A lil blog about my journey to better breathing:
I half jokingly say I would like to thank my big brother for all the childhood beat downs that led to my deviated septum an the inevitable corrective surgery I have had this week. Half joking only because it is in fact truely how I have this crooked septum. I would never have thought I would have any surgery in my life (who would). But I definitely could not have guessed my first surgery would be "elective"; seems like a odd thing to elect to do but my breathing situation had just become so aggrevating and increasingly worse over time.
deviated septum & turbinates
At this point I'm in a bit of a quandary, as most people know about me, I'm a researcher by nature. I often (if not always) want to know why and how of so much in life. So apply that to something that is meant to occur to me and you can imagine how elevated this characteristic had become. The worse thing someone like me can do while researching a procedure that is pending is youtube a medical video of it. I nearly called the whole thing off...lol. It was not pretty and everyone is quick to tell you how you will be under anethesia and won't feel a thing but none-the-less that IS happening to you. Eeek. The next thing you won't want to hear is other people's stories about how they heard the bone being broken or how they had an wicked infection after but "I'm sure that won't happen to you." what?
Pre-op: I asked my list of questions and the doc was able to answer them throughly and humor me in some instances just to make me feel better about the surgery. Mainly about how he knew I needed surgery and was he sure it would not change the shape of my nose. I like my nose, I'm sure it isn't a perfect nose but it's mine and I think the shape and size is distinct to me and my family and I'd like to keep it that way. I left that appointment feeling that surgery was in fact what i needed however, terribly nervous of what was on the horizon but mainly the anethesia. I've never had it and the prospect of taking a drug that puts me in a state that I have no idea what is happening to me was not appealing at all. Reading up on the procedure does not elicit comfort only more concerns over probability and statistics of being within a certain margin where things are not so good.
Surgery Day: The waiting is really the worst part. The anticipation of being stuck with needles and being operated on could be the worse emotional part of the whole ordeal. No eating or drinking (not even water) for 8 or more certainly didnt add to the situation. Finally called back, I was told we're moving you up the surgery before me was a no show...eeek here we go. First IV, first anethesia, first surgery, this was a very long day so far.
tubes/splints/stints
Day2 (morning): Healing quickly :) random observations: the worse pain isn't in my nose but still my throat and chest from the intubation. My teeth hurt :-/ also i'm not quite sure why ppl take these kind of pain meds when they don't have to...just makes me sleepy, lethargic and i feel wicked lazy.
>>>Day 2 (night) Too much moving around today plus began irrigation which hurt a bit, The combo created pressure in my sinuses that has given me this nice heaache that does not go away not even with the pain meds. Sweet. Getting set up to be immobile for a while thinking this is the better choice.
Day 3: Rough second half of day 2 led to a very rough morning day 3. Not feeling so spritely at all today. :( Breathing through my mouth only makes for an unrestful sleep. Irrigation hasn't been pleasant but I can breathe through my stints for the moment. progress. Pretty achey today, I think I feel the worst today.
Random observation: two days with no taste buds and i'm starting to become concerned about regaining my sense of taste... that would not be a fair trade off :-/ also i noticed that (while getting intubated??) my front teeth bonding got chipped..to be discussed with doc on monday. no bueno.
Day 4:
Decide to try to endure the discomfort and reduce my pain med intake. I definitely do not enjoy the spaced out feeling it gives me although the sleep has been a welcome result. I am pretty sure I have not slept this much in quite some time. I have an incredible urge to blow my nose today. My front teeth and gums are still tender and I can periodically breathe through both stints. Since I cant smell or taste anything eating hasn't really been too much of a priority only intaking food because I meant to with before taking meds. Oddly enough my favorite thing to eat right now is watermelon. It's cool and I like the texture. I can't decide if i can tell it's sweet because I know it is sweet as I have my whole life or if I can really tell that it is sweet. Things that are sweet do feel different as I eat them and the same for salty things, but again I can't decide if that is because I already know it as I eat it.
I am so looking forward to Monday's post op appointment, where the stints come out. I expect it will be very uncomfortable but I am excited to get this moving along.
Day 5: Woke feeling very rested today! Made it through the entire day yesterday with no pain meds, but I did take one right before I went to sleep. I slept through the entire night and was breathing out of both stints! No painful dry mouth/tongue today. I was surprised at how painful it has been to wake up with the inside of my mouth completely dried up from only being able to breathe through it. So excited to be free from the stints tomorrow, it seems it will be pretty uncomfortable (if not down right wicked painful) coming out but that will be brief and then I will be able to heal fully and breathe completely! :) So excited to feel the difference!
Day 6: Got my stints out today! Oh my my do i feel amazing! I am able to breathe the most full breaths of my life!
Glad you are feeling better!
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