Ear Surgery (again)

I guess I should start off with a little history of my ears (for those of you who don't know). I have had ear problems since I was a baby. Went through 2 sets of temporary tubes (the kind that a lot of kids need) Most kids out grow ear infections, their eustation tubes open up and are able to drain....not mine! Permanent tubes were put in, they created holes in my ear drums that needed to be "patched" so I had a tympanoplasty done on each ear. At some poin I also had a mastoidectomy done, I was so little when all these surgeries went on that I can't remember everything or in what order things were done. I just know my last surgery (the mastoidectomy along with a tympanoplasty in my right ear) was done when I was 10 yrs. old. I STILL kept getting ear infections in that ear, so another permanent tube was put in.  My left ear healed up fine from all the surgeries and I haven't had any problems with it since, and I've been able to get water in it. Fast forward 16 years. Now I have a hole that takes up about 40% of my ear drum in my right ear from the permanent tube being in there so long. My hearing has decreased in that ear and I can not get any water in it. Hurts like heck if I do since there pretty much isn't any ear drum there....the water goes straight into my inner ear! So I went to the ENT, he referred me to an otolaryngologist to look into doing ANOTHER typanoplasty! We talked about the surgery and he feels that since I was only 10 when the last one was done, my ears have developed enough that once the hole is patched the eustation tubes will be able to drain like normal. If all goes well and my ear drains like it should, the "patch" takes hold, and I don't need another tube put back in.....I will have "normal ears"!!! I don't want to get my hopes too high, since I have never been able to get at least one of my ears wet..(I've always had to have an ear plug in when swimming or anything water related), so really I've never known any different. BUT there is a small chance that after the surgery, if I am able to clear my ears w/o pain or any problems, I can say goodbye to ear plugs! Which in turn means I might be able to dive!!! Lance would LOVE that! Since he is a lisenced scuba diver, I know he wishes I was able to dive with him! SO I have the surgery scheduled for Sept. 28th! Hoping and praying this will help me!!!