Constantine surf report: "An offshore breath is blowing gently over those sunkissed wave tops this morning, helping to groom the three feet or so of swell into corduroy lines of reeling glass. Yep, it's a beauty one this morning, with a cloudless sky, the lightest easterly breeze and a steady three foot or so swell steadily rolling onto the recently re-modelled and re-shaped beaches."
Yep, I've done it again and looked up the surf report. It's sunny, offshore and I'm pretty sure I know of a fun sand bank that's less than 2 miles from here doing its thing! Surfer's ear sucks!!
Same again yesterday, throbbing ear with constant weird noise - oddly enough I can hear my pulse when all goes quiet. Slight improvement today and off to have my stitches out later.
Panicking slightly with last minute preparations for the Cornwall show next week. The Ollypop stand is not yet made, clothes not ready and we're not sure if we'll have enough staff for the 3 days! Joy.
Anyway, I'm off to do some more work. It's not sunny out there and the surf is rubbish.
Friday 29 May 2009
Wednesday 27 May 2009
7 days 'till the packing comes out...
Groundhog day again. Struggled to sleep and woke up with pain killers having worn off feeling like someone has sand papered my ear canal overnight! Still got the 'just stepped off a ferry' feeling so keeping dizzy spin outs to a minimum today by staying horizontal.
As the third time that surfing has put me on the operating table I've got to say that this takes the biscuit as the worst. The first time was when I had to have my sinuses drilled out following a blockage. Admittedly the pain up to the operation was quite intense and kept me out of the water as the sinus pressure from duck diving was like an axe in the forehead. But I remember that almost immediately after the op, the relief far outweighed the pain.
The second time under the knife was as a result of snapping my cruciate ligament in my knee. Out surfing at Trebarwith, I took off on a close-out, tried to pull out by smacking the lip on the way but came off worse. With my knee unnaturally bending backwards, I managed to hobble out of the surf to my car where upon my knee now resembled that of an elephant! I drove home, burnt my clutch out in the process unable to change gear properly, and ended up at A & E. Little did I know that I would be out of the water for 18 months. I ended up having key hole surgery with a slither of my hamstring being grafted into my knee to replace my cruciate ligament. Although painful immediately after the op, the pain was still nothing in comparison to what's going on in my lug hole right now.
So anyway, it's 7 days until the packing comes out of my ear which I'm very much looking forward to. It's getting quite itchy now and will be nice to hear in stereo again.
I caught a glimpse of the weather map on the news today. By the look of that decent low pressure system and high sorting itself out by the end of the week, there will be some happy surfers about with a decent swell and sunshine to boot.
Go forth and enjoy, just make sure you wear ear plugs!
As the third time that surfing has put me on the operating table I've got to say that this takes the biscuit as the worst. The first time was when I had to have my sinuses drilled out following a blockage. Admittedly the pain up to the operation was quite intense and kept me out of the water as the sinus pressure from duck diving was like an axe in the forehead. But I remember that almost immediately after the op, the relief far outweighed the pain.
The second time under the knife was as a result of snapping my cruciate ligament in my knee. Out surfing at Trebarwith, I took off on a close-out, tried to pull out by smacking the lip on the way but came off worse. With my knee unnaturally bending backwards, I managed to hobble out of the surf to my car where upon my knee now resembled that of an elephant! I drove home, burnt my clutch out in the process unable to change gear properly, and ended up at A & E. Little did I know that I would be out of the water for 18 months. I ended up having key hole surgery with a slither of my hamstring being grafted into my knee to replace my cruciate ligament. Although painful immediately after the op, the pain was still nothing in comparison to what's going on in my lug hole right now.
So anyway, it's 7 days until the packing comes out of my ear which I'm very much looking forward to. It's getting quite itchy now and will be nice to hear in stereo again.
I caught a glimpse of the weather map on the news today. By the look of that decent low pressure system and high sorting itself out by the end of the week, there will be some happy surfers about with a decent swell and sunshine to boot.
Go forth and enjoy, just make sure you wear ear plugs!
