One-week followup visit for the new hearing loss was today. Hearing test showed no improvement in the part with the beeps, but my speech recognition increased, from 12% to 44%. Ray thinks it’s because my brain is getting used to the difference; hard to say.

They gave me another steroid shot in the ear (which was about as much fun as the last one), and also recommended hyperbaric oxygen therapy — basically, they’re going to throw anything that might possibly work at this, and at this point I’m willing to try anything. However, there’s a question about whether the CI on the other side can handle the pressure, especially so soon after implantation; they’re calling AB to check that. Also, there are two places in the area where they can do the treatment: Inova Fair Oaks or Georgetown. Fair Oaks is way closer and more convenient, but apparently there’s only one person there who’s authorized by my medical insurance to run the chamber, and that person is on vacation this week, so since time is critical, I may have to go all the way to Georgetown. What a great freaking country the USA is! I may end up maxing out my sick time this year and going into unpaid leave because we have such a wonderful health care system.

I will say that all my medical practitioners have been great. They realize the seriousness of this and I feel like they’re doing everything they possibly can to help me. I just hope it’s enough.

Meanwhile, we visited parents in NJ this weekend. Long as whoever was speaking to me used my streaming microphone, I could understand them, so it was okay. But we took them out to dinner and brunch, and the noise in the restaurants was a bit exhausting for me. Noisy places are definitely still not fun.