Oddity Removed from Man's Ear

In recent history, we heard much about the 33 Chilean miners and their 66 day ordeal trapped inside the earth…from heroic measures by their team leader to an outed affair upon rescue, we certainly know more about these miners than they ever dreamed. Many have been offered movie deals, book deals, and many other tell-all deals for their stories from beneath the earth’s surface. These miners will have to get used to the limelight, seeing they’ve now adjusted to the sunlight.

So much focus was put on the Chilean miners that one miner in particular almost went unnoticed. This miner, named Stephen Hirst, was not a Chilean miner, but a 47yr old ex-miner that had spent the last 33yrs living w/ excruciating pain in his ear & constant ear infections. Mr. Hirst had been to several doctors over the 33yrs, but no one was able to diagnose his problem or help ease the pain. Mr. Hirst continued to seek help & finally found it from the Doctors at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They were determined to find the problem and offer a solution….and they did.

“The nurse put a suction tube in my ear and cleaned it, then (tried) a microscope probe,” Hirst said. “Finally, she used some tweezers and got it out.” So what was “it”? A TOOTH! To this day, no one knows why it was not found sooner, but Mr. Hirst says his ear pain is now gone for the first time since he was a teenager and theorizes that the tooth became lodged during one of his childhood accidents.

Although now deaf in one ear, due to years of constant ear infections & pain, Mr. Hirst is grateful he listened to the still-small voice of perseverance.

Are There Bugs in Your Grill?

Are There Bugs in Your Grill?

As most Floridians know, it is Love Bug season. These creatures don't sting like bees, or buzz like mosquitos, but gently swarm their way to death by air conditioning or death by car. There are a few urban legends as to how love bugs came into existence, but the fact of the matter is--these gentle creatures do a lot of damage--to your vehicle.

Someone recently stated a love bug has the life expectancy of 6 days....and they must know it. I was driving down the road at 55mph and noticed a pair of love bugs on my driver's window. The funny thing was that only one of them was hanging on for dear life as the other fluttered in the wind--at 55mph. And yes, this lasted for a significant amount of time before they were whipped through the air to their probable death of a car grill. Poor bug, poor car!

The "bug juice" from any insect can be significant if left untreated, but the quantity of "bug juice" during love bug season combined with the hot sun of Florida can do a lot of paint damage in a short amount of time--if not cleaned immediately. "Bug juice" produces acid, which eats through the paint, eventually causing other problems, such as holes in your vehicle.

Your car grill isn't the only grill that has "bug juice". Your mouth actually has thousands of bacteria swarming in it everyday. These bacteria live on particles of food on your teeth and gums & in the crevices of your tongue & cheeks. These bacteria, like love bug juice, produce acid that eats through the enamel and bone of your teeth, causing cavities, gum disease, bone loss, bad breath, and many other problems. So like your vehicle, your mouth must also be cleaned immediately, by brushing & flossing, to decrease the acid-producing bacteria & prevent any significant damage.

Love bugs are seasonal, but oral bacteria are a constant presence that must be kept under control by brushing after meals, flossing at least once a day & seeing your dentist at least twice a year. We may not have control over our external environment, but a toothbrush and floss can certainly help us to control our internal one.