Tuesday 26 May 2009
Day 4 - Looking forward to stereo sound...
Yet another rubbish night's sleep and no real change today. Ear still throbbing, hearing in mono getting tedious and the world still spinning nicely. Had several spin outs yesterday and it seems I'm going to have to wait a while before I stop feeling like I've just stepped off a ferry.
Had some friends over last night and chanced a couple of Stellas which weirdly enough made me feel more balanced! Looking forward to my new found medicine tonight.
8 days left until I have the packing taken out of my ear, can't wait, it's going to be nice to hear in stereo again. Got my stag do a week after that which is gonna be tricky given the fact that we're doing a pub crawl in the Mumbles on stand up paddle boards! Rumours abound that my caring mates will protect my ear by cling filming my head - something to look forward to.
Managed to get some work done in between the bouts of apparent seasickness. Lots to do for the Cornwall show next week as we'll have the Ollypop stand there for the first time. New 'Kipper's Knickers' gear arriving by the end of the week hopefully.
Anyway, got another wave of dizziness coming on so I'll leave you with a nice shot of my throbbing lug hole taken on my phone this morning....
Had some friends over last night and chanced a couple of Stellas which weirdly enough made me feel more balanced! Looking forward to my new found medicine tonight.
8 days left until I have the packing taken out of my ear, can't wait, it's going to be nice to hear in stereo again. Got my stag do a week after that which is gonna be tricky given the fact that we're doing a pub crawl in the Mumbles on stand up paddle boards! Rumours abound that my caring mates will protect my ear by cling filming my head - something to look forward to.Managed to get some work done in between the bouts of apparent seasickness. Lots to do for the Cornwall show next week as we'll have the Ollypop stand there for the first time. New 'Kipper's Knickers' gear arriving by the end of the week hopefully.
Anyway, got another wave of dizziness coming on so I'll leave you with a nice shot of my throbbing lug hole taken on my phone this morning....
Monday 25 May 2009
Day 3 post drill - what's that oozing from my ear?!
Rubbish night's sleep, unable to sleep on my bad ear side, I'm having to adjust to sleeping on my left side which isn't my natural side so insomnia set in nicely last night! Nice and quiet when I'm lying down though, can't hear a thing apart from the low level ringing which is fast becoming my companion when all goes quiet.
I did finally get to sleep and woke up with aching sinus pain as well as the good old throbbing ear. My wife changed the dressing and was a little alarmed with the amount of blood and pussy looking liquid on the cotton wool. A quick call to the hospital confirmed that the puss was more likely to be the cream they stuffed in my ear with the dressing so hopefully it's not infected. They also said that with so much packing in the ear, sinuses are likely to be affected too - hence the sinus pain. Will try to take it easy today as I'm still a bit giddy on the feet with my balance seemingly affected too.
Anyway, out in the real world it seems I'm missing some decent sessions in the surf. It's about 3-4 ft today and by all accounts was pumping last night - note to self - stop checking the surf sites, especially Surfhog!
Also, the kind folk at surfplugs are going to sort me out with some decent moulded plugs when it's time to finally get back in the water. They look the mutts nuts (or should I say 'Kipper's Knickers'!) and they've got some pretty funky graphics too.
Pic left - Pretty sure my daughter is extracting the Micheal!
I did finally get to sleep and woke up with aching sinus pain as well as the good old throbbing ear. My wife changed the dressing and was a little alarmed with the amount of blood and pussy looking liquid on the cotton wool. A quick call to the hospital confirmed that the puss was more likely to be the cream they stuffed in my ear with the dressing so hopefully it's not infected. They also said that with so much packing in the ear, sinuses are likely to be affected too - hence the sinus pain. Will try to take it easy today as I'm still a bit giddy on the feet with my balance seemingly affected too.
Anyway, out in the real world it seems I'm missing some decent sessions in the surf. It's about 3-4 ft today and by all accounts was pumping last night - note to self - stop checking the surf sites, especially Surfhog!
Also, the kind folk at surfplugs are going to sort me out with some decent moulded plugs when it's time to finally get back in the water. They look the mutts nuts (or should I say 'Kipper's Knickers'!) and they've got some pretty funky graphics too.
