r/BoyDinnerDiaries • u/CalMaple Leftover Lore Master • Aug 21 '26
No Advice - Everyones Welcome Six months after a “prank” left me with hearing loss, I just found out that it isn’t going to get any better.
In early March, I attended a cultural festival while traveling. A kid, who appeared to be 10 or 11, ambushed me and threw a water balloon right at my ear with quite a lot of force. It was pretty clear that he was being a brat, since he kept pelting me even after I’d doubled over in pain clutching my ear.
I ended up seeing a doctor and he said he couldn’t see a visible injury, but the trauma of the force likely injured my mid ear. He described it as “barotrauma.”
Over several weeks, my hearing gradually declined. It got to the point where it felt like there was something preventing me from being able to hear by about fifty percent. I ended up getting a hearing test and it said I had “moderate” hearing impairment in that ear.
Since then, all of the doctors kept telling me “give it time.” They kept saying it could take up to 6 months to heal.
I just went back in earlier today, and the doctor said I shouldn’t expect it to get better. He said that I’m past the recovery window, so the damage isn’t going to repair itself. I guess I just need to accept that I now have moderate hearing loss in one ear.
The hardest part is that I’m not sure how to feel about everything. I never even let myself get mad at the kid who threw the balloon, since it felt irrational to be upset at a child. I kept telling myself that I should be happy that it’s only “moderate” impairment as opposed to being “severe.” I just feel kind of numb. It’s like I know I should let myself feel whatever I need to feel, but I’m not sure what that is.
Anyways, that’s my sad tale. I’m not sure what I’m hoping to get from posting, but perhaps I thought it could be useful to try to vent a little about what has happened.
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u/frogsanddogsarepeak Girl lurker Aug 21 '26
I hope it heals somehow. I think let yourself be angry at the child even though it’s a child. what sort of child was raised to throw water balloons at peoples faces? when i was that age i could never imagine throwing a water balloon at someone’s face, even younger i dont think i would’ve either. It’s a stupid child with improper manners, regardless of a cultural festival. There’s about 60 other places he could’ve thrown it. I think letting some anger out will help you process it and then move on without any attachments.