Rapid Growth Cholesteatoma - Surgery in August
History - I used to get ear infections and strep throat every 28 days like clockwork as a kid.
Had tonsils removed as an adult, turns out one of them had gone rogue and decided to grow into my throat. Had to be cut away with a cautery tool.
January 3rd, woke up with a massive ear ache. When I feel the ear ache, it means I have had an infection for a while.
Doc sends me home with penicillin, 14 days.
18 days later, left ear still killing me and I can no longer hear in that ear.
Augmentin this time, 14 days.
18 days later, back at doc, still can't hear, eardrum is clouded.
Moxifloxacin this time, 7 days worth and it works. However, on day 7, I suffered one of the black box side effects and to this day, I still have sensory nerve damage in my left hand and arm.
Ear still feels blocked, there is still some swelling.
Doc throws me on some steroids and gets me an ENT and Audiology referral.
Steroids help, but I somehow lost most of my sense of taste.
Audiology confirms I am functionally deaf in my left ear.
CT scan shows probable Cholesteatoma, with near total erosion of middle ear bones and significant damage to chorda tympani which explains loss of taste.
Subsequent MRI shows a growth consistent with Cholesteatoma roughly 32mm in diameter, along with total opacification of the right maxillary sinus.
Basically a 2 for 1 in the ENT world.
Surgery is set for August.
What sort of fun do I have to look forward to? How is recovery? I fly for work nearly weekly. Does the tinnitus go away? Can you ever taste food again?