Pic left - Pretty sure my daughter is extracting the Micheal!
Sunday 24 May 2009
Day 2 post op
Well it's a stunning day here today, clear blue and plenty of sun. I won't be out and about much though as my ear is still throbbing and I'm still a little half cut from the anaesthetic. Managed to sleep OK despite the constant white noise in my ear - it's a little like the noise you get from going to a really loud rock concert or night club - I feel like I've fallen asleep next to an amplifier! I guess it's to be expected after 2 hours of constant drilling next to my ear drum. I can see why they say there's the risk of deafness now.
Just had to change the cotton wool plugging on the outisde of my ear (has to be done 3 times a day) and nearly ripped out some of the padding in there - there's apparently 3 sections of gorse padding stuffed in my ear to aid the healing process and keep the ear canal open while it heals.
Anyway, life goes on and there are far worse things that people are suffering right now so all things considered I'm pretty lucky really!
I will try to update this blog regularly up to the day I get back in the water so that people can get an idea of the experience and hopefully learn from it by wearing ear plugs. I can't recommend them more, although I have tried almost all ear plugs and never found any that totally stop the water so if anyone has any suggestions lets have them. (I've tried blue tac - one of the best solutions, doc's pro-plugs - flushed with water despite trying different sizes, bees wax - fell apart in ear and had to go to A&E 3 times to have bits poked out and moulded ear plugs - up there with the blue tac but still lets some water in.)
Link - nasty surfer's ear story http://www.surfplugs.co.uk/
Just had to change the cotton wool plugging on the outisde of my ear (has to be done 3 times a day) and nearly ripped out some of the padding in there - there's apparently 3 sections of gorse padding stuffed in my ear to aid the healing process and keep the ear canal open while it heals.
Anyway, life goes on and there are far worse things that people are suffering right now so all things considered I'm pretty lucky really!
I will try to update this blog regularly up to the day I get back in the water so that people can get an idea of the experience and hopefully learn from it by wearing ear plugs. I can't recommend them more, although I have tried almost all ear plugs and never found any that totally stop the water so if anyone has any suggestions lets have them. (I've tried blue tac - one of the best solutions, doc's pro-plugs - flushed with water despite trying different sizes, bees wax - fell apart in ear and had to go to A&E 3 times to have bits poked out and moulded ear plugs - up there with the blue tac but still lets some water in.)
Link - nasty surfer's ear story http://www.surfplugs.co.uk/
Saturday 23 May 2009
Day of the drill!
Pics - Before (cacking it), just after (not loving life) and the finished article complete with packing and stitch. 
Yesterday, I had to face up to what has been one of my biggest fears for a while - the mighty drill in the lug hole!
It all started over 12 years ago when I first started surfing. As a younger bloke, I was too busy having fun in the water to worry about wearing ear plugs. I did countless cold winters, with no plugs and no hood, until my first ear infection. On close examination at the docs, it was confirmed that I had exostosis (tiny bony growths) growing in my ear canal, in other words surfer's ear. It happens as a result of the cold water and wind that we encounter while surfing. I was given antibiotics and told to plug up next time I went in the water.
But it took me 2 or 3 more infections before I realised that plugging up was actually a very sensible idea. Now some years later, despite regularly wearing plugs and a hat, I finally had to succumb to the experts advice and have my exostosis drilled out (by this time my right ear was over 90% closed over).
That was yesterday which all started rather scarily with a discussion with the surgeon and ENT specialist about what was going to happen. A drill would be used (not a chisel as I had been previously told) which alarmed me first of all since I had heard various horror stories about the drill. They told me that they may have to cut the back of my ear and peal it forwards like a banana skin for better access. And they told me the possible risks - deafness, infection, and terrifyingly facial paralysis (they drill very close to the facial nerve).
Then it was off to the ward where I had to wait amongst the other patients, the hum drum of the hospital only broken by the occasional gurgling sound from the poor guy next to me getting to grips with his tracheotomy.
