My Cochlear Implant Story: Part 7 – Surgery Recovery

I had prepared for the worst regarding my cochlear implant surgery recovery. I am the kind of person who seems to experience every side effect of a medication, catch every symptom of an illness, and take much longer than the average person to recover from any health issue. If there’s a cold to catch, I’ll already have it.  That said, since I often deal with illness, I’ve become something of a pro at ‘getting better.’ Still, despite bracing for the worst, the worst is not what I experienced post-surgery.

I was instructed to clean the incision site daily with Betadine—this became my partner’s job—and to dress it with gauze and a headband to keep everything secure. I was told to avoid getting water on it and to refrain from any strenuous activity. I would need to take antibiotics (Clindamycin Qualigen 300 mg) and 1g paracetamol, both to be taken every eight hours for 10 days. My next appointment was scheduled for November 25th to have the staples removed.

Aside from some post-surgery nausea that caught me off guard, recovery hasn’t been too bad. To my pleasant surprise, I haven’t needed any stronger painkillers. That’s not to say I haven’t experienced pain, but it’s been manageable at home with just paracetamol.

Here are some notes from my first few days post-op:

13th November 2024  

Day 1 post-surgery

I used my travel pillow for the car journey home, which took a little over an hour, and I was thankful to have it. It kept me comfortable and prevented me from bumping my head against the car seat when we went around corners or over speed bumps.

I was happy to be home. I had some pain deep in my ear, especially when I yawned, hiccuped, or burped, and my jaw was a bit sore on the opposite side of the surgery—perhaps from the pressure applied to that side during the procedure. I also felt some discomfort under the skin behind my ear, where I assumed the internal receiver was positioned. My ear seemed to stick out slightly more than usual, but it wasn’t too noticeable.

The rest of the day was spent resting—I napped, watched TV, and caught up on messages from friends and family. In preparation for my recovery, I had removed the left arm from a pair of glasses to avoid putting pressure on the wound. This allowed me to comfortably read and check my phone screen—which turned out to be really useful. That evening, I carefully showered, using a handheld showerhead while keeping my headband and dressing in place to protect the incision from water. I also used some dry shampoo to refresh my hair, which had become matted from the surgery, helping me feel a bit more like myself.

As the evening approached, I noticed my throat was a little sore, likely due to irritation from the breathing tube used during anaesthesia. I had read that some people experience neck pain after surgery, and since I often deal with neck pain, I was fully expecting it. Surprisingly, though, my neck felt fine.

I had been instructed not to sleep on the side that had been operated on and had read that sleeping upright after cochlear implant surgery is generally recommended. This helps reduce swelling, minimizes pressure on the incision site, and promotes better healing. Sleeping upright was a bit tricky, but I managed by propping myself up with my pillows.

I slept for about 5 hours before waking to what sounded like someone frying onions on high heat. I quickly realised it was my tinnitus, much louder than usual. I knew this could happen and would probably calm down, so I wasn’t too concerned, and since it was the same tone as usual, I easily managed not to focus on it. In addition to the onions frying, it seemed there was a bowl of Rice Krispies snapping, crackling, and popping inside my ear! I occasionally experience these sounds, which I assume are related to fluid movement in the middle ear or Eustachian tube dysfunction, so I wasn’t too worried. However, this time, they were noticeably louder than usual. I also knew from my reading that these noises can happen after surgery as the ear adjusts to changes in pressure, swelling reduces, or fluid moves during the healing process. I’m sure my ear must have been full of fluid after the surgery and swollen, so I just drifted back to sleep, while listening to these strange culinary sounds!

14th November 2024  

Day 2 post-surgery

Two days after my surgery, I felt a bit more imbalanced, but nothing worse than what I have dealt with before living with vestibular issues. Most importantly, it wasn’t vertigo (no spinning). I was a little tired and sore. My partner changed my dressing in the morning, and I spent most of the day on the sofa trying to relax, watching TV, and dozing off. When resting, I’ve been using my neck pillow for support to avoid putting pressure on the incision site. My jaw pain and sore throat were already much better.

My ear still felt full and sore deep inside, like how I imagine it would feel if a football hit it at high speed. There were occasional snaps, crackles, and pops, and my tinnitus seemed a bit louder at times, but it wasn’t too bothersome. Strangely, I also noticed a small area on my bottom lip felt numb and tingly.

15th November 2024  

Day 3 post-surgery

Last night, my tinnitus was much quieter, and there was only a minimal amount of snap, crackle and popping. I slept on and off, though it was a bit interrupted due to some discomfort trying to sleep upright. I’m making the most of being able to stay in bed a little longer than usual and enjoying having my partner bring me a cup of tea before I get up. 

