Ear Nose & Throat....

I was just thinking the other day that I should have become an Ear Nose & Throat doctor. When you think about how many people suffer from colds/flu/allergies......and all of those ailments affect those 3 areas. My family has a history of nasal issues. I'd have been set for life just from my family of patients! Well, I didnt become one so I will save that for another life.....until then, it looks like we will be making a visit to one for Evan. Evan is my middle child. This poor soul has been plagued with Ear infections since birth. At one point we almost had to conisder putting tubes into his ears. Luckily, they seemed to taper off after the last big infection in 2003. But he usually ends up with one every year. Yesterday he complained of a headache at dinner time. I gave him some Tylenol and let him skip dinner. Then I went to work. When I got home at 5:oo in the morning, he was in my bed and Denver said he was up all night with an earrache. At this point, it was obvious that his eardrum had ruptured....obvious from the steady stream of pus oozing out of his ear. Blech! So, I took him to the doctor today and after the doctor attempted to see the eardrum, which he could not do because of the aforementioned pus, he then turned his focus to Evan's tonsils. He continued mentioning how Large they were. Finally I asked if this was good thing or a bad thing since the marveling didnt come with any confirmation of good or bad. No, its not good. Oh. So it isnt normal? No. Ok. Well, what does that mean exactly? .... are you getting the sense that I am DRAGGING information out of him? What it comes down to is that #1) It is possible that they are large due to the ear infection and the sinus infection (I forgot to mention that one.....he has that too) and #2) Tonsils are not normally this large due to genetics....in otherwords bigger is not better and if they do not go down in size after 2 weeks on antibiotics, I will need to see a specialist. Enter Ear Nose & Throat doctor. What this translates to me, is that Evan will probably be getting his tonsils out down the road and also possible a skin graft on his ear drum. The doctor feels that Evans eardrum did not heal after the last rupture and that he has had a hole on his eardrum since that time. This would explain the continuous flow of pus and fluid and no relief from pain. Normally when a person has an ear infection and all that fluid is building up behind the drum, he/she is in a lot of pain. Then the drum bursts and the pressure is released and there is significant relief from the pain. This did not happen for Evan. He is in continuous pain. Not mild pain either. It is really sad to see him so miserable. Anyway, cant leave an open hole so, if it hasnt healed over in 2 to 3 weeks, skin graft. Good Times.