What??? Surgery?? What??

I wish I was here to report that I was going under the knife to get that coveted post pregnancy tummy tuck and boob job but it's not nearly that exciting.

If you know me well...or have been in a conversation with me lately in a noisy place than you have heard me say "What?" and then I probably refer to “my good ear and my bad ear”. Stand on my left side and we are all good, stand on my right and it's a crap shoot whether or not I can hear what you're talking about... and on occasion I might use this to my advantage just so I can claim "oh I didn't hear you tell me no, Zach". It's not really as bad as I make it out to be but with any background noise, hearing a whisper is almost impossible.

2 years ago I went to an ENT and discovered I had Otosclerosis, a condition in which spongy bone has hardened around the base of the stapes- the innermost bone in the ear. If the stapes is fixed in position (my condition), rather than being normally mobile, then a conductive hearing loss results. In 2009 it was minor and the Dr. said we would not need surgery or a hearing aid since my other ear is perfect and that ear wasn’t too bad. Then after I had Austin I noticed it was worse. So just in case you thought pregnancy only made your waist change you are sorely mistaken. It also can change your hearing, vision, shoe size, hair, skin, and the most common....it gives you a body straight out of Nation Geographic saggy skin edition. BUMMER! Good thing I have 14lbs of cuteness at home that makes everything worth it.

This is a picture of the inner ear....the tan area is where I will have the procedure.

In light of noticing additional hearing loss, I went to a specialist and they confirmed that the Otosclerosis has gotten much worse and surgery is the best option and the “do nothing” approach that we originally opted for is no longer desirable….for me or Zach since I am constantly saying WHAT? WHAT?? Not to mention he hears the baby monitor long before I do if I am sleeping on my “good ear”. So this surgery is going to improve my hearing thus improving Zach’s sleep. This coming Monday I am having a procedure called a Stapendectomy where they go in and place a micro prosthesis (see picture below) in my inner ear that makes up for the hearing loss and will be a permanent fix. A stapedectomy does not require any incisions on the outside of the body, as the entire procedure is performed through the ear canal.

The tan bone is the Stape and the Christmas Ornament hanger looking thingamajig is the micro prosthesis.

I was totally cool with the procedure until I did what any inquiring mind would do...I googled it. After hours of internet research, I am officially scared to death that next Tuesday I will be deaf, paralized, or dead....yup I am worried that an outpatient surgery might kick my bucket. Wow thanks INTERNET. Oh but there is ONE silver lining, it's free thank to Austin! We met all of our deductibles this year with the delivery so this surgery is on the house.

All kidding aside, prayers are welcomed and appreciated. Going into the week of Thanksgiving I have to say I am thankful for science and medicine. I am thankful for Dr. John J.Shea Jr. for inventing something so tiny that goes inside my head and allows me to hear my little boy whisper his prayers at night and deliver his Valedictorian speech at Ole Miss in 2034. I am thankful for my wonderful husband that is going to be there with me through the entire thing and thankful he hasn't divorced me for how many times I have said "what". I am thankful for Mom and Dad for being amazing grandparents to Austin and taking care of him while I am out of town and for Mom's generous heart. She is staying at my house to care for the baby 'round-the-clock while I recover and Zach works since I am forbidden to lift anything (which includes my sweet baby boy) for 2 weeks.

Please pray for the surgeon's steady hand and my tolerance of the pain and discomfort for the weeks following the surgery. And pray for my heart as it breaks everytime I want to pick up my sweet baby (12 billion times a day) and realized that I can't.

I'm sure gonna miss this :(