For practically every summer since I was born, I’ve come down with some form of ear infection — Swimmer’s Ear, otitis media, and a ruptured eardrum. All have been, dare I say, instrumental in my personal growth…..
I remember when I was a little kid, and I came down with Swimmer’s Ear (or an infection of the ear canal) at the same time that my darling sister did. We were crying and begging Mom to just hurry up and take us to the doctor. I remember lying down in the van, curled up, and just hoping sleep would help the pain go away. Mom went inside to fill the prescription, and that 15 minutes while she was gone was one of the longest of my life.
The dull throbbing and the subsequent pain that shot through the right side of my head. The ache that went down my jawbone.
I have probably never been as glad as I was at the moment Mom got back with a handful of white pharmacy bags laden down with various forms of eardrops, antibiotics, and, naturally, the prescription pamphlets.
I sat up, and looked at my mother lovingly, “Sweet mother, thee who delivered me on this earth, thou art my savior.”
Then I thought, ‘Enough mollycoddling.’
“MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Eardrops!!!”
Each summer since then, I keep hoping that maybe, just once, my ear won’t hurt. And each summer since then, I keep thinking, “Guess it isn’t going to be this year. Maybe next year.”
Yup, you got it. I’ve got my annual Swimmer’s Ear.
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