I finally met a doctor that went further than prescribing antibiotics for my constant ear infections.
The surgeon removed a rather large cholesteatoma from my inner ear, and did a complete tympanoplasty at the same time.The repair included inserting a small section of titanium into my skull to hold things together. (do NOT google those two words unless you have a strong stomach)
Needless to say, I needed some time to myself for healing to get a good start.