"You look like you're trying to swallow a wasp," she said softly, sitting beside him. "Is it the ear again?"
"No," Martha cut him off firmly. "You finished that course months ago, and you can't take old antibiotics. Besides, we need to get you through the night." She uncapped the bottle she was holding. "I’m going to put a little warm olive oil in there."
"Lie down," she instructed. "Good ear down, bad ear up."
Olive oil and earwax: what you need to know for safe ear care