One Ear Down: How Laughter Heals Even When You Can't Hear the Joke

What happens when the world suddenly goes silent on one side? Victoria's recent ear surgery has left her completely deaf in one ear, forcing her to navigate a new reality where simple interactions become profound challenges. In this raw and emotional episode, we take you through the journey of adaptation and resilience that follows a life-altering medical procedure.

The moment hits hardest at a store checkout when Victoria can't hear the cashier speaking to her deaf side. It's a stark reminder of what life will be like moving forward—a reality made more poignant by the memory of asking loved ones to speak "one more time in my right ear" before surgery. With a cochlear implant priced at $300,000 and not covered by insurance, Victoria faces permanent unilateral hearing loss with remarkable courage.

Despite facing significant health challenges, both hosts refuse to succumb to bitterness. "We have the right to be absolutely bitter and the nastiest of people. But we're not," Victoria explains. This philosophy extends to their work helping others heal from trauma through their academy and free courses—efforts that have earned them five global awards yet still attract criticism from those who seem determined to "rain on their parade."

The episode offers beautiful glimpses into their family life, from their daughter Faith's touching pre-surgery gifts to their service dogs' intuitive adaptation to Victoria's recovery needs. Even while managing pain and adaptation, Victoria maintains her unstoppable spirit—cleaning kitchens at 4 am and baking muffins without pain medication.

Join us for this intimate look at maintaining humanity, humor, and hope when life changes in an instant. And if our work resonates with you, consider supporting our mission to make healing accessible to all through the donation button at acontagioussmile.com. Even $5 helps us continue offering free resources to those who need them most.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:02

Howdy y'all. Welcome to another episode of Contagious Smile Unstoppable with the lovely and sexy and just out of surgery. Victoria, you're a published author of 43 books. Now that's right, y'all. She's written 43 books one-handed. Well, let me take that back.

Speaker 1 0:22

She's written three books. No, she's written a lot more than that. Anyway, she's here with her husband, which makes her 100%. Yeah, because of pieces of shits out there that like to beat on women, cowards, and yeah. So, last thing, thanks to my wife. So, no, thank you, dumbass to you out there, the freaking idiot who still gets to walk around.

Speaker 1 1:13

Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm a little hot yes, you are whatever, my wife uh may not sound as usual chipper herself because, like I said, she's just out of surgery. Uh, what is this monday? So what friday?

Speaker 2 1:32

yes, I need two hours. And then he thought, oh well, let's admit her. Are you serious?

Speaker 2 1:36

okay, all right, my husband was obviously there, so check this out, so we go in there for the surgery and the anesthesiologist comes in Okay, I've never had this team before and she's like what are we doing today? And I said we are making me deaf. And she starts laughing and I was like, wait a minute, why is that funny? Like she kept laughing about it. I was like, no, really, why is this funny? It's not funny. And so when we get, I go back, I don't do versed I don't do any of that stuff when I get back in vor I'm this coherent and when I first got there.

Speaker 2 2:09

I've had no medication, and so her fellow or resident was helping to get me ready and I was like I seriously cannot believe that she thought it was funny, the I was losing my hearing, Because there's nothing really funny about it. And I said and then I wanted to see if I could have them like video me as to how long it takes me to go to sleep and she said that's not real, all the.

Speaker 2 2:39

TikToks are performers. They're not real going to sleep because they can't do that Anyway. So I turn around and I ask the guy who's above me at that point and I said that's just not nice.

Speaker 2 2:52

And I was like, oh my god, she's here, isn't she? And she turns around, looks at me. I was like, great, so I get out of surgery several hours and I get into recovery. And you have to realize that I'm in this contraption that I call a jock strap, because that's what it looks like. Right over my ear, my ears, I look like a puffer fish, like from hitch when he had the seafood and he's all like a puffer fish. And so they're like how you doing, how?

Speaker 1 3:17

you doing? I'm like oh.

Speaker 2 3:18

I always get nauseous after anesthetic always. So what does she say? Like she's trying to rush me out. Like she's got a mail appointment and she's like, well, we could just admit you into the hospital, we'll just transfer you and and be admitted. Uh, no, no, no, no. So now I have I don't even know all these stitches behind my ear.

Surgery Experience and Recovery

Speaker 2 3:40

My whole face is swollen, it's all bruised, I mean it's and today was the first day I tried to go out since surgery and everybody stared at me horrifically and it was a challenge for me because I got a couple things at the store and I'm unloading most of the cart and the cashier's like hey, how you doing? I couldn't hear where she said because my ear's facing her and I heard nothing. And that was a real kick of reality to me, because this is now what I'm going to be living, with my family, my daughter and my amazing husband.

