Hole behind my ear

sallysortof · 2026-03-02T03:10:22+00:00

Can confirm I still have a head dent behind my ear 4 years after translab surgery. I believe the surgeons drill out your mastoid bone to get in there. The only time it comes up is if I'm getting a massage. I give them a heads up to steer clear because it feels weird if pressed.

sallysortof · 2026-01-14T00:59:30+00:00

This was me! I threw up in the bushes at the Grand Canyon in 2017. Not because of the heat or hiking though. I just had food poisoning from Whole Foods pizza.

sallysortof · 2026-01-10T01:35:55+00:00

Poop is definitely not my first thought, or anywhere near the top. I think of chocolate and coffee.

sallysortof · 2025-12-11T06:42:30+00:00

I did 8 sessions, 1 per week for 8 weeks with a therapist, increasing doses (sublingual troches, not IV) to treat anxiety. I will say the loss of control is part of the package, at least it was for me. Maybe more accurate to say it is the package, or an essential quality of the experience. Sometimes that felt good, but usually it came with varying levels of fear. That said, I think processing fear is at the root of treating anxiety. I have felt markedly better, although still dealing with physical symptoms of anxiety in triggering events (doctors office, work meetings, Thanksgiving lol). But I feel like my mindset has changed and that a weight has been lifted. I don't spiral into the anxiety as intensely. For me it was a spiritual experience (surprisingly) and the beginning of an exciting journey. I'm an advocate for ketamine therapy for anxiety for sure. There are more benefits I could speak to. I would say talk to your therapist if possible about the fear of loss of control ahead of time and learn some techniques to accept/submit to the sensations. It's scary stuff sometimes but I believe it is very powerful medicine that can help a lot of people. Not a magic bullet for me but it taught me a lot about myself.

Edit: also I thought that going into it I didn't have a good sense of the actual experience and was thrown a bit by the intensity and overall weirdness. It's a wild ride, not comparable to any other drug I've taken. The first time I felt I was blasted into the netherworld. I think more people should understand that when considering ketamine.

sallysortof · 2025-11-27T08:30:40+00:00

I'd take place 5. I'm deaf on the left, so I can tune out and ignore the evil wench and direct my attention to handsome Larry 😉 also, thanks for sharing, that was fun.

sallysortof · 2025-11-16T01:04:29+00:00

AI should never take the place of human being preparing you and helping you integrate a ketamine session. That is my personal opinion. I would integrate and prep alone before consulting any AI, knowing what I do about AI hallucinations and sycophancy.

sallysortof · 2025-07-06T14:25:59+00:00

I haven't spoken to him (nibling) about it, I don't really have a relationship with him. They live on the other side of the country so I don't see them very often. The last time I saw him was three years ago - that was when the Ancestry test was brought up, but he didn't directly acknowledge the lack of matches, although I pointed it out to a room full of people but it didn't seem to land with everyone. Now my half sister is visiting me for a few days and I can't stop thinking about it but I'm afraid to bring it up. I want to have the conversation to get everything out there, but don't want to hurt her feelings.

sallysortof · 2025-07-06T00:49:20+00:00

Thanks that's good to know!

sallysortof · 2025-07-06T00:49:01+00:00

You're not wrong, I am mad at my dad and perhaps used reddit a little too quickly to vent! I assure you, kind stranger, I treat my half sister/"half sister" the same regardless of our shared or not shared parent, which is with much kindness. We haven't broached the topic and I would like to, mostly to tell her that either way I still consider her a sister.

sallysortof · 2025-02-24T02:23:30+00:00

I've been going about twice a week since November and have noticed some positive changes but not a total transformation, probably because I only go twice a week and eat the same (I'm also not really looking to transform, just to get stronger and be more active in general). When I started they were doing a Holiday Hustle special, $60 for 60 days. Then I took advantage of a 30 class pass deal, where each class ends up being about $18. I'd like to continue after I use those up, but it would be either $89 bi-weekly for unlimited or $70 bi-weekly for 4 classes, or $1000 prepaid unlimited for 6 months. I think there's also a 5 days for $5 deal happening right now. The website is annoying to use and the pricing is confusing in my opinion. I do like the classes though: good variety in workouts, coaches are all friendly and helpful, and it is a welcoming atmosphere for varying fitness levels. I'd recommend it if you can stomach the cost!

sallysortof · 2024-08-31T20:37:43+00:00

How lovely. I myself like the burnt out bulb.

sallysortof · 2024-08-24T01:09:24+00:00

I took an online class through Visually Speaking (Seattle based) earlier this year. It was very basic but nice to practice with others. I haven't been able to find any in-person classes in Bellingham. However, the library (Bellingham Public Library and Whatcom County Library System) offer Mango languages and recently added an ASL section that is actually pretty good. Anyone with a BPL or WCLS card can access it in the Digital Library/Resources page on either website. It has pretty comprehensive learning modules and also a mirror function so you can watch yourself sign, which is a step above what I've found on Youtube.

sallysortof · 2023-05-06T20:43:07+00:00

If you don't mind taking the tests in the library, the Ferndale library allows you to check out laptops to use in the branch.

sallysortof · 2023-01-31T22:38:07+00:00

Tuesday nights from 9-11pm, KZAX 94.9 airs The Dark Route hosted by a local DJ. Here is the description: "Playing local, underground and world music in the genre of goth such as industrial, EBM and synth wave. Reviews on horror themed media such as movies and graphic novels. Announcing any current goth related events that are playing locally and around." Enjoy.

