When one and I mean myself, complain about the life and the so called problems as I do now because of the fecking ear infection, the life seems to be hard. Well as scuba diving professional who changed career from office desk to the ocean, ear infection is the disaster of big proportions. As I’m battle this shit over three weeks it start getting pissing me off. After ten days of antibiotics I was fine for a few days and then again ear infection returned. Another four days dry and I don’t just mean no alcohol ‘which I don’t drink anyway’ but no divign. No divign means the life is shit. I want to be back in ocean, where I love to be. But as someone said, all good things come to pass and even this passed and this time the pain is so severe that I cannot sleep for two nights straight. Usually doctors ask about pain scale from one to ten but I would redefine this and include the ‘ear infection pain’ as scale 15 as it is a f@&#ing pain. I tried to last untill Monday morning to see doctor but gave up around 3 am and walked to A&E of local hospital. If I would not do that I could become new VanGogh, as I like sunflowers but cannot paint them, however I was on the verge of cutting my ear off. The diagnosis of doctor was amazing as he look into my ear and loud, interesting WOW came from him and then he called second doctor to look into my ear who’s diagnosis was even better as it sound like HMM as if you see alien or something you have not seen long time but it is interesting.

Well after first dose of antibiotics and painkillers I slowly fall asleep as rooster announced new day and the sky become a little brighter. Sunday was spent in and out of bed as my body told me to rest. More less the control centre shut off the visual and sound, even the left ear as the right one was gone long time ago with infection.

Monday is here and after some quick breakfast of coffee and chocolate croissant I’m on the way to doctor. Well the first impression was his facial expression as ‘what the feck are you doing here again’ then we spoke a bit and I was laying down on examination bed as he looked into my ears and poke them with something what felt like oar from the boat. The main scare was when he said I should thing about changing career. Shit that is something I did not want to hear at all. However after few moves with oar in my ear we sailed pass the examination and then he sent me to hospital to check chest, nose etc etc.

As Im waiting at A&E I see people coming and going and as I’m Greece all is made with a loud speaking. Nothing like hospitals I’ve been so far where everyone is silent and in some sort of revered silence.

Here the life’s perspective came as I was watching man laying on the bed in special Covid box with cardiologist running around him with rolls of paper from EKG or similar machine long enough to be mistaken for toilet paper roll. As he was just laying there and his wife stood outside listening to doctors, suddenly she kind of collapsed and sat on the ground. Two kids sitting at the back just stood up and daughter came to Mom and talk to her as she sat on the ground and doctors talked to her with reassuring and compassionate voice. However when she wiped few tears and as daughter stayed with father, Mom went to bench and talk to son. He started crying with Mom very loudly and shaken by emotions went to see his father when he wiped his tears as much as he can.

Seeing this, it put my issues / life in perspective. I’m here with ear infection, however painful not life threatening. Meanwhile I see family in emotional turmoil and tears as their father and husband is wheeled off on wheelchair to cardiologist as I overheard the nurse. When the wife asked if they can go with him a strong resolute NO was the answer from the nurse. I cannot imagine the feelings of the family as their holiday turned to worst nightmare. Seeing them I felt sudden sadness and compassion towards them as they see someone they love deeply being wheeled off. Ear infection might seems to be end of the world but when you realise that someone might loose loved one and you see and feel their sadness the life and troubles I think I have disappeared.

Nothing is worse than being left in limbo if you ever see the loved one again, especially young children who are watching their father being taken into hospital with possibilities of never seen him again.