Speaker 2 4:10

They have gotten acclimated to it and so they always try to talk to me on the right side, but when I was out a little while ago, and they're trying to talk on my left, I mean talk to me on my right side.

Speaker 2 4:20

I was like what, and it was heart-wrenching moment when I looked at my husband right before they will be back, and I said tell me you love me one more time in my right ear, and I meant it, and our daughter did the same thing, and so it's a challenge. And what I don't understand, baby, can enlighten me is when somebody tries to help other people and all they want to do is help other people. Why is it that some people just can't let you have that?

Confronting New Reality of Hearing Loss

Speaker 1 4:49

I don't know, I don't understand why they have to put you down because you're trying to help. You know. It's just, you know, or whatever you're helping them with, it's not good enough, enough, right, right. So in turn, they put you down. Oh, is that it? Is that all you got? Is that all you can do? You know, one of my customers today was asked by his daughter to help his granddaughter college tuition and she only wanted to borrow $45,000 for the whole year. And she said Dad, I need a little help. Well, his explanation was well, who's going to help me, right? So y'all know, we run this show, we run this business. Almost everything is out of our pocket.

Speaker 2 5:46

Yes.

Speaker 1 5:46

You know there may be a time where you know we have certain individuals you know throw a donation here and there.

Speaker 2 5:53

It goes back to the production of everything.

Speaker 1 5:56

It is not a steady income here. We don't write ourselves a paycheck, we're not rolling the dough, we don't drive fancy cars, you know.

Speaker 2 6:05

You know, we've been awarded the five Global Awards in the last few months. Right, and the thing is is that all we wanted to do is help other people.

Speaker 2 6:13

We want them to not go through this alone, and healing shouldn't come with a price tag. It really shouldn't. And my thing is is that, no matter what you've ever been through, if you've gone through as much stuff as we have and we are still not bitter people, we still go above and beyond to help people who need it, then I don't understand why other people want to like rain on the parade right. They just can't leave things alone. They have to stir up crap.

Speaker 1 6:42

And we try to be what.

Speaker 2 6:43

Drama trauma free.

Speaker 1 6:46

Well, that trauma part, we're trying to stay away from it, but we almost went a year without a surgery.

Speaker 2 6:56

About five months.

Speaker 1 6:57

But for those of y'all who kept my wife in prayers, thank you.

Speaker 2 7:02

The surgery went well and it didn't take as long as we thought because, they didn't have to do certain things so we took out that eardrum, we took out these station tubes um, so I literally have no hearing in that ear. And then they did it's called take down, stitch down or something like that so you can't go to the doctor and have them put the ear scope in your ear, um you can't put a q-tip in your ear, not to your poster and it is stitched down so it kind of looks like a belly button.

Helping Others Despite Criticism

Speaker 2 7:33

I guess is how the doctor surgeon explained it. So nothing can get in there. And the next step is a cochlear implant, but our insurance doesn't cover it. It's three hundred thousand dollars. So for right now I would be using a high end hearing aid on my left try to enhance the sounds of everything. But you know everything that we've gone through. We have right to be absolutely bitter, as all get out and just the nastiest of people. But we're not, you know we're not. And that's not tooting our own horn, that's just, you know, being a reality. I want people to know that they're not alone in this. I want people to know that they can get out and survive this. And it just seems like, you know, the black sheep is the most dangerous because that's why they're belittled, or, as we both are the black sheep belittled as we have been, and really kept apart from our siblings, the black sheep, belittled as we have been and really kept apart from our siblings.

Speaker 2 8:24

They tell them one story and the siblings never hear our side. It's sad, it really is sad, because narcissists can't take responsibility for their own accountability. They just can't do it. It's not an option, nope.

Speaker 1 8:44

So that's enough about you. Yes, let's see, we still have our exciting academy. Yes, to talk a lot on, to and take a lot of the free courses. A lot of y'all have joined and I failed to get with you and welcome you into the community. My apologies, welcome, welcome, welcome. And if you have any thoughts, comments, you know. Please drop us a line. Uh, chat with us once you're in, let's see what else.

Speaker 2 9:25

Faith did the cutest thing right before my surgery. She I always give gifts to both of them before I go back and I wrote them letters and things like that. Well, she was hard at work doing something for me and wouldn't tell me. And she gave me these like beautiful flowers. They're purple and it's got little pumpkins inside of the glass jar and she said I would love you till they die because they're official, right, so sweet. Then she gave me two key rings and they were beautiful, that that are representation of my grandparents. She made me a beautiful card. Card was just excluded. And then she gave me a bunch of other things and she drew a mickey mouse and then she did a cover of the book and it was just she's so smart, she's so sweet, until you cross her, and then I'll have enough appear.

