Recovery Update

This recovery business isn't fun, but I keep reminding myself: Alissa you can see and you don't have meningitis. Those were my two biggest fears.

So...what does it feel like after having a major nose surgery? 

Well I don't look too bad, so looking in the mirror is positive. 

It feels like I have a rug burn inside my nose. I read that online I think it's a pretty accurate description. 

I can't blow my nose for 3 weeks. You know I'm an allergy sufferer, so I'm used to blowing my nose often, very often. Well when I do fall asleep I wake up to a dried crusty nose. If you ever have this type of surgery word of advice: Wet baby washcloths to clean out the tip of your nose is the best. They are soft. Sometimes I stick them in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes because cold anything feels good!

The first few days of healing, blood was dripping from my nose a lot. It was hard to ice it with gauze, a tissue, or baby wash cloth stuck to the end of my nose. Now it's not bleeding so much. The swelling isn't as bad as I thought. I really thought I'd have black and blue under my eyes even. Polyps went that far. Yes my nose is swollen a bit. Ice packs help so much! I just hate when I get them out, and forget about them. Small bags of frozen peas work as well.

My throat hurts bad off and on to swallow. It's from the breathing tube mainly. I wish I could just shake this one. I've tried vinegar in water, lemon and ginger in tea, water, Sprite (just because the bubbles feel nice going down), popsicles and sorbet. The best things: Anything cold! Popsicles and sorbet win! 

Pain Meds:

I've really taken Tylenol mostly. You can't take anything with Aspirin in it due to the fact that it is a blood thinner. Plus I'm allergic to Aspirin. I'm thinking that one is genetic; I have an Aunt that's allergic to Aspirin too. 

Remember I was all excited to get my pain med Percocet? The doctor forgot to leave a written prescription in my chart. I took my first luke warm shower after taking one of those pills. While I was finishing up I said, "Isaak go get Dad! Tell him I'm dizzy!" I got out of the shower, was close to the floor, but in my out of it state stood upright, and Travis caught me. He said I was out like a light, and was shaking. Of course everyone had an opinion about why I fainted. My Brother-in-law: She's taking too much! My Aunt: It's from the shower. We give Percocet in the hospital all the time, and no one faints. Now I just take one before bed, or only Tylenol. I've even fainted from prescribed cough syrup before. 

I'm on an antibiotic and probiotics too.

Energy Level:

This morning I was feeling good. I took a shower, made Isaak's bed (it's high up, as I can't bend over), and played Scrabble with Mica. Well during Scrabble Mica was great at first, then a sore looser that swore I sabotaged the game. I was really feeling low on energy. I gave Mica 1/2 my lunch to eat because I still eat like a child. Then I was out like a light! I slept from 1 to 5! 

Lucky for me I have had cuddle buddies!

Mica even read to me:

Friday morning I get my splints out! Then I can use a nasal rinse. YAY! 

Surgery Update

No pictures of my nose as of yet. For 1 they wouldn't let me take anything back with me. My phone had to stay with Travis. For 2 I'm starting to swell up, and don't look the best. I should have taken a picture this morning; it didn't look so swollen then.

My nose is straight now. My nostrils aren't the same, but that's not why I had surgery. Most importantly I can see just fine, and I don't have meningitis. The surgery took about 2 1/2 hours. I guess my septum was really crooked back there. My polyps were bad.

It was an outpatient surgery. I got there at 10:30, had surgery pretty much on time 12:35 or so, and stayed until about 8:30. They were hesitant to let me go because I couldn't go to the bathroom a lot. Did you know under anesthesia that your bladder is the last thing to wake up? I made up for it last night. I drank so much in the hospital to try and go. Ha!

My nose is more sore today than yesterday. The really good drugs have worn off. Travis went to pick up my meds: Antibiotic, Nasal Spray, and Pain Meds. He quickly found out that the pain meds needed a written script. Well the hospital didn't have it on file, and it's Saturday. So I called the doctor on call. He delivered a script to the ER for Travis to pick up. That was a pain, but I'm thankful I got it.

Three things that annoyed me in the hospital:

1. I had to get stuck a few times for the IV. I have such small veins that tend to roll. I have a pretty good bruise on my arm. 


2. They don't carry those little cups of sorbet anymore. God I love those things! I could only eat soft stuff. My top jaw hurts. JELL-O, applesauce, and ice cream was it. 


3. I couldn't wear my Edvard Munch Scream socks. Apparently compression socks win. We wouldn't want any blood clots. I thought the doctors and nurses would get a kick out of my socks if they saw them.

The saline spray helps my nose from getting dried out. It also makes me bleed constantly just a little bit.

