Never put anything smaller then your elbow in your ear

You know those things you were told growing up that didn't seem important at the time. Like; Don't run with scissors or don't put anything smaller then your elbow in your ear. I am someone who has to learn for themselves, the hard way, not someone who "watches and learns" like a smart person. Now I am deaf in one ear, (only temporarily I hope), because of it. I would like this to be a blog about the kids. Not that I want them to have pain, but because it is a little embarrassing that it is me instead of one of the kids.
I was multi-tasking. Something I am usually very good at. I was cleaning the shampoo out of my ears and picking up my room at the same time. I leaned over to pick something up and the Q-tip was shoved into my ear. I immediately grabbed my ear in pain. After a minute it felt ok so I went on with what I was doing. Over the next 30 minutes it started to feel like it was swelling a little but really no pain. As I got in the car to pick up Mekenzie from school I felt a gush of fluid. It was clear fluid, I thought maybe water or something...no big deal. As I pulled into the parking lot another gush. This time it was blood and I was noticing that slowly it was getting harder to hear out of my ear. I called a good friend of ours who is a doctor and he told me to call my family doctor, so I did. They told me to come in immediately, so I did. By the time I got there I had blood running out of my ear, and I could no longer hear a thing out of the one side. They looked into my ear and told me to go to the ER (are you kidding me, it was a Q-Tip). After explaining my story to three different doctors (humiliating!) we agreed that I would go home, keep cotton in it and they would get me into the Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor first thing this morning. If they could not get me in I would go to the ER. I went to bed, had trouble sleeping and started to be in a little pain but still ok.
True to their word they called at 9:00 this morning and got me into the ENT. By now the side of my face hurts a little and it is still bleeding. My ear is full of blood and swollen so he could not see much. He told me he needed to look better to see how much damage I had done (a Q-Tip!?!?!). They can see a large hole but that is all. He gave me some antibiotics and steroids for my ear, and told me to come back on Tuesday so they can get a better look.
So now I am totally deaf in one ear which is very frustrating! It is hard to hear anyone talking to me if there is any background noise, I am like an old person!!! I have said, "Talk into my good ear" so many times today my kids are finishing that sentence for me. I just went out dinner and had a whole conversation of "What?" and "I can't hear you"'s. It was a good time. We decided to forgo the movie for tonight since it seems like it might have be a waste of money since I can't hear a thing!!!
I think my kids are taking advantage of it. I am not even sure they are talking out loud, just mouthing the words hoping I will get frustrated since I can't hear them and just say yes to whatever they want. I am on to them... I might be stupid, but I am not that stupid!!
All of this because I didn't listen to the advice of others...someday I will learn. I am sure of it. Until then make sure you speak into my good ear!!!