Speaker 1 10:23

Oh yeah, I got a little bit of that unsweetness today.

Speaker 2 10:27

Because you were right before dinner. You were like pushing that button.

Speaker 1 10:32

So I love to to bring my daughter and whenever I bring home you know 1300 bags of groceries, I like to put the groceries any and everywhere and I will literally put them anywhere, rearrange everything. So you know, the can of Chef Flora may go in the refrigerator, the pasta noodles may go up in the pantry, you know just different places.

Speaker 2 11:01

And I love to do this, you know, especially around the coffee because she's big about keeping all her coffee right in line and she may be a little OCD, but you know we love her and a little OCD in somewhere except you she just went off on me tonight because I really trashed the kitchen it's hilarious because you two are like the broke year old, then Like seriously, they'll come up and she'll be like, and you're like peanut, and I mean it's just, they have a cutest thing. You can't help but laugh. Like she said to him. He said something about well, you know, you really need to do better at this. And she's like if you don't like how I did it, then you need to complain to the manufacturer.

Speaker 2 11:42

That's not, yeah that was good she's so quick, she's so quick with it. I mean, you know, she's just amazing. Oh, can we just say what shirt? You wore to surgery because it was hilarious like my husband and I always have to laugh, you know, to make things easier. And so he wore this shirt that said definitely, and the d-e-a-s was in a different color and it said definitely, not listening, and I thought okay, people don't find that funny right it's hilarious. It's like christmas.

Speaker 2 12:20

I'm talking about gingerbread men with three limbs not four, and my surgeon, who everybody says you know I'm sure he's like fabulous on the or he didn't even chuckle like my other surgeons would have like cracked up laughing, it would have been hilarious, but he did he wore the shirt and for he stayed awake for most of the surgery, which was very shocking because my husband always sleeps during my surgeries.

Speaker 1 12:48

I did. I was awake for this one. Oh, our good buddy, josh, joshua.

Speaker 2 12:59

Who has declared that my husband's pregnant Just because I'm fat and hormonal? I'm horm's because I'm fat and hormonal.

Speaker 1 13:04

I'm hormonal because I'm taking shots.

Speaker 2 13:09

My nipples are kind of sitting there. Seriously, do that right now. I'm bringing out my laundry. I didn't hang up your laundry, I'm just.

Speaker 1 13:20

You brought Joshua up you brought Joshua up. Well, our good buddy Joshua, yeah, uh. What's his podcast called? Oh, it's that guy. That's right. I'm a little tired, y'all. I'm getting a lot of sleep. I was up at 3 am this morning with my wife.

Speaker 2 13:39

I feel bad, I can't sleep. It's not your fault, babe. I've been peeing like every hour now.

Speaker 1 13:44

I'm installing your business.

Family Support and Adjustments

Speaker 2 13:46

I pee, I peed, I peed, yes, every hour. And here's the thing you can't roll on your right side because you can't lay on your ear and this contraction. And you can't lay on your left side because I'm amputated and I can't lay that way. And I can't lay on my left side because I'm amputated and I can't lay that way and I can't lay on my back. So I literally am not sleeping.

Speaker 2 14:07

And I made a promise to my husband that we always sleep next to each other regardless, no matter what, and I won't sleep downstairs, and so I'm up, up up, constantly, chewing as a bitch and you know, just trying to do one thing at a time. So, no, he hasn't slept much, but you still haven't Give Josh what he's reviewed. No, I have not but let's go back.

Speaker 1 14:30

I want to say to the medical staff Out yonder, other than that little Indian lady or whatever she was, Asian. Everybody else was fabulous. Okay, I can't even remember their names. Okay, I can't say their names, why not? I remember one guy's name Because it was the same man as coming to America, never mind, anyway, you know what I'm talking about if you're listening, buddy. I appreciate you Because you took great care of my wife all the way through the entire time to the very, very end.

Speaker 1 15:09

You were just sweet and caring. Your bedside manners were excellent, so I hope you are listening to this podcast, you know what I'm talking about. Why can't I say his name?

Speaker 2 15:20

because you wouldn't want to do any definitions here.

Speaker 1 15:28

Okay, we won't go there.

Speaker 2 15:30

Isn't that cute? Not yet.

Speaker 1 15:31

Bye-bye, we'll wait and then we'll clue you all in on that story. On another episode I don't know.

Speaker 2 15:37

We're still on air, maybe.

