I had no idea how mutilated I might feel. In this photo you can see the incision snake all the way into the top of my ear canal:

All bandaged up in back, despite the absence of multiple stitches–ouch!

I was exhausted after this appointment. I didn’t learn a whole lot of new info other than my ear had been continually trying to heal my defunct eardrum resulting in calcium deposits and thick scar tissue plus a little skin growth. I still can’t hear very well, it’s really surprising. I fully expected for the doc to uncork my bandaged ear and viola! Perfect Ear. This was not the case. Yes, the ear drum looks great, but it’s still a battle zone. There’s still dried blood everywhere and my drum is still learning how to function. I have been up to my ears (ha ha) in antibiotic ointment–the coldest, tickliest, ear drops twice a day. I’ve found comfort in wearing a single cotton ball. It’s as if my ear is afraid to go out in public after 10 days of wrapped seclusion.
Yesterday I looked in the mirror and my right ear looked ghastly compared to my left ear. Suddenly I worried that when they removed cartilage from behind my ear they actually sewed me up wrong and made my right ear stick out more than my left. I am uneven! I expressed my panic to Josh and he reminded me that my ear was swollen.
I was instructed not to get my ear close to water–not even a drop! “Put a Dixie cup over your ear and have Josh help you,” is what the good doctor instructed. This was a miserable experience. Josh tried to turn our bathtub into some sort of salon, having me hang my head back like I was having my hair professionally washed. It was awkward and uncomfortable but I have to hand it to Josh, without him I would still have greasy hair.