Silence

I've said for years that if it came down to a choice between losing my hearing or losing my vision, I'd rather keep my vision.

It's not the choice everyone would make, I'm aware, but I've always been very visual. My hobbies are visual -- even my social life is 90% online, conversations read rather than spoken.

Still, I've been almost entirely deaf in my left ear for over a week now, and it's getting to be irritating. I'm almost done with the run of antibiotics my doctor gave me for the ear infection, but it still feels like my ear is full of cotton, or (probably more accurately) water.

Our usual seating arrangement in the living room puts Matt at my left. He's getting tired of having to repeat himself, but more than ever, he sounds like a Charlie Brown teacher. Wah-wa, wah wah wa wahwawa.

Dealing with more than one person at a time is a bit frustrating, too -- especially if someone in the group is soft-spoken. I spent a lot of Book Club last week trying to read lips and missing probably a quarter of what was being said.

I'm beginning to wonder if my ear is ever going to clear. Did the eardrum blow out entirely? I expect it has more to do with the notorious kink in my ear canal that makes it difficult for pressure to equalize. (You know that trick for airplanes where you hold your nose and blow to clear your ears? Has never worked for me. Not once. Occasionally it results in agonizing pain, but that's about it.)

So I'm beginning to suspect that more drastic measures will be needed. I'll be calling the ENT (ear/nose/throat) doctor today to make an appointment, and see what he can see.

Because yes, I'd take my vision over my hearing. But I'd much rather have both.