When Jam was just 3 years old, she had a minor operation. Her right earlobe totally gobbled up the back of the earring (the small screw that holds the earring so it wont fall off the ear). We didn't really notice it until her ear lobe got swollen and started emitting a foul smell, like a wound with pus. She has had that earring on since she was a two-month-old baby. It was the type of hypoallergenic earring with a birthstone, the kinds of which are now used to pierce the ears with, using an ear-piercing gun.
Well, the earlobe was so swollen that all you can see at the back of her ear was a little portion of the earring shaft, so we unwittingly assumed that the back of the earring had fallen off already because we couldn't see it. We tried prying the earring out from the front but we couldn't because Jam said it was too painful. So we brought her to her pedia who after trying also said she had to have it removed surgically.
On the day of the operation, the surgeon on duty started examining her and concluded that the screw must still be inside the lobe. I expressed my skepticism of his theory on the basis of the size of the earring screw, I said it was too big to go through the earlobe hole. One of the other doctors agreed with me, so the thing to do, that doctor said, was just to anaesthesize the ear then pull out the earring from the front forcefully. Fortunately the lead surgeon was more cautious. After the anaesthesia took effect, he made an incision on the back of Jam's ear, pushed back the earring and out came the portion of the shaft with the the screw still around it!! Most of us around that operating table - me, the interns and nurses that were helping - were so astonished! It did go through the earring hole! Poor Jam was crying the whole time.
After that Jam went earringless for a long time. Until last month to be exact, when I finally deemed it safe to have her ears pierced again. Fortunately, it was just the right ear's hole that closed up, so she only went through one painful earpiercing that day at SM. Despite the pain, Jam was clearly happy that she could wear earrings again.
After 2 weeks, I bought a complete set of really cute earrings and tried to remove the hypoallergenic earring. Horror of horrors, the right earlobe again started discharging yellow liquid when I removed the earring. I knew I had to squeeze the pus out of the earlobe or the infection would worsen. I carefully explained to Jam what I had to do and why i had to do it for her to allow me to inflict pain on her ear again. I hated doing it, Jam was screaming like a pregnant woman in the most difficult throes of labor. She was making such a ruckus that I was scared the neighbors would call the authorities and have me arrested for child abuse! After squeezing out the pus, I had to put the earing back or the hole would close again. That brought on another round of yelling and uproar from Jam.
Both of us were shaking after the ordeal, feeling weak but victorious. Like wounded warriors that won the war. It sure felt that way. A priesthood blessing from her dad completed the healing session.
That was a fortnight ago. To date the earlobe appears clean and normal. We have agreed not to try to change earrings for another 2 months to ensure that the wound was totally healed.
My brave daughter surely had weathered the ordeal with admirable courage and determination. Living proof that a girl is never too young to make sacrifices for female vanity. After this, high heels or eyebrow plucking would definitely be a piece of cake.
