Deaf, here...

Several months ago I mentioned my ear problems and told you I'd keep you updated.

Last week I found out that yes, there is indeed a good chance I have a cholesteatoma and that I'll have to have surgury to have it removed. (If you're interested in the ugly details, the best explanation I've been able to find is here. Warning: It's kind of gross.)

The bad news is I'll have to go under the knife. The good news is that there is a good chance I'll be able to hear exponentially more than what I'm hearing in my right ear. I did another hearing test and found out, well, it's hard to explain because I have a hard time understanding medical talk. Basically, in my right ear, if a hundred decibals are going into it, I'm only able to hear 40 of those decibals. When you get down to 35 is when they suggest a hearing aid.

Here's what really sucks. When those sons of bitches grow they have a habit of infecting and damaging the bones that make up the inner ear. While the doctor is in there, if he sees major damage, he'll remove the bones. Regardless of whether or not the bones are damaged, the surgury is a two parter. Six months to a year after the removal of the thing is when they go back in and try to restructure my ear to restore hearing. During those six months my right ear hearing is likely to be almost nonexistent.

Please keep me in your prayers. I'm trying to get it done before Thanksgiving. I'm a little nervous but a lot excited. The thing about my hearing is that I've lost it over a long period of time, so it's hard for me to even notice it sometimes. My left ear has adapted to the point that it hears almost perfectly. And this is what makes me excited: There's a good chance that after the second surgury is finished is when I'll realize how bad my hearing has been.

And I've got a sermon for that just brewing in the back of my head.....

Later.