It wasn't until the afternoon when I finally had to put my surgery gown on and head to theatre. Lying on my bed, I contemplated a last minute escape but barely had I hatched my pathetic plan, when I was wheeled away for my anaesthetic. I woke up two and a half hours later in a complete daze, with a throbbing ear and people in recovery trying to have a conversation with me.
The specialist told me it had gone well but she had struggled to get rid of all of the exostosis due to my narrow ear canal. The operation had been a bit longer than expected (2 hrs) and she also informed me that she'd checked out my left ear and with that being 70% covered over, would be recommending the drill for him too - whoopee! (Wish I'd worn ear plugs earlier- doh!)
I stayed overnight in hospital and was picked up by my loving wife in the morning. Which brings me to now, Saturday afternoon, still spaced out from the anaesthetic and ear throbbing nicely (although pain killers are doing a pretty good job considering). The good news is that they avoided my facial nerve and managed to do the job without pealing my entire ear off - only one stitch for me. The bad news is that the surf is looking good later on in the week and I'm going to have to forget about surfing for a month or two. Oh well, I managed a year and a half off when I snapped my cruciate ligament surfing at Trebarwith, so 2 months should be OK. Besides, things are looking busy with Ollypop so at least I won't have the distraction of surfing!
Links - http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2007/03/06/surfers_ear_feature.shtml
Recommended plugs - http://www.surfplugs.co.uk/index.html
It all started over 12 years ago when I first started surfing. As a younger bloke, I was too busy having fun in the water to worry about wearing ear plugs. I did countless cold winters, with no plugs and no hood, until my first ear infection. On close examination at the docs, it was confirmed that I had exostosis (tiny bony growths) growing in my ear canal, in other words surfer's ear. It happens as a result of the cold water and wind that we encounter while surfing. I was given antibiotics and told to plug up next time I went in the water.
But it took me 2 or 3 more infections before I realised that plugging up was actually a very sensible idea. Now some years later, despite regularly wearing plugs and a hat, I finally had to succumb to the experts advice and have my exostosis drilled out (by this time my right ear was over 90% closed over).
That was yesterday which all started rather scarily with a discussion with the surgeon and ENT specialist about what was going to happen. A drill would be used (not a chisel as I had been previously told) which alarmed me first of all since I had heard various horror stories about the drill. They told me that they may have to cut the back of my ear and peal it forwards like a banana skin for better access. And they told me the possible risks - deafness, infection, and terrifyingly facial paralysis (they drill very close to the facial nerve).
Then it was off to the ward where I had to wait amongst the other patients, the hum drum of the hospital only broken by the occasional gurgling sound from the poor guy next to me getting to grips with his tracheotomy.
It wasn't until the afternoon when I finally had to put my surgery gown on and head to theatre. Lying on my bed, I contemplated a last minute escape but barely had I hatched my pathetic plan, when I was wheeled away for my anaesthetic. I woke up two and a half hours later in a complete daze, with a throbbing ear and people in recovery trying to have a conversation with me.
The specialist told me it had gone well but she had struggled to get rid of all of the exostosis due to my narrow ear canal. The operation had been a bit longer than expected (2 hrs) and she also informed me that she'd checked out my left ear and with that being 70% covered over, would be recommending the drill for him too - whoopee! (Wish I'd worn ear plugs earlier- doh!)
I stayed overnight in hospital and was picked up by my loving wife in the morning. Which brings me to now, Saturday afternoon, still spaced out from the anaesthetic and ear throbbing nicely (although pain killers are doing a pretty good job considering). The good news is that they avoided my facial nerve and managed to do the job without pealing my entire ear off - only one stitch for me. The bad news is that the surf is looking good later on in the week and I'm going to have to forget about surfing for a month or two. Oh well, I managed a year and a half off when I snapped my cruciate ligament surfing at Trebarwith, so 2 months should be OK. Besides, things are looking busy with Ollypop so at least I won't have the distraction of surfing!
Links - http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2007/03/06/surfers_ear_feature.shtml
Recommended plugs - http://www.surfplugs.co.uk/index.html
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