A Reddit user recently shared that they have been dealing with a traumatic physical injury and talked about struggling with grief, numbness, and dissociation during the crisis. Originally posted under the subreddit r/BoyDinnerDiaries by user CalMaple, the post has since gained significant traction on the platform.
The Redditor shared that the crisis traces back to a few months. After a child threw a water balloon at their ear during a festival, they suffered a permanent, moderate hearing loss. The user revealed that there was no reason for the spoiled child to attack them. Even when the kid saw that OP was visibly in pain, it kept charging at them instead of being remorseful.
The situation only deteriorated over time.
“It was pretty clear that he was being a brat, since he kept pelting me even after I’d doubled over in pain clutching my ear,” the Reddit user wrote in the original post.
“I ended up seeing a doctor and he said he couldn’t see a visible injury, but the trauma of the force likely injured my mid ear. He described it as “barotrauma.” Over several weeks, my hearing gradually declined. It got to the point where it felt like there was something preventing me from being able to hear by about fifty percent. I ended up getting a hearing test and it said I had “moderate” hearing impairment in that ear.”
According to the user, at first, doctors lifted his spirits. They told him that it might take as long as six months for his ear to heal but his hearing will eventually get better. However, his latest visit to the doctor has crushed his last bit of faith.
“I just went back in earlier today, and the doctor said I shouldn’t expect it to get better. He said that I’m past the recovery window, so the damage isn’t going to repair itself. I guess I just need to accept that I now have moderate hearing loss in one ear.”
Beyond the diagnosis, the hearing loss has triggered a complex emotional void in the OP. Not only did they suppress themselves from feeling angry toward the child, but they also forced themselves to maintain gratitude that the loss was not absolute.
“The hardest part is that I’m not sure how to feel about everything. I never even let myself get mad at the kid who threw the balloon, since it felt irrational to be upset at a child. I kept telling myself that I should be happy that it’s only “moderate” impairment as opposed to being “severe.” I just feel kind of numb. It’s like I know I should let myself feel whatever I need to feel, but I’m not sure what that is.”
Internet Weighs In on Accountability and Emotional Recovery After Traveler Shares Hearing Loss From Water Balloon Incident
“Anyways, that’s my sad tale. I’m not sure what I’m hoping to get from posting, but perhaps I thought it could be useful to try to vent a little about what has happened,” the user concluded his post.
In his reply to a comment the user revealed that the incident took place in a foreign country. They never sued the kid’s parents. Instead, their primary focus was on getting back to their home country to seek immediate medical help.
Fellow Reddit users have since commented on the unfortunate situation, sympathizing with the OP and sharing personal experiences.
One user commented, “I similarly lost partial hearing to a prank about a decade ago when a former friend locked me outside during a blizzard and I got severe frostbite in my ears and did a bunch of nerve damage. Most days I mildly dislike the guy, other days I hate him. Doesn’t change anything. Life still goes on. I feel for you man!”
Another user added, “Life sucks sometimes, but I’ve learnt it will always suck for at least as long as you hold a grudge. It’s just baggage. Serves no beneficial purpose. I’m sorry man. May boring people always sit on your half deaf side.”
“Please reach out to the event coordinator, mayor, any social health authority, a celebrity, politician, local library or church, anybody! and send a letter in a bottle letting them know this happened. You may not get any justice but you can implore them to release a PSA to warn about water balloons and damage to hearing. You can save another person from experiencing this, and maybe that could give some kind of meaning to this loss. This kid never knew, none of the kids may never know, but with enough info-communication, we can fix this danger, the same as laser pointers to eyes and lawn darts,” a separate Redditor chimed in with advice.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the events described in this post. The details above reflect the account shared in r/BoyDinnerDiaries by user CalMaple.
