Ear infections

I regularly get ear infections and I try my best to let them run their course without requiring medical intervention.  Unfortunately this time the preauricular sinus infection is severe.  It means that most of my face is swollen.  It's extremely painful and I'm really struggling with pain and tiredness.


I've got some high dose antibiotics and I'm taking what painkillers I can.  However due to the swelling I'm not managing to sleep because I can't have pressure anywhere near my face/ears.  


It's definitely impacting the way in which I can care.  I appear to be almost completely deaf rather than just hard of hearing.  The infection is on the side I have marginally better hearing so there's nothing I can do but lipread.  Although to be honest because of masks I'm finding I haven't a clue what is going on.  


I've discovered that I can't understand what is needed in the same way as when I'm 100%, I'm getting more and more things wrong hich isn't helping my confidence.  In the home I'm managing to lipread but I'm finding those who don't like me looking at them means I haven't a clue what is going on.   


I'm tired due to the lack of sleep and thus behind on all the essential as well as non essential chores. I don't have the energy to catch up so it's going to be a while aka weeks before I catch up.  


Knowing I'm behind makes me feel as though I'm failing and not being able to give my body time to heal isn't helping and the infection is lasting longer than it ever has before.


Thankfully as long as infection control is maintained it can't be spread to anyone else.  Because I do have infectious pus leaking from my ear I have to make sure hands are washed, sanitized and gloves are worn whereever possible.  I need to be running the washing machine on a clean cycle to prevent contamination that way too.  

It's really hard to maintain everything when you feel so ill and as a result things are not as good as they should be.  Nobody really realises the consequences of when carers become ill and I suspect this blog post won't do it justice either because I'm not functioning well enough to make it make sense.





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