Not Again

Ashley visited the ENT (Ear/Nose/Throat) doctor yesterday. She is a regular visitor there, but still continues to have ear infection after ear infection. The doctor has said her eustachian tubes, which in most children begin to slant down as they grow, never slanted down. So whenever she is sick with a cold or allergies, we can count on an ear infection to follow. To complicate things further, Ashley has a disease which causes tumors to form, and she has had many tumor-like growths in both ears. The doctor is classifying them as cholesteatomas, and he must surgically go in and remove the offending tissue. The trick is to do that without damaging the ear more or causing increased hearing loss.

Ashley has a profound hearing loss in her right ear, and a severe loss in her left. She does use the little bit of hearing that she has very well though. Unfortunately, the cholesteatoma is in her left ear.

Hopefully I will find out a surgery date later today, but geez louise, this kid deserves a break, don't you think?