goo in the ears

After my last trip offshore, there was one priority I needed to address... EAR PLUGS!!!!

A ship is usually not a very noisy place to be, except when we're in operations and it needs to stay in DP for weeks on end.
DP = dynamic positioning ie the ship stays in one spot/one heading, fighting the waves and currents with all the mighty power of his thrusters.

When traveling, only the thrusters at the back of the ship far far away from our living quarters are working... in DP they're all rolling, including those on the side and front... right under our cabins :/

The resulting noise is similar to that of a vacuum cleaner going back and forth... on your bed!
When the seas are up a little, you add to it a rolling vibration, like a roll of thunder, that makes everything (your brain included) vibrate. maybe that explains why I'm so tired after all.. 2 weeks in DP = 2 weeks with no sleep :S

So this week I called my friend the ORL and asked her if she could make me some ear plugs molded to my ear to cut all external noises... nothing we can do about the voices in my head :P
I went this morning... the process is PAINFULL!!! She puts a little foam plug in the ear, stopping 1cm of the eardrum, that puts pressure in the ear canal and feels like a dagger is gently ripping your brain out. Then she syringes in the molding paste.... just a cold sensation that doesn't add to the already implanted dizzying feeling of having 2 tons of pressure on both sides of your head.

7 minutes later shes removes everything which feels weird but oddly satisfying and sends the mold out to have the plugs made. Mine will be bright pink and I'll have them next week :D

They will have a tiny hole in them, so the background noise will be cut out but I'll still be able to hear voices... and my alarm clock! :P