Sunday, August 7, 2022

To Q-Tip or not to Q-Tip


We all have those little bad habits that we do.  We know that we shouldn't but we do it anyway.  Mine is/was using Q-Tips to clean my ears.  I know I should not do this.  Everything I read about tells me it's not a good idea.  My doctor told me it wasn't good for me, but I kept doing it anyway.  I am a child of the 70's and 80's and, while not wanting to blame my environment, that's what you did with Q-Tips.  They did not have much use otherwise.  Yes, I know you can use them to apply stuff gently to your skin whether it be make up or ointment of some kind.  You can use them in craft projects, too.  But who does that?  My generation, and the ones that came before me...maybe a few after, were shown that Q-Tips were made to clean ears out with.  Plain and simple.

 One of the fun things about getting older is all of the different doctors you start to meet.  At least I say it's fun, anyway.  There are doctors for all kinds of things.  When I last saw my GP in June, I came away with referrals to three different doctors for three different things.  Oh, the joy!  One of those referrals sent me to my first ENT.  I have always had an issue with wax in my ears.  The left ear in particularly.  Several times when I have been to see a doctor, they have flushed out my ears.  This last visit, the nurse was unsuccessful in flushing my left ear out so off I go to the ENT.

The cleaning took about 30 minutes.  It was an odd sensation and although I won't go into great detail, but he finally pulled a piece of hard wax about the size of a small grape out of my left ear.  I felt immediate relief and could actually hear in stereo again.  It was actually pretty amazing.  And then comes the Q-Tip lecture.  I am not to use them to clean my ears.  I need to flush them regularly and use peroxide to soften the wax when I start to feel any build up.  I will try.


We keep a container of Q-Tips in our bedroom.  Now, they are there taunting me.  Every time I walk by them, I want to take one out and stick it in my ear.  It's so hard not to do that.  It's like someone on a diet walking by the cookie jar constantly and not taking anything.  It's almost like they call to me whenever I walk by. "Hey Bob!  We're here for you!  Take one of us out and put us to use.  It won't be so bad.  You know you want to!"  And it's hard not to listen to them.  I really want to, but so far i have not.  I won't say it's as bad as quitting smoking, but it's right up here LOL


I suppose I need to find a craft project to use them on.  Maybe?  We shall see.  So ends today's episode of Escapades in Adulting.

That is all.

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