Bug-In-Ear Update

As I alluded to in my post last night, I had a bug fly into my ear.  No joking.  It flew straight into my ear.  As in, into my ear canal.  As in, into my head.  I had just gotten back from a good run…5.82 miles in 60:04, a little slower than I would have liked, but it felt great mentally and physically the entire time. Usually, when I get back from my runs, I take the dogs for a 10ish minute walk to cool down. 

We headed out, and did not even make it a block before a bug suddenly buzzes in my ear, and I realize with horror that it is inside of my ear!  I shake my head a few times trying to dislodge it, to no avail.  I freak out, and run back home, dragging the dogs behind me because they want their damn walk.  

I run inside the house in full fledged panic mode because I can feel it moving around, and it was the most bizarre, awful feeling ever, yelling to Nick for help.  He looks in my ear with a flash light, and can kind of see something, but it’s far in.  He tries to pull it out with a tweezers, but he can’t reach it.  By this time, it’s been in my ear for 10 minutes, and I’m sobbing because it hurts every time it moves.

I decide I need to go to the ER, but I recently switched insurance, and I have no idea what emergency room I need to go to.  Of course, I call my mom because that’s what I do in panic situations since mom makes everything better.  She tells me to calm down, and call the member service number on the back on my insurance card to find out where I need to go.

Since I’m such a hysterical wreak, lying on the floor crying, holding my ear, Nick calls for me.  Since it’s around 9:30pm, all of the GHC clinics are closed, and Urgent Care is no longer taking patients, so the helpline puts us through to a GHC nurse.  According to her, we are in luck because there are some home remedies we can try to get the bug out.  If they don’t work, then we can think about going to the ER, but first call her back if the bug doesn’t come out.  We are now 20 minutes into having a live bug in my ear, moving around the entire time.

Remedy #1:  If it’s a moth or moth type bug, or into a dark room and shine a light by my ear.  The light should draw the bug out.  Nick and I sit in the dark closet with a flashlight for 10 minutes.  Nothing emerges from my ear.

Trying to coax the little sucker out

Remedy #2:  Gently poor olive oil into ear canal, and lightly flush warm water into the ear with a turkey baster.  At this point, I’m lying on the bathroom floor while Nick essentially water boards me.  The bug ends up drowning, or suffocating, because it stops moving.  At this point, I’m much more calm because it’s not moving and causing me pain.  Nick and I are actually laughing quite a bit because it’s actually pretty funny, and here he is, pouring water into my ear with a turkey baster.'

Olive oil and water baste

After trying the olive oil/water flush for about 15 minutes, no bug has come out.  It’s no longer moving so I cannot feel it in there, so maybe it’s not in there?  It felt big though, and we saw nothing come out of my ear.

By now, the bug has been in my ear for almost an hour.  We call the nurse back for advice of what to do next.  The ER I would have had to go to was about 45 minutes from home, and it was already nearing 11pm.  The nurse said since the bug was not moving anymore, and was not causing me irritation, I could just go to sleep and make an appointment with my local clinic to get it removed.  If I was uncomfortable with that, I should head to the ER.

I decided I could deal with it for the rest of the night.  Not going to lie, I had some troubling falling asleep knowing there was a mother fucker dead bug inside of my head!!

I woke up this morning with an awful headache, and sore shoulders, neck, and ear.  My neck and shoulders hurt from clenching up every time the little bastard bug moved.  Luckily, I was able to get a 9am appointment at my local clinic to get it removed.  After having a night to sleep on it, all I could see in the situation this morning was humor, and a bit of disgust.  The nurse and I, and the doctor and I, joked and laughed about it a lot.  The doctor was able to just reach in with a tiny forecep to pull it out.  It took all of 30 seconds to get it out.  She showed it to me afterwards, and I wish I would have taken a picture. The bug resembled an earwig, but did not have pinchers.  Gross.

It was definitely gross, but I am glad it ended up being fairly easy to deal with.  It’s now almost 24 hours later, and my neck and shoulder and ear still hurt, but at least it’s over.

Hopefully, if any of you dear readers find yourselves with bugs in your ears, you will remember this post, and will take the necessary steps to get it out.  Actually, hopefully it never happens to anyone else ever!!