Playing it by ear

When I told T I had a bleeding ear, she thought I was just being foul mouthed. Funny thing is, this time I actually meant it literally. As in 1 ear, bleeding.

It is true what you used to say, Mi. Most times we bring on our own troubles. We trigger them consciously, with no idea of the consequences. Obviously, because if we knew what would happen, we wouldn’t do it – or at least pause for a moment before we plunged into the pot of pain.

So anyway – here’s what I did. There’s a moral to the story.

I was cleaning the top of that chest of drawers. While dusting off a bright yellow container I was trying to figure out what I had put in it. One way to find out – and I opened it. There was a pack of ear buds. Recalling that I wanted to clean my ear, I pulled out 4 and closed the container and put it back. Later I settled down to gently clean my ear. I thought I was done, when I felt a slight block.

This was the point where I should have just let things be, but didn’t.

I just thought I’d remove that film that appeared to be blocking my ear. The moment it hurt, I stopped and carried on with the day. My ear hurt, but I expected that it would go away on its own. On Saturday morning, the pain was worse. I still expected it to diminish and to help it along, put a drop of warm coconut oil in it.

But did the pain stop? No. Nix. Nada!

Sunday was awful with the right side of my head and neck throbbing in pain. Each time I swallowed or laughed or turned or stretched, it was like someone was stabbing me afresh.

By the end of the day, after incessant nagging from Sury, I decided to see the doc first thing on Monday morning.

I went.

I confessed that I had tried to clean my ear.

He told me quite sweetly that I had done a great job of hurting my ear and that it has been bleeding inside, thanks to the wound being deep.

Ah, the gravity of the situation, you know. Pun intended.

Then I got a solid prescription that practically looks like it could be breakfast, lunch and dinner. I bugged him about what each one was for, and satisfied, asked him, hopefully, how soon I’d be okay. I thoughtfully added that I was diabetic.

To which he kindly replied that yes, it will take a few days if my sugar is under control, if not, more.

More. What a word.

Oh, there’s a punchline to this – remember the doc who visited your “roommate” when you were in hospital in 2007? Remember how we kept giggling at his running commentary. I saw the v same. Incidentally, I also took Vidur to him once, last year for something.

Then we met him at the Canara Union Navratri celebrations. What an energetic person!

Hmm. So that’s how I am playing it by ear. Right now, as my ear continues to throb in pain, my only wish is for Vidur to get well soon – he’s down with a cold, throat infection, cough and fever. And it is so cold there. How I wish I was around to cuddle him to wellness! It breaks my heart to think of him alone in his room, feeling sick.

I am consoling myself with the mantra: This too shall pass. It had better!

And now, I deserve a coffee.

Oh… I forgot about the moral of the story: and it is not “never clean your ear”. Rather, do not dig deep.

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