After many delays, I finally got this going and finished classroom.
I just returned from my confined dive class and unfortunately I had to cut it short. I just could not equalize. I didn't really feel a pressure gradient as I descended but what I did feel was pain. At a certain depth there was pain and the only thing that would remedy that was ascending.
I was using Valsalva the entire way down but I felt it did nothing for me at any depth. I did not see any change or release in any pressure/pain, no pops, clicks, ear opening, etc like I get when I move my jaw or yanw or swallow. I tried pinching my nose and swallowing but that only helped my right ear a little; I felt some air escaping very slowly with each swallow but it was taking a long time to have a meaningful effect and I was holding everyone up.
I also felt a lot of pain ascending as my ears opened up. These were dives to about 10ft and after a few of them I called it quits. I'm back home now and my ears open and pop and click just fine, although my left ear feels a bit stuffed. I hope I didn't cause any damage
Not sure how to proceed from here. I have to re-try the pool dive before going to the ocean dives but I'm not a fan of group lessons and didn't feel like the concepts where internalized on my part.