart. So, she still has it?

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  4. Gin soaked raisins? Do we really care if they cure anything? I’m in!
    But seriously, I’m sorry you’re feeling discomfort and hope the steroids do their job…. Preferably before they make you go on a killing spree.
    😉

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  5. Oh no. So sorry to hear this. You did make me laugh at your potential roid rage. I sure hope the doctor visit helps get to the bottom of this. It doesn’t sound fun.

    The only weird health concoction I ever tried was when breast feeding . . . so forever ago, I was instructed to put cabbage leaves on my breasts to deal with engorgement. I’m hoping the gin soaked raisin thing helps. My pinkies give me trouble – always swollen, and I never did anything to injure them or tick them off. Supposedly I don’t have arthritis but seeing a new doctor currently to see if he can figure it out.

    Will miss you next week, enjoy your break.

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    1. Cabbage leaves on your boobs. Sounds like an exotic movie. 😳

      You’ll have to keep us updated on your pinkies, that has been ongoing from what I remember. Maybe you should give the golden drunken raisins a shot?

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    1. I read this past year that the founder of The Texas Roadhouse (restaurant chain) had such bad tinnitus after his bout with covid that he took his own life. It was so debilitating for him. I’m thankful I’ve mostly gotten used to it, but if it went down a notch, I’d be much happier.
      I’ll keep you posted on the gin/raisin concoction.

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    1. Fruit is good.
      Something to do with the Juniper in the gin and the sulfur in the golden raisins is what is supposed to be the mixture that gives relief. I will share in a few weeks if it works for me.

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  10. Well WTF Suz?! I’m glad the steroids are working, that’s a good sign. I think the raisins just might be the cure for everything, I bet the booze soaked gummy bears would work too – If we stay half crocked all the time we just won’t care. Please don’t murder anyone this weekend!

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  11. Beth (A Moms Life)

    Ewwww…not sure I could eat gin soaked raisins but sometimes we will do anything for relief. I have arthritis in my thumbs and whenever it gets annoying I have a cream I put on it. Wonder if vodka soaked rains would work? I might be able to get those down!

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    1. The combination of the Juniper in the gin and the sulfur in the raisins is what is supposed to help. Actually, once the gin is evaporated, you can’t even taste it.

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  12. nicoleboyhouse

    OMG Suz, my grandma was given that advice about the gin-soaked raisins for arthritis too! Grandma was a teetotaler though, so no go.

    The hearing/ ear pressure thing sounds dreadful, I am glad the steroids are working (ROID RAGE!!) Whenever I fly, I always have a few hours after landing where my ears feel weird, and I cannot imagine LIVING THAT WAY. So so so glad the Roids are working and I hope you can just lift Coach up over your head and throw him to the ground, like a wrestler, when he says things about your snoring. (I kid, I kid).

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  14. I am so happy to read the update that the steroids are helping! Those drugs are like the two “voices” sitting on opposite shoulders – – – one is angelic telling us good things and doing good things for us. The other is of the devil with the harsh symptoms and attitude it gives. Long ago steroids gave me energy. Now they just give me weakness. I hate that part.
    I hope some of your hearing improves but darned infections do tend to mess with our being able to hear well.
    Did the doctor recommend a C-Pap machine by any chance? I “hate” wearing mine (Bill has one too) but it does help eliminate snoring and we get better sleep. However you are so much younger and should not have to deal with these aging issues!
    The good news is we are still above ground!

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    1. I’m making progress, although the sleepless nights might just do me in.
      No c-pap for me, I can’t imagine having to add that to my ‘hard to fall asleep and stay comfortable’ issues. I’m glad it works for you guys though. I think the snoring has subsided already too; so the good news is I won’t need my own bedroom anytime soon.

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  15. Hi there, I’m coming late to the party with this comment. As someone who has had sinus issues for most of her adult life, I know that feeling of pain down in your jawline, pain while swallowing and that congested, I can’t hear thing. I am really wondering why on earth you weren’t given antibiotics for a sinus infection?? And if those steroids are prednisone, please don’t take them more than you need to. Are you taking a decongestant, too? It will help tremendously. My hearing got so bad with teaching, that I always had to see a student answer me so I could watch their mouth while they were talking. Then masks came along… Sigh. So, now that I’ve given you all kinds of medical advice and am not a dr. in any way, I do hope you are feeling better soon. “What?!?!” I said, I hope you are feeling better soon! -Jenn

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    1. Hi Jenn! I appreciate all of your advice.
      I don’t think he suspected a sinus infection; and to me, it didn’t feel like one of those as I’ve had them in the past.
      I am on prednisone; he had me taking 3 a day for 7 days, then going down to 2 for another 7 days. After 4 days I’ve had to wean myself down to 2; the sleeplessness is gonna do me in.
      My sinus/stuffiy issues are way better right now; still feeling a bit cloudy with the hearing, but I can kind of see the light at the end of the tunnel. Or else, I’m just getting used to it. *sigh*
      I can’t imagine teaching and having hearing issues. WOW. You are a superhero!
      Take care.

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  17. Pingback: I Should Have Asked: Do You Offer A Multi-Visit Discount? And Not Everything Gets Better With Age. – Busy Bee Suz

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