Speaker 1 15:41

So be sure to jump on a contagious smile website. A contagious smile click that donation button. Y'all send a little coffee this way is it two S's or one?

Speaker 2 15:51

it's two S's hey, timmy boy, my puppy says good, that is faith service dog Rusty, and he is the gentlest giant you've ever met. He's so doggone, sweet. And then we have Stepo, my baby, and they have been so good through this whole thing. They haven't tried to come up to my face, nothing. They see the bruises and the contraption I'm wearing. Normally they bark when they have to go out and they haven't. I don't know if you noticed that they they haven't barked at all. They just go to the door and let me know they need to go. Um, but they have been so fantastic and loving and sweet. What are you up to? What are you up to say hi? Let me say hi, no, no, this is so sweet. I want to take a moment in all seriousness, dave, and I need you alert. I want to take a moment and, on behalf of myself and you and a contagious smile, I want to give my deepest condolences and sympathy to erica kirk for the loss of her husband, um his daughter he's a dog.

Addressing Gun Violence and Tragedy

Speaker 2 17:01

She has a daughter and a son. That little girl lived with reese's dad so cute. He was a huge family man. He was talking about gun violence and somebody asked him how many trans were involved in gun violence. And it did come out that the alleged shooter was living with a trans. They were living together in a trans relationship. My heart broke.

Speaker 2 17:32

I, if my husband will tell you, when I'm working during the day, I have one of two people playing in my background because I'm listening while I'm working, and it's either judge judy, because I think she's spitfire she's hilarious or charlotte kirk, like it's always one of the two, and I'm making.

Speaker 2 17:47

Well, megan kelly yeah, I do, I listen to her, um, but lately it's just been those two. And so when I saw that, I mean I was like I took a break and I was watching Charlie like hand out hats and set up his tent and, and you know, answer the questions. And here's the thing about it. So many people I mean some people were like how could you die? And I don't understand how this is a man who, 31 years old, and would have an open mic and say let's talk about it, no matter what, you can come up and say to him anything you wanted, Smart as all, get out.

Speaker 1 18:25

That man was a genius and he would let you ask or talk about whatever you want and he would have an intellectual conversation with you.

Speaker 2 18:34

He was so smart. And then to have him taken away and his wife and two kids were right near there. That's just horrible I mean, I just I know that people all over the world are doing condolences for him, but we wanted to add ours in as well, because, wow, like you just don't know.

Speaker 2 18:55

He went in there my husband and I were talking and it was like you know, that morning they got up from being in bed together and started their day and had breakfast as a family and then got ready to go do this speech.

Speaker 2 19:07

And they had no idea, he didn't know he picked up that mic that you know the next five seconds were going to be in, and what's really odd is they started showing clips where somebody said if you had 30 seconds to live because you were shot, what would you do? Like that's kind of ironic right, and this was not taken the same day in utah, like some guy from somewhere else on their tour asked him when they got up to the mic, you had 30 seconds after just being shot what would you do?

Speaker 2 19:34

What would you say? And it's just. You know, the violence is every flippant day. I mean, schools are going into bomb threats and bomb scares. Hospitals, children's hospitals, are also going under bomb threats and bomb scares.

Speaker 1 19:50

I mean I swear, I've seen more cops getting shot.

Speaker 2 19:53

Oh, they're everywhere.

Speaker 1 19:54

You know my wife and I were both in law enforcement and I'm glad we got out okay it's. You know some people say it's a young man's game. But you know it's more of a game, it's a calling. So my heart goes out to y'all, officers and military. Y'all just be safe out there.

Speaker 2 20:17

Absolutely, absolutely. We wanted to make sure we put an episode out. It's not up to par with what we normally do. Deer Silence is going to be there for October. We have a lot going on that we're trying to get going, just trying to hold our head up and get through this. You know the people who reached out to me. I can't thank you enough. People who reached out to my husband and our daughter is. I can't thank you enough Because some people are like oh they're having another surgery. They've been that way with faith.

Speaker 2 20:55

Oh, it's another one, it doesn't matter if it's one or a hundred, it's still surgery and it's a big deal. And this one, they said, is radical and very invasive. And you know, you think about like a heart ablation doesn't take less than 30, 40 minutes right, this one was hours, and it's like you can go and get something on your heart but you go to do something with your ear. It's going to take a whole lot longer and anytime you go in for surgery it's scary. So you know, I'm starting to try to get acclimated to it. But it was eye-opening when I went to the store and I couldn't hear them. That was hard for me, and then I was like what? I can't hear you, what you know, and you have to get used to that and it sucks, it sucks and I'm so glad that it's me and not my husband or my daughter. But then you wonder how these pieces of shit that spend their life beating and hurting women, children, animals get to walk around scot-free. I just I don't understand it.

