Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Still recovering...

And I still feel like pooey...but I know it will be worth it in the end. I think I'm starting to get my sense of smell back, but unfortunately that comes with that 'sick' smell/taste...so I think I'd rather it be back the way it was!

The things I miss the most?



  • My sense of smell

  • Hot showers

  • Spicy food

  • My own bed

  • Sleeping!

  • Laying down flat

  • Exfoliation! (I can't wait to scrub my face again!)

Mom's been way too good to me though; I know I'm a terribly whiny patient. Dad's taking me to my post-op tomorrow so I'll let everyone know how that goes!


Saturday, November 19, 2011

Post Surgery

Thanks for all the prayers and support this week! It means so much to know I have so many people that care about me.

So far so good - I'm not in much pain, and ironically the pain has more to do with my limited sleeping positions rather than the actual procedures.

The official diagnosis: chronic frontal sinusitis, chronic ethmoid sinusitis, chronic spenoid sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, turbinate hypertrophy, chronic maxillary sinusitis

So for the run down of the procedures: septoplasty, bilateral frontal recess clean out, bilateral total ethmoidectomy, bilateral sphenoidectomy, bilatera maxillary ostea enlargement with antrostomy, ME/TRF - Landmark - bilateral turbinate procedure

Sounds like fun right? The procedure took him about two hours because once he got in there things were actually worse than originally anticipated, which didn't really surprise me at all considering I've been dealing with my gnarly sinuses for 31 years.

So far I don't have any bruising on my face, just one nasty one where the IV was because she couldn't find a good vein. I think that was the most painful part of the whole procedure! (But it could just be the Vicodin I'm on now blocking the pain!) I have to wear a 'mustache' gauze because my nose is still bleeding, but not bad. Just enough to be annoying. I can't bend over at all so that's made eating fun since I can't really see my face or my lips, and my neck is pretty sore because I think I'm over compensating by holding my muscles too tight. I have to sleep on my back with my head elevated, which is not comfortable at all, so I really only sleep in one hour increments.

Overall I think it went really well. I didn't expect to feel like doing anything for a few days, but I'm already tired of being cooped up and limited, though with my 'mustache' I definitely won't be leaving the house till my post-op appt on Wednesday.

Baptist Hospital was great. Other than the initial meeting with the pre-assessment lady (who I reported to registration yesterday when all my paperwork from the pre-assessment turned up missing!) everyone was amazing. I'm definitely going to be writing to HR to sing their praises. I was so scared by the time I got back there that I was in tears, and they were really comforting and helpful.

Here's to being able to breathe again in the near future!