When I was a young girl I always had one ear that would stick out. No matter how I parted my hair, my ear stuck out beyond my hair. Like Mr. Potato head.
I'm not sure how old I was, maybe 10 years old. I remember my Mom taking me downtown to see this doctor. The minute, I walked in his office, I could smell the rubbing alcohol. From what I can recall, the doctor gave me 10 injections in each ear of novacaine or something along those lines. I screamed with each injection. It really was torture. I was screaming and crying as my Mom tried to comfort me. The doctor then surgically pinned my ears back. He took tissue off each ear to make my ears smaller. This was all done in his office. No day surgery with IV sedation. Not back then. It is hard to write this because I remember those injections to numb the pain. The injections were the worst part.
After he was done, he bandaged my head up in gauze. I'm not talking a little gauze. No. My whole head was wrapped up like I just had brain surgery. No piece of hair was showing. Just me and my head wrapped in a turban of white gauze.
I remember going home and the injections wearing off. It was unbearable pain. My ears were throbbing and nothing stopped the pain. I don't remember taking pain medication. I am not even sure if he gave my Mom anything to give me. I remember being in our basement, being held by my Mom as she rocked me. She was beside herself. I was inconsolable. The pain was just terrible. My Mom would rock me and try and comfort me but it didn't work. I needed some IM Demerol or something strong like that. I remember my Mom finally giving me some Irish Whiskey to sip. Irish household so Irish whiskey was in the cabinet. It did the trick. I fell asleep in my Moms arms. Come to think of it, maybe that is why as an adult I loved Irish coffee!
About a week or so later, I remember going with my family to our neighbors wedding. Seriously. There I was in a cute dress and my head wrapped in gauze. I have no idea what my parents were thinking. Clearly they could see my head was wrapped in gauze. You would think that one of them would have stayed home with me while my family went to the wedding and reception. But, no. I went. And, I was happy to go. I remember smiling and having a good time at the wedding and reception.
Can you imagine the horror on the Brides face when she saw me with my head wrapped up in a white turban. And, the guests. Talk about taking away from the Bride. Well that's what I did. I knew I looked different and stood out. But, I didn't care. It was as if I forgot I was walking around with my head wrapped in white gauze. I knew I had surgery. I knew I had a bandage (albeit a HUGE bandage) and I was ok with that. And so were my parents.
I know that is where I got my spunk. My confidence. My family never made me feel different. They encouraged me to go out and play. To make friends. To smile and laugh. To love life.
I'd love to reach out to the Bride to apologize some forty five years later about showing up at her wedding looking like a mummy to some extent. I know I took away from her special day. Knowing her and her family, they were good sports and said it was fine for me to attend. But, I still crack a smile when I remember the day I went to her wedding wearing a white turban. I so stuck out! I am smiling just recalling this. I'm sure I'm in her wedding album. Please forgive me!
Love that picture of you and mom. Gosh I remember that time so well. I always felt so bad for you and all you'd been through. It had always been such a helpless feeling to watch you in pain and not being able to do anything to help. I have always had this abundance of admiration for you at the amount of strength, spunk and humor you've always been able to show during difficult times like these.
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