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as you may remember, i have what's called 'tinnitus' in my left ear (ringing in my ear). it was not very loud before surgery, enough to notice it, but not loud enough to be annoyed. well, after surgery, it sounded like a lawn mower for about 10 days, then it's been getting a bit better. now it just sounds like, uh, ringing in my ear.
BUT when i try to go to sleep...things change somehow. during the first 10 or 11 days, when i tried to fall asleep the ringing also included MUSIC. yep, music. as i lay there, with my eyes closed & my body medicated i would hear music. at first, it was classical music. i think i heard some chopin, the 1812 overture (complete with the loud drums), & various other classical songs that i've heard before. then i began to hear more contemporary music...even country, like the bonjo kind. then i heard african drums & chants. the last song? ABBA, dancing queen. it was on repeat for about 45 minutes before i finally fell asleep. (note: i do NOT like ABBA, much to my friend, judy's dismay, so i found abba the worst of all, even more so than the banjos!).
so what's going on? first, remember during this time, i was on some heavy pain meds! my thought is that the ringing in my ear was being interpreted by my brain, a brain that's not used to this noise & is tired & medicated...so while trying to figure the ringing out, my brain conjured up some music that i've come in contact with over the years. i ran this by my brother in law, the dude who knows a lot about psychology (as he is a therapist/psychologist) & he thinks my theory sounds fairy right on. my brain is trying to make sense of something & then spurts out a familiar thread: music.
my favorite? classical...come on, i was trying to fall asleep! the drums certainly weren't the best sleeping music, but were fairly entertaining to listen to...
now that the ringing has become less audible (read: no longer sounds like a lawn mower), when i'm trying to sleep, it sounds like there is water running. the first time i heard the water instead of music, i got up out of bed & checked the bathrooms upstairs (no water running). i then thought my mom was probably doing dishes or something of the sort downstairs. after 15 minutes, i was like 'why is the water still running?!' & then it hit me that with my new hearing loss, i would NOT be able to hear my mom running water downstairs, or pretty much hear anything going on downstairs, especially since i sleep with my right, fully hearing ear down on the pillow & then have another thin pillow over my head (i've always slept this way). so yea, DUH. so now i have to pee before i try to sleep...b/c water running = time to pee!
***
later today or this weekend, i plan to post a bit about the girls...it's been difficult to sit back & watch them play, grow, & be taken care of by someone else (even though that person is my mom & is an excellent care taker of not only the girls, but me...& my house!). so while observing the past week & a half, i have many stories to share. & a few pictures.
***
my hair cut went well! i just have to say that i love my hair stylist. i'm sure one of these days i'll get a pic up.
***
we just got word from a pediatrician appointment (my mom took amelia in while i napped!) that amelia is getting her molars in already...that's why she's been so very grumpy recently. this is going to be painful for the wee one.
BUT when i try to go to sleep...things change somehow. during the first 10 or 11 days, when i tried to fall asleep the ringing also included MUSIC. yep, music. as i lay there, with my eyes closed & my body medicated i would hear music. at first, it was classical music. i think i heard some chopin, the 1812 overture (complete with the loud drums), & various other classical songs that i've heard before. then i began to hear more contemporary music...even country, like the bonjo kind. then i heard african drums & chants. the last song? ABBA, dancing queen. it was on repeat for about 45 minutes before i finally fell asleep. (note: i do NOT like ABBA, much to my friend, judy's dismay, so i found abba the worst of all, even more so than the banjos!).
so what's going on? first, remember during this time, i was on some heavy pain meds! my thought is that the ringing in my ear was being interpreted by my brain, a brain that's not used to this noise & is tired & medicated...so while trying to figure the ringing out, my brain conjured up some music that i've come in contact with over the years. i ran this by my brother in law, the dude who knows a lot about psychology (as he is a therapist/psychologist) & he thinks my theory sounds fairy right on. my brain is trying to make sense of something & then spurts out a familiar thread: music.
my favorite? classical...come on, i was trying to fall asleep! the drums certainly weren't the best sleeping music, but were fairly entertaining to listen to...
now that the ringing has become less audible (read: no longer sounds like a lawn mower), when i'm trying to sleep, it sounds like there is water running. the first time i heard the water instead of music, i got up out of bed & checked the bathrooms upstairs (no water running). i then thought my mom was probably doing dishes or something of the sort downstairs. after 15 minutes, i was like 'why is the water still running?!' & then it hit me that with my new hearing loss, i would NOT be able to hear my mom running water downstairs, or pretty much hear anything going on downstairs, especially since i sleep with my right, fully hearing ear down on the pillow & then have another thin pillow over my head (i've always slept this way). so yea, DUH. so now i have to pee before i try to sleep...b/c water running = time to pee!
***
later today or this weekend, i plan to post a bit about the girls...it's been difficult to sit back & watch them play, grow, & be taken care of by someone else (even though that person is my mom & is an excellent care taker of not only the girls, but me...& my house!). so while observing the past week & a half, i have many stories to share. & a few pictures.
***
my hair cut went well! i just have to say that i love my hair stylist. i'm sure one of these days i'll get a pic up.
***
we just got word from a pediatrician appointment (my mom took amelia in while i napped!) that amelia is getting her molars in already...that's why she's been so very grumpy recently. this is going to be painful for the wee one.
4 comments:
The human body/brain is such a weird and amazing thing.
I'm curious to see what your stylist did ...
I am disappointed. ABBA. How could one not love ABBA?
The pork loin is a gettin ready to go on for the big event tomorrow.
MOLARS??? yikes. I don't even want to think about it.
this whole music thing has got to be one of the most fascinating things ive ever heard of!!
Isn't the brain strange? It heals in so many different ways, hard to believe that something that "small" can control something so "big". It's nice to read your posts and see that your sense of humor is well intact! I think of you almost every day, and it's good to hear that you continue to feel better. Maybe you'll get a little Def Leppard tonight - wouldn't that be a trip??
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