Part 2 - Day 5-8

Day 5 - Monday, July 27th
I felt extremely dizzy today, so was unable to go to work. This drives me nuts. I am far too busy right now to miss work!!! But I really couldn't do anything about it except reply to emails on my blackberry in between bouts of vertigo and sleep.
I called my Doctor first thing in the morning, and told him what had happened and that I thought I should see him and possibly a Specialist. He told me to come in and he'd make time for me.
Once again, my family came through for me - my dad drove me to the Doctors at 9 am. I had a few minutes with him, and he basically looked in my ear, said it was an infection and that he'd see if I could get into a Specialist. He told me not to worry about the hearing, he was sure it would come back - I'd probably wake up and it would be there again. I laughed and said that's what I expect every morning...
His receptionist told him the Specialist was booking 2 months out. He said "get her in sooner", and wandered off to his next patient. I left hoping that sooner was really soon. Although he had told me not to worry, I was starting to. It was now the fifth day that I had no hearing in my right ear.
I went home to rest and called my boss at some point to tell her what was going on. She was concerned and told me to relax and take the time I needed. (Thanks Leslie!).
I rested, relaxed, worked on my blackberry (what did people do before them???), took my anti-dizziness medication, and went to bed early, hopeful to hear when I woke up.

Day 6 - Tuesday, July 28
I woke up... still completely deaf except for the ringing in my right ear... I was starting to feel frustrated with this. It's amazing how one ear can really affect you. I'm still dizzy, I can't tell where noises or voices are coming from, and I think it's a little frustrating for people with me. I feel terrible when I can't hear them.
I did more research on Meniere's, hearing loss, my symptoms. Everything I read said that it was important to get to a Specialist within 72 hours of hearing loss. I hadn't heard from my Doctor's yet about an appointment. I called them around noon to see if they had any information. They told me they would try again but they had nothing yet.
My boss called me and told me not to get my hopes up but that another colleague had a connection at Toronto's St Michael's hospital, and would see if they could help get me into the Ear, Nose, Throat Clinic there. I thanked her, we both cried, then laughed at ourselves for crying, and she told me to relax again. (Once again, thanks Leslie!).
about a half hour later, I got the contact info for the Doctor at St Michael's. Unfortunately, he was in Paris on vacation for several weeks, but his assistant would help me to get an appointment at the ENT clinic. I called her right away and she took my info and said she'd do what she could.

Day 7 - Wednesday, July 29
I finally got a call from my Doctor's office. I had a Specialist appointment... August 19th. OMG How was I going to live with dizziness and Tinnitus and deafness until then? And by that time, what could they do? i asked if they had any advice, but the Doctor was actually not in until Thursday, so I said I'd call back to speak with him.
I emailed my boss to let her know that I had an appointment. She agreed that the 19th was a long way away, and asked if I'd heard from St Michaels yet. I said no, but that I'd call tomorrow morning if I still hadn't heard. AI was still hopeful that my hearing would come back - my email said "I'm 99% sure that I'll be able to hear tomorrow when I wake up. Fingers crossed every day."

Day 8 - Thursday, July 30
OK, so I still couldn't hear when I woke up. I'm still hopeful. It's now a full week that I've been deaf in my right ear. It could still come back. Really, anything's possible.
I called and spoke with my Doctor to ask if he could recommend anything else for the dizziness or the hearing. He said the drugs I was on were the strongest ones to combat the dizziness, and that "It's only been a week. You'll probably wake up and hear one of these days real soon". Yep. That's what I'd been hoping. For 7 nights now.
I got another email from my boss saying that our colleague was wanting to call and "push". I had already called St Michaels again, and they still had no news but were trying to get an emergency appointment.
Within an hour of the email, I received a call and had an appointment for Friday morning!!! Yay! I was so relived. For sure, they'd be able to help me! I immediately emailed our colleague to thank her for putting me in touch with them. Hope was back in full force!
I spent the rest of the day working, I finally felt well enough to sit and type away on my laptop, and even to walk around and make myself a salad for dinner. I thought for sure I was on the mend!
Tomorrow, certainly I would wake up able to hear.