Perforated Eardrum Update

[yesdear20003]

would like to give a special thanks to mts 0628 , Starlet and DocVikingo for there helpful input ...
well i saw the worthless ENT.. today and things are really hopeless now , not only can i foreget about my OW cert... for at (least) 8 to 10 weeks ...

i am not allowed any where near the pool , cement pond , swimming hole until futher notice NICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

i just might as well shrivel up and die by the time i get this gaping hole fixed ...

The ENT says i have so much inflammation in there , he can not even see the edges of the perforation clearly , its going to take 2 weeks of ear drops twice daily then another week to i get in to see the ENT again then it will take about 7 more weeks to have the surgery and give it time to heal up and to have him give me a clean bill of health ...

which will put me somewhere in the neighborhood of early October or so , and here in milwaukee , WI the water is going to be awfully cold by then...

what am i supposed to do then , scuba dive in a indoor pool until spring ???????????

well i quess i am done ranting and raving now


thanks everyone

 

[luckydays]

Sorry about your ear. Be patient though. If you screw it up badly before it is fully healed you may be out of diving for longer than October, if not forever.

I got certified in Chicago last October and planned a mini trip tp Florida for dirt cheap in January. Then I just waited until spring time came. I used my time on SB and other sites to learn what I could about diving and gear so I was ready to dive and get the gear I needed when I wanted it.

Stay safe and listen to your doc. Or get a second opinion and see what that person says.

 

[CheddarChick]

Hey...the water isn't hard until late October.....So sorry to hear about your ear, but better safe then sorry...

 

[TSandM]

It's disappointing and frustrating to have to put this off. But, as has already been pointed out, you have an opportunity to get a huge leg up on the average OW student. Read everything you can about diving -- read the "Near Misses and Lessons Learned" threads here. Read about equipment (there's a ton of information here, good and bad). Get your written materials for your class and go through them, or do your online classroom work.

If you are out of shape, now is the time to start a workout program. You can't swim, but you can run or use an elliptical trainer, to get your cardiovascular condition better. This will help with gas consumption when you begin to dive, and also will make surface swimming and gear hauling much easier on you.

We had a fellow here who got certified, but then had foot surgery before he could do any diving. He spent almost six months attending every free seminar in the area, and taking a couple of classes that didn't require actual diving (like critter ID classes) and just hanging around and being helpful for other classes so he could eavesdrop on what was taught. He learned a ton while he wasn't diving.

Life's dealt you a basket of lemons, so get busy making lemonade!

 

[mts0628]

would like to give a special thanks to mts 0628 , Starlet and DocVikingo for there helpful input ...
well i saw the worthless ENT.. today and things are really hopeless now , not only can i foreget about my OW cert... for at (least) 8 to 10 weeks ...

i am not allowed any where near the pool , cement pond , swimming hole until futher notice NICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

i just might as well shrivel up and die by the time i get this gaping hole fixed ...

The ENT says i have so much inflammation in there , he can not even see the edges of the perforation clearly , its going to take 2 weeks of ear drops twice daily then another week to i get in to see the ENT again then it will take about 7 more weeks to have the surgery and give it time to heal up and to have him give me a clean bill of health ...

which will put me somewhere in the neighborhood of early October or so , and here in milwaukee , WI the water is going to be awfully cold by then...

what am i supposed to do then , scuba dive in a indoor pool until spring ???????????

well i quess i am done ranting and raving now


thanks everyone

Hey Al:

Sorry to hear your news but I am glad that you got it. Silver lining: as you see and hear, diving is still a potential for you, and an even stronger one since you are going to heed the Physician's recommendations. Doing otherwise could have been disastrous and permanently barred you from a sport that you will no doubt come to love.

You are not the first person to suffer ear trauma and then want to dive, nor will you be the last. Your injury isn't the worst that could have happened but it isn't the simplest to manage either. And finally you got advise from former injured ear peeps (like me) and Physicians. While it's nice to get stories from similarly injured people, I always value a Physician's word even more because of their unbiased views, their education, and the fact that unlike patient's, they typically don't discard information to suit their (or your) needs. Oh, and true words of wisdom from a wonderfully sounding Physician (TSandM): "Life's dealt you a basket of lemons, so get busy making lemonade!"

Another good point: the longer you put off your diving, the more money you will save to buy the goodies you want when you do start diving! You think your ear was an inconvenience? Watch what scuba diving does to your wallet!

And finally, no need to shrivel up and die. Just get your ear fixed and keep us posted on your success.

Wishing you a speedy, healthy, and full recovery and with kindest regards,
Thomas