Right: I am back.

Everything feels better (and thanks for asking, everyone).  Normal is so sweet.

Even when healthy, I get a lot of medical attention in January/February. Annual physical, semi-annual dentist visit, annual eye exam, annual mammogram (DO THIS, LADIES), annual everything seems to fall within the first weeks of the year. Being sick added four (4) more visits to doctors' offices.

I have shelled out a whole lot of copayments lately. It is getting old fast.

The newest medical professional to join my contact list is an otolaryngologist (spell check suggests "paleontologist." Spell check obviously didn't have the month I've had). After all other symptoms had finally subsided, my right ear remained stubbornly clogged. This made me dizzy, headachey, and even more cranky than usual.  The primary care doctor tried a few things and then sent me to the ear-nose-throat guy.

This fellow looked up my nose with a flashlight and didn't say "ew." He looked in my ears, and said my right eardrum looked "dull."  Dull!  And here I thought dermatology was probably the least interesting of the medical specialties.  Evidently a not-shiny eardrum is evidence of fluid behind it and why not check my hearing, just in case. 

Turns out I can hear grass grow.  "You have ears like a teenager," said my new favorite specialist.  None of my other parts fit that description any more, so I'll take the compliments where I can.

Hey.  I heard that.