Speaking of hair, as I mentioned before, I was told not to get the incision site wet until 13 days after my surgery when the staples would be removed. As someone with fine hair who usually washes it every day, I’m feeling more than a little grotty! But I’m looking forward to the first time I can stand under the shower and wash it properly.

I’m wondering if I’ve lost the small amount of hearing I had before the surgery. If I have, it’s not noticeable, and I’m not missing it.

16th November 2024  

Day 4 post-surgery

I’ve realized that I’ve been waking up around 4 am every night, which seems to be when the painkillers start wearing off. But I’m glad to be sleeping five hours straight, and I can still rest with only a little discomfort before I take the next dose. I woke up still a little wobbly today, and unbalanced. Still no vertigo. I’ve read that some people experience vertigo around days 3 to 5 post-surgery due to swelling, fluid changes, or inner ear inflammation. So far, so good! 

My main pain sensations are in three areas: deep sharp intermittent pain in my ear, some soreness behind my ear at the incision site, and a dull soreness where the internal receiver is positioned under the skin on my head behind my ear. My ear still ear feels very delicate and full, but this is to be expected after such an invasive surgery. I’ve also noticed a numb spot on my head above my ear. 

Today, I began working on a jigsaw puzzle—a birthday gift I’ve been saving for over a year, specifically for this moment. 

17th November 2024  

Day 5 post-surgery

Getting stronger! I had a few sneezes this morning. I’m making sure to sneeze with my mouth open to prevent putting any pressure on my middle and inner ear. Sneezing still hurts inside my ear, and I’m surprised at how loud and disturbing an open-mouthed sneeze can sound! On a positive note, the tingling in my lip that I noticed on day 2 post-surgery seems to have disappeared. 

Today, I was in significantly less pain. I even went for a gentle walk on the beach and made a batch of soup. One thing I did notice is that it feels a bit uncomfortable when my partner moves the top of my ear forward to clean behind it. It feels sore and numb at the same time. I usually don’t like having my ears moved forward, so with the swelling, that sensation is probably heightened. The fullness in my ear was also a little less today.

18th November 2024  

Day 6 post-surgery

I caught up on some emails today and did some light work on my laptop, being careful not to overdo it. I’m trying to limit my screen time to avoid any vestibular issues or triggering a migraine flare-up. I also walked to the next village and enjoyed some fresh air and daylight.

This evening, my partner washed my hair using the shower head over the sink. I covered the incision site with a flannel, and we used Johnson’s baby shampoo, which is mild, so as not to cause any irritation. It felt amazing to have clean hair! 

I will feel more confident about the healing process once a doctor has looked at the wound, which will be in a week’s time when I have my staples removed. It is a little scary seeing staples in my head and being unsure as to whether the area is healing as it should. But I know I just need to keep it clean and trust that my body will heal.

21st November 2024  

Day 9 post-surgery

I continue to hear little pops in my ear, but they are much quieter now. Today, when trying to nap after lunch, I also noted very faint pops in my good ear (which happens from time to time)—a reminder of one of my reasons for pursuing this surgery. No matter what happens with my right ear, which specialists have identified as having an abnormal buildup of fluid in the inner ear, I will always have some access to sound through my implanted ear. I am noticing more pain behind my ear where the internal receiver is positioned under the skin. I think that as the other pain subsides, my attention is shifting to this spot. There are swollen lumps and bumps, and the pain seems to get worse when I’m moving around, coming and going intermittently.

Today, I went for a walk to the supermarket and the post office—it was lovely to be out in the fresh air.

I’m finding it increasingly difficult to sleep sitting up. Tonight, I tried sleeping on my back, being careful not to put pressure on the operated side, but I couldn’t get comfortable and was unsure as to whether it was a good idea to be doing this.

I’m starting to feel a bit anxious about my healing process, which I’m sure is worsened by the lack of quality sleep. New pain sensations are a little worrying, but I’m trying to trust the process.

25th November 2024  

Day 13 post-surgery

I continued with light work on the computer throughout the week, making sure to limit my screen time to short bursts with breaks in between. Staying on top of my emails and projects helped keep my mind occupied.

I finished my 10-day course of antibiotics and painkillers a couple of days ago, and the remaining pain and discomfort are generally manageable without medication. However, I did take a painkiller on day 12 when I was out and about, just to prevent the pain from affecting my day. The main pain I experience is the intermittent stabbing sensation deep inside my ear, along with the discomfort around the area where the internal receiver has been placed under my skin.

The incision site is healing well, with reduced swelling and redness. The skin is beginning to look more like a scar. My ear no longer sticks out as it did on day one post-surgery.

Today, I went back to the hospital to have the staples removed. The doctor decided to remove 9 of the 12 staples, leaving the final 3 to be taken out at the end of the week at my local medical centre, giving the wound a bit more time to heal.

At my appointment, I also received the date for my activation day—December 18th!