Yes earwax can be become impacted and cause terrible problems. When I was a muso and travelling a lot I went suddenly and painfully deaf. Lost about 80% of my hearing…not good for a muso.
Went to an emergency doctor when I got off the plane and in the next city. Apparently standing in front of of a large concert set of speakers ( I was a bass player) helped compact the stuff over the years, coupled with a teenagers/young mans lack of simple hygiene and pressurised air travel had compacted the good light brown wax that had great health benefits into a sullen, hardened ball of infection in my right ear, a painful and dangerous condition that was being replicated in my left.
I was grounded. Not allowed to fly to the next gig as it could have killed me. I was given a night in hospital with warm irrigation, drugs and a full time very lovely nurse ( insurance was a good thing when paid by the promoters) and two days later in the next city a disgusting amount of smelly, black and yellow flecked grunge came out of my left ear. I almost screamed with the sudden onrush of sound and got a stage hand to get me an earplug. Later that night after the gig, in pain, I went back to my hotel where, at the bar, a huge amount of the most disgusting yellow and black crap descended from my right ear down over my neck. Red in the face with embarrassment I went to my room, followed quickly by the Hotel Medic who read my notes, took my pillows and replaced them with disposables as he said " that shit ain’t going to stop for a while" .
It was disgusting. Went to the local hospital ENT the next day who cleansed, swabbed, syringed and cleaned me. Gave me lectures about hygiene, hearing loss in musicians, and a course of drugs, and, finally 6 months supply of sterile earplugs (one time use).
I gave them tickets and backstage passes.
The discharge continued for three days getting more and more odiferous every time I removed the earplugs. I was very drunk after every gig…and a recluse.
I have at 70 years, and unusually for a retired muso nearly 75% hearing in my left and 70% in my right, something I can only put down to the earwax in my youth stopped the worst of the damage my occupation was noted for, plus that near escape and disgusting nature of the cure made sure I ALWAYS wore earplugs when performing.
When I was about 14, our teacher told us, with a straight face that " The seal of confession has never been broken" . I had enough brains not to ask him how he could possibly know that.
As I grow older, I can’t help but increasingly reflect on how gullible children are, believing literally anything told to them by an adult. Of course many adults aren’t much better, believing anything told to them by a member of the priestly caste. (human beings with dinosaurs is a special favourite)
These days there is no doubt in my mind that some unscrupulous priests black mailed penitents.
Phenomenal story Old Man.
I’d agree that the earwax build-up until the unfortunate discharge eruption probably did save your hearing. You lucky dirty young bugger lol
With my trusty old otoscope, I inspected the ear canals and ear drums of many many people and found some pretty awful situations but I am sure glad you never came to see me with that lovely double infection.
Yet 70% and 75% hearing is still pretty damn good, especially after your muso days.
By comparison, I performed in acoustic bands for years, but now, aged late 60s, I am getting by with less than 5% in one the ear only. The sudden loss stopped me playing my guitar for several years now because I can’t even hear any live or recorded music at all anymore, which accounts for me being a cranky old cock. That and the feathers falling out.
So I am told! The only person who disagrees with the diagnosis is my other half. SWIMBO is convinced I am at least 90% deaf when she is talking at me.
I tell her that as an ex muso that I can only hear the bass register clearly…and that perhaps NOT talking between rooms would get a better result…oh, and maybe postive comments are a LOT easier to hear… but then we have been together a while.
Hmm, my grandchildren genuinely believed I could do magic, but were increasingly dubious from about 5 years old on. Children are innately trusting, it’s probably a useful evolved trait, give how long humans take to reach adulthood, but I don’t think all children are gullible.
The really cool thing is we can continue to learn throughout our lives, if were willing to keep an open mind.
I’m lucky to have avoided any form of catholic teaching. I’m usually appalled when adults tell me some of the things taught and done to them as part of that particular superstition’s indoctrination.
Also children don’t fucking know. They rely on the adults around them to teach or explain “life” to them - until they learn to read and start learning from other sources.
The adults can be truthful, lie, exaggerate, etc. It doesn’t make the kids gullible. It makes them vulnerable.
That’s very true, the speed that they absorb information is astounding, but of course they also filter out a lot they don’t find immediately useful. They’re impressed with claims, because they don’t have the experience, and haven’t learned to fact check. Though I wouldn’t describe them as gullible in the sense an adult can be.
I remember my dim-witted ex complaining that our granddaughter had done something to her mobile. No smart phones then, or touch screens.
I said have you tried holding down the two top most buttons at the edge of the phone? I did it and it was sorted. She thought I had some supernatural ability, until I pointed out that our granddaughter had very small hands, and would press and hold only what she could reach with her thumbs.
By the time smart phones were well established all the grandchildren had started to accelerate away from us in understanding them.
I’ll never forget my grandson dragging his hand across my laptop screen, and telling me it wasn’t working. To him all screens were touch screens.
When I was a tiny little cranky I had an aunt with an odd sense of humour. She told me that if I ate too much sugar my arms and legs would drop off. Also that if I swallowed my chewing gum it would wrap itself around my heart and kill me.
