Patient Testimonial: Ronnie -Tympanoplasty & Mastoidectomy
Ronnie had been experiencing multiple ear infections and eczema in the ear for several years. Ronnie had always felt there was cotton stuck in his ear. His ear infections, pain, and swelling continued to reoccur. After multiple visits to the emergency room, urgent care, and other ENT offices no one was able to diagnose Ronnie. Ronnie knew there was something wrong with his reoccurring ear infections and says,
“I pretty much kind of convinced myself that maybe there is not, but I kept getting ear infections.”
After visiting Dr. Voelker, she was able to diagnose Ronnie and found pieces of cotton stuck in his ear. In his diagnosis, Dr. Voelker discovered his eardrum was damaged due to multiple erosions in the ear. After being diagnosed Ronnie says,
“I can’t believe I had gone to 3 ENTs and several urgent cares… I don’t understand why they couldn’t question, ‘Why is his ear swollen shut?'”
Ronnie always knew there was something wrong with his ear. He felt relieved and hopeful after his diagnosis. He was quickly scheduled for surgery for a Mastoidectomy and Tympanoplasty. A mastoidectomy is a procedure to remove infections or growths in the mastoid bone. A Tympanoplasty is a procedure to repair a hole in the eardrum.
When asked about how Ronnie’s quality of life has improved since the surgery, he states,
“Since then… every day it’s getting better and better as far as I have no pain. The sensitivity and numbness is all going away. I have confidence that it’s all going to continue to get better. I still have a second surgery to restore the hearing.”
Ronnie is looking forward to his second surgery to restore his hearing. He feels confident his hearing will be restored. When asked who he would like to thank, he states he’s thankful for everyone at Providence. He says,
“I feel very human when I come here.”
Learn more about Ronnie’s story by listening to his Patient Testimonial.