The boys spent the night at my sisters last night. They looked at me this morning and said, "Well you don't look that bad." Then when I put the gauze under my nose Isaak said, "That's weird."

I'll be off work for 2 weeks. It's supposed to take a few months to recover.

Nose Job! Yikes!

I had my ENT appointment yesterday. The doctor was running behind, per usual. I'm not saying usual with this particular doctor. Just usual with doctors in general. I rushed over there, was nervous about finding it, then had to wait.

It wasn't really a great day for feeling good. It's been raining for 4 days straight. Mica said, "Mom I think you get headaches from the barometric pressure. I've often wondered that. Dang that kid is so smart at times. He's a classic book smart kid, but needs step by step instructions to make his bed.

I figure I should get some selfies before I get my nose job soon. I won't really fix my nose in any way other than to make it straight, and get those polyps out. I haven't noticed in awhile how messed up my deviated septum is because the other side was swollen with polyps. Now that the polyps have gone down my nose looks really off. Day with rain my eyes are horrible!

Off to the side of my face I have a chicken pox scar. Kids always ask what that is because no one really gets chicken pox anymore with the vaccine that's available.

Nurse's First Question:

"Have you had a CT scan lately?"

Me:

"No." The last one I had was 11 1/2 years ago when I was prego with Mica. He was breech, I was low on fluid, my birth canal was tilted funny, so they wanted to see if there was room to have him if they got him turned around. There was room, but they couldn't get him to turn. Never try to have a doctor turn a baby from the outside. Opt for the C-section. There's my advice for the day. It hurt worse than the epidural, or post C-section + it puts stress on the baby. What was I thinking?

Anyhow I didn't tell the nurse all of that. I'm pretty sure 11 1/2 years ago isn't a recent CT scan, nor does it have anything to do with my nose.

CT Scan: 

I was thinking, Oh God this is going to be a hassle + expensive. I'm sure that later part is still true. Hassle not so much. They had a scanner right there in the office.

See all the grey. There's suppose to be white spots in there. Yep polyps have taken over where I can't see them. :(

Check out my nose! It gets even more crooked inside!

Eye Sight Loss Scare:

All the grey by my eye is polyps. Yep if he digs in to get them out, and hits my eye I'll have seeing problems afterwards.

Meningitis Scare:

Do you see the thin line of white? That's bone. Below that is all polyps. If he hits that bone I could get Meningitis. He asked me if I knew what Meningitis is? Umm yep! Isaak had that at 2 months of age! I know how scary it can be. It can cause hearing loss, and brain damage. Not to mention high fevers, high white blood cell count, and pressure on the brain. Fun stuff! Not! Sometime ignorance is bliss.

Polyps central.

My messed up nose!

It has to be sawed, and put back together like a jigsaw puzzle.

I know they have to tell you everything. Travis wants to know everything. He wants to look it up, study it. He's already read all about Septoplasty - Deviated Septum Surgery. He's watched YouTube videos on it. Me on the other hand, I usually like to research the heck out of things. I'm not feeling it with this. It makes me more worried. I'm not saying I can't handle the information. Put it on the table. I'm not about to go look up what he's going to hack away. 

He'll do a CT Scan, while the surgery goes on. That way he can see what he's doing.

He wants my allergies to be up to par because I can't blow my nose for 3 weeks after having this done. I'll miss 2 weeks of work, but will not be recovered for months. Yay! Not!

I'm thinking mid to end of June. Then I won't miss class, I'll have recovery time, I can also be home with the kids and spring allergy season will be over. I'll have to talk to Dr. Shakir - my allergy asthma doctor. 

I was doing great with all this slammed down information. Then a muscle car almost hit me on the way home - all black with bright green wheels was driving pretty fast on the express way. 

Then I started crying after talking to my parents. I could barely get out what to say to my youngest sister mainly because I just talked to my concerned parents. I pulled it together when I talked to my older sister and aunt. They were more, "Oh Alissa you'll feel so much better after this surgery! They have to tell you everything." 

Not quite the nose job I want to have. I really don't even mind my nose. Sure it's crooked, but it's my nose. I've grown to love it through the years. If it's so crooked it's restricting me from breathing it needs to be fixed.

I'm pretty sure the boys are freaked out with all the talk of this stuff. Isaak is usually filled with empathy. He said, "Mom I wish I had a different Mom that didn't have allergies. Then maybe I wouldn't have them. I would have skin problems either." Thanks son. He is a bit right. Kids do say what's on their minds. It really didn't hurt my feelings per say. I agree with him. Allergies, asthma and all this nose stuff sucks!