A Visit to the Otorhinolaryngologist

    Have you visited your otorhinolaryngologist lately? 

    You know, your Ear/Nose/Throat (ENT) physician?

     When I saw my dentist a couple of weeks ago, he was a bit concerned about the tissue surrounding the skin graft on the roof of my mouth.  He thought that the color had changed, and that something might be wrong.  He recommended that I make an appointment with my otorhino-laryngologist, my ENT doctor.

     So, today was the appointment.  I had a benign tumor removed from a salivary gland on the roof of my mouth back in 1993.  It is hard to believe that this was 17 years ago! 

     Since that time, the ENT who performed the surgery and took care of all follow-up visits retired.  I'm thankful that after a year or two of full retirement, he decided to come back and work one or two days a week. 

     It was good to know that, in his opinion, nothing has changed with the roof of my mouth. 

    Whew!

    He also told me that over the years since my initial surgery and skin graft, research has shown that the type of tumor I had has just about a zero chance of coming back ever again.  Good news!

     But while I was there visiting with him, I asked him about my apparent reduced hearing.  I'm just not hearing as well as I should be for my age, especially since I don't generally participate in the types of behaviors that cause a loss of hearing.

     While very intently watching movies on television, I'm the one who needs to have the volume turned up.  Even with that, sometimes I still can't discern what some of the phrases or singing is. 

     If there is any background noise at all, like a quiet fan or any water running in a faucet, etc., I just can't hear someone speak to me unless he or she comes right into the room with me and speaks very directly to me.

     So, now I have an appointment with an audiologist in a couple of weeks.  Maybe I'll get some answers after participating in a couple of hearing tests there.  Then, it will be back to my otorhinolaryngologist, to find out if there is anything that can be done to help with my hearing...or lack thereof.

     I was at complete peace about my appointment this morning.  I was also at complete peace with God about the tumor when it was removed in 1993.  Sometime, I'll have to write a blog posting explaining that whole process.  It is an interesting story.

     But for now, I'll just be thankful that I have little to no chance of that tumor reappearing in my mouth.  That's a good thing!

---