Moving Forward With Positivity

Speaker 1 22:02

And for those of y'all who I have recently given a card out to, if I have invited you onto our show, please contact me, contact my wife, and we'll get you on the show. We need some new blood up in here. Well, let's not say new blood.

Speaker 2 22:23

And our daughter, we have to say, oh my God, she is like. I don't have a Mickey Mouse plant. I forgot. This girl is a like. I'm sorry, I forgot she gave me the cutest Mickey Mouse plant that girl every time we go to the range. It's hilarious. She is center mass, she's hilarious. Then she tried to get my attention and showed me that she shot off his hoo-ha and she is a really good shot. She's fantastic.

Speaker 1 22:58

She must get it for me, my side. You really want to do that.

Speaker 2 23:02

Yes, you don't, no, you don't, no, you don't no, no. Well, I know we're going to cut this episode kind of short tonight and I apologize, but we just wanted to put a little something out there my wife did not speak.

Speaker 1 23:24

I sounded like froggy from Little Rascals. Some people think that's sexy, though apparently one doctor did, because he gave him some medical advice. Push the I don't know whatever it was. Push the air through your diaphragm and release. I don't know what he said. He was these hilarious and, yes, I'll get to your dang review. Stand, stand by it, don't hold your breath.

Speaker 2 23:59

I'm still waiting on shelves. It's been five years, shelves, yeah.

Speaker 1 24:03

Yeah, shelves all around me.

Speaker 2 24:05

And more.

Speaker 1 24:05

They're full. They're what, full Full.

Speaker 2 24:11

Great, because he was talking earlier a bunch of nonsense, gibberish and I turned my head the other way I I said say it again so I can hear you. And I pointed to the right ear. So you gotta have a little fun with it, right? He's like that's not funny so what?

Speaker 1 24:21

what word did I just say? Foil no, I said fool, fool.

Speaker 2 24:30

Did I say f-o-o-l or f-u-l-l?

Speaker 1 24:34

I don't know, f-u-l-l, f-u-l-l, fool, it's fool.

Speaker 2 24:38

You sound like you're saying fool.

Speaker 1 24:42

My stomach is full of shit.

Speaker 2 24:47

You just wore on, your crown thrown or whatever.

Speaker 1 24:52

I am acting the fool.

Speaker 2 24:54

See, it sounds just like it.

Speaker 1 24:56

Exactly, but take it in context.

Speaker 2 25:00

Oh, can we even say, because this is funny and Faith didn't think I'd say anything. So we come home Friday night, can't sleep. I'm up in the middle of the night.

Speaker 1 25:08

I make muffins.

Speaker 2 25:11

I'm like I'm going to make banana muffins. I do the dishes, I clean the kitchen.

Speaker 1 25:16

Right, Y'all this is right.

Speaker 2 25:17

after surgery and I'm all impacted.

Speaker 1 25:21

No pain meds, no Percocet, no Oxy's, no.

Speaker 2 25:25

Advil.

Speaker 1 25:25

Nothing.

Speaker 2 25:26

And how do you explain how bad the bruise on my face is?

Speaker 1 25:29

On the back, like you got hit by a baseball bat.

Speaker 2 25:33

But and then the next night, saturday, couldn't sleep. So I go in again and I'm cleaning the kitchen and like dusting he comes in in the middle of the night. I'm in the office working Last night. Middle of the night he comes in. I'm working at four in the morning. I can't sleep. It messes up your entire sleep schedule, it does.

Speaker 1 25:59

Anyway, we thank y'all for listening and look out for Dear Silence you Lost. Come in here next month. What else? Get on the Academy? You can get on there through the official website. Check out some of the courses you can get on there through the official website.

Speaker 2 26:16

A container spa A container spa.

Speaker 1 26:18

Check out some of the courses. A lot of them, most of them, are free, but y'all join and help, support us. Buy a cup of coffee every now and then.

Speaker 2 26:29

It's less than an actual cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Speaker 1 26:33

We really appreciate it.

Speaker 2 26:34

We broke down what it cost us to keep running on all the platforms we're running on and if people just donated $5 for a course, then we can continue to offer these for free for people who need them that don't have the financial means to get them.

Speaker 1 26:52

Yes, so a very good night, a very good night. I love you, baby. This is getting more than PG okay, bye, bye no, no, no, thank you for listening stuck it on Rusty. Victoria Michael wish you a good night. Did you hear Rusty? He went oh.