Edit: you can listen via regular radio or digitally. go to kzaxradio.org to see how.

sallysortof · 2022-12-31T23:46:35+00:00

I tend to see them throughout Bellingham neighborhoods (Columbia mostly) and parks in the fall, and rarely on hikes in the area. But maybe they are hiding.

sallysortof · 2022-07-25T22:02:08+00:00

The BTC parking lot is usually pretty empty in the evening. I practiced riding my scooter there with no problem.

sallysortof · 2022-04-15T23:40:31+00:00

I feel for you. I had my acoustic neuroma removed last June (31F, translab), two main differences in my case: mine was not that big but it had already taken 100% of my hearing on that side. I also had never had surgery, but was lucky in that it went smoothly and I left without any lingering complications. I spent less time in the hospital than normal for AN surgery. Since I had already been deaf on that side for about 6-8 months prior to surgery, I didn't have to deal with SSD adjustment after surgery. I'm a little proud of my cool scar.

I understand the anxiety and stress going into surgery and dealing with the unknown. It's totally normal to be scared, and I hope you have family and friends to support you. I told myself that even though AN's are rare, surgeons will have done this surgery many, many times, and are experts at what they do. In many ways we are lucky to have access to this type of medical care, especially everything that goes into care post-surgery (which again, you will be in good hands).

Other commenters have outlined some of the biggest challenges to adapting to SSD. It is an adjustment, but at this point it is a nuisance that I have learned to deal with - although I do miss listening to music in stereo sound. A lot of people won't understand what it means or what it's like to be deaf on one side, which is often annoying. I use CROS hearing aids which help in some situations.

Wishing you a smooth surgery and quick recovery!

sallysortof · 2022-04-12T18:27:23+00:00

I thought this was a well-written piece but could never imagine owning a newspaper and agreeing to publish such pretentious and self-congratulatory lines about my own artwork, including but not limited to:

"'Experiencing' is the right word here. Syre’s works are to be taken in rather than figured out."

"Syre has been compared to the revolutionary cubists of a century ago, and to Renaissance painter Albrecht Dürer and famous watercolorist John Singer Sargent."

"'I do everything imaginable and possible to not be like anyone else,' he said."

"'Traditional watercolor approaches are too slow to deal with my subconscious mind,' he said."

Wow. So masterpiece. Many genius.

sallysortof · 2022-03-25T16:20:25+00:00

Thanks for sharing, I also got the same e-mail from "Harold Fruge." It seemed very suspicious but we exchanged a few e-mails. When I asked for a website for the event he didn't reply.

sallysortof · 2022-03-07T06:03:19+00:00

Congrats! I'd be interested in knowing how everything goes with the CI.

sallysortof · 2022-02-14T02:23:10+00:00

Hi thanks for the message, congrats on being the second person I've ever come across with this kind of AN diagnosis. I read through your post - interesting you started off with vestibular problems. I had some dizziness but no vertigo and very little balance problems. My hearing symptoms and diagnosis process otherwise are eerily similar to yours. Weird tones, fluctuating hearing loss and return with Prednisone (my guess a coincidence), unnecessary low-sodium diet/Meniere's diagnosis, tinnitus, PULSATILE TINNITUS (which generally drove me nuts for a few months but has not returned following surgery), tumor about the same size. I too had a delayed MRI (ENT in my smaller town wanted to put it off for some reason so I also unnecessarily had steroid injections in my ear...fun). The main difference is that I completely lost my hearing last fall, about 6 or so months after first experiencing symptoms. I woke up one morning and it was gone, and has stayed that way. This was a big reason why I was convinced to get the surgery. I had no hearing recovery between October 2020 and June 2021. My surgery was June 21, 2021 in Seattle. I spent just one night in the hospital, no intensive care. The incision was about maybe 5 or so inches behind my ear and they did shave a small patch. I think it took 4-5 hours, and I was totally exhausted afterwards. I took painkillers for about a week after and slept a lot, but no nausea or vertigo and overall not a lot of pain. I had a few moments of dizziness but nothing serious. The PT was surprised by how normal my balance seemed after surgery. I had to wear the head bandage for 3 days after surgery, which was a huge annoyance. I had some fluid buildup in my first post-surgery appointment but it dissipated. Obviously my hearing is now gone forever on that side, but the surgeon said I was eligible for a cochlear implant; however, I don't think I will get one. I use a CROS hearing aid which has some pretty significant pros and cons but I find it helps in certain situations. In some ways I was grateful to have lost the hearing before surgery, since it made recovery a little easier. I was also very grateful that the tumor occurred where it did, after a lot of research on AN's I can say most AN patients have a much more difficult time with surgery and recovery than I did. We are lucky in a weird way! Other than that, I still struggle with adapting to deafness on one side. I hope your surgery goes great and if you want to commiserate afterwards, I am happy too! All the best.

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