This story comes from one of our much loved snorkel guides, Jessie.
Attention ocean lovers — snorkelers, divers, surfers and swimmers!
I wanted to share my story in the hope that it might help someone else avoid a serious health risk.
For the past few years, I suffered from recurring ear infections to the point where my ear leaked watery discharge daily. After many appointments with Ear, Nose & Throat specialists, I was repeatedly told to continue using antibiotic drops and to keep my ear dry. The specialists assumed I must still be getting my ear wet and not following instructions properly.
But I stopped working in the water, quit jobs, and did everything I was told to do… yet the infection never went away.
Fast forward two years later, after being told I would simply have to “put up with the symptoms,” I moved to Queensland and decided to seek another opinion. A specialist in Bundaberg immediately suspected I had a cholesteatoma, a growth behind the eardrum that continues to grow until surgically removed.
If left untreated, it can lead to facial paralysis, meningitis, or even a brain abscess.
The surgery sounded intense: cutting behind the ear and drilling through the mastoid bone. But I was reassured it was generally quite manageable and relatively pain-free.
Not long after, we moved back to Victoria where I found a wonderful local private ENT specialist who booked me in for surgery within four weeks.
Unfortunately, the growth had already eaten through one of my hearing bones, meaning I’ll need a second surgery in 12 months’ time. During that surgery they’ll repair my hearing and make sure no further cells are growing behind the eardrum.
I feel incredibly grateful that the Bundaberg ENT specialist pushed for further testing and a CT scan, which ultimately led to my diagnosis.
This experience has really humbled me and made me appreciate just how lucky I’ve been to spend so much time doing what I love, working as a snorkel guide with Sea All Dolphin Swims and with the incredible team at 1770 Dive Spear and Sport – Agnes Water.
It’s not until your health is at risk that you truly realise how much you take for granted, those days spent in the ocean, on the reef, surrounded by nature.
Please listen to your body, and if something doesn’t feel right, keep pushing for answers.
Jessie
