Cheryl,
you absolutely do have my permission to print this off. The ear pain is definetely nerve related...live bone has nerve endings, and when exposed to air, they hurt. It is exactly the same syndrome as with a "dry socket" from a tooth extraction.

Oddly enough, the only relief I've had pain-wise was through a suggestion that my cousin, who is an oral surgeon, made.

Since it is exactly the same thing as a dry socket, he suggested we try the same treatment; a sterile packing material impregnated with aspirin and clove oil. It works by deadening the nerve endings in the bone, and I saw about a 50% reduction in pain almost immediately. The problem with it is two-fold...the bone in my ear is not stable; it is constantly being pushed further into the ear canal. They have already done 7 small procedures to trim the bone shard and try to keep it manageable.

Where this packing with a tooth extraction would eventually kill the nerve endings, the bone in my ear is a "moving target" so it only numbs them. Also, I can have some pain relief, or I can hear a bit, but not both.

With the packing in, I can't wear my hearing aid. If I can't wear that, I can't hear. With it in, I can hear a bit, and the earpiece also reduces the amount of air moving over the exposed bone, and reduces the number of pain spikes I have.

I hate to complain about something like this that is minor in comparison to what people like Christine, Jim, and others have gone through...it is "small potatoes" in that context. I guess I had built up my hopes too high, and when they were completely dashed the way they were, it was a huge hit emotionally.

I will eventually come to terms with it...I really don't have many options in that regard. It's just been a difficult week.