Well I'm back home and made it out the other side of the surgery. Man they really want to push you out the door in the afternoon. After sitting in the waiting room for nearly two hours listening to the poor children recover from surgery in the room next door, I finally went into the holding room at 11am. My arrival time at the Sydney ENT and Facial Day Surgery Centre was 9.30am.
I was taken into the smaller waiting room to get changed into my lovely tie up at the back gown and dressing gown to preserve my dignity. With Donald accompanying me and taking the requested photo's while my blood pressure was checked and allergies to antibiotics checked, we sat in the holding pattern with another fellow who was a little nervous tapping his feet.
The anesthetist came and discussed my allergies again and told me it would only be a few minutes while the surgeons and nurses had a lunch break. I could hear a bizzare noise in the background and joked that it might be part of the surgery noises. The anesthetist said it was only the coffee machine!! Phew!!
I walked into the operating room while talking to the anesthetist about motorbikes, he had seen Donald reading a motor bike magazine in the holding room. They told me to lay down on the warmed operating table and started to put the canula into my left wrist and told me how excited they were to find such lovely big veins (I get that all the time when I go for a blood test). The anesthetist then started injecting a white fluid into the canula which made me rather floaty then black out as they put the oxygen mask over my face. The next thing I knew I was in the recovery room feeling very drowsy and the clock on the wall told me it was just after 2pm.
Now the surgery that I was having done was a Bilateral Fess (Functional Endoscopic Sinus surgery), Bilateral Turbinoplasty (reduction of the turbinates in my sinuses) and Septoplasty (straightening of my deviated septum) all to allow proper drainage of mucus and flow of airways. Hopefully to prevent any more infections from occurring and lessening the need for antibiotics. All a bit gross I know but for those that are interested I thought I'd put in the details.
So after drowsing for a while after surgery they gave me a lemonade ice block, it felt so good munching on it with my blood stained lips. After another little while the nurses got me up and into the recovery recliner chair to keep me upright. I was offered some vegemite toast and some water, which went down pretty well too, seeing as I hadn't eaten or drunk anything since the night before. Then they made me get up to get dressed and go to the toilet (very much needed, the toilet bit) it was after I was dressed and in the bathroom the nausea and clamminess started. I managed to vomit into the nurses hands which were lined with a wet cloth for my forehead, fortunately she didn't put it back onto my forehead but into the bowl which magically appeared just in time for a little more. I think I managed an apology to the nurse in between vomits. Soon after Donald appeared to take me home. I can't say I was ready to go anywhere, I was clammy, nauseous and still soooo drowsy I could hardly keep my eyes open.
Post op...........it's not a pretty sight with my blood stained, green moustache that I have to wear for the next day or two!!
So I was the last patient out the door and they got me to the car and fell asleep as soon as we got going again. I think we made it home around 5pm and I just plonked myself in bed. The boys and Amelia popped into see me with my green moustache and gave me funny looks. Amelia really wants to chew it off and can't understand why I won't let her have the pleasure.
So here I am day two and I've been up bright and early at 2am getting some fruit to nibble on, a change of my moustache and then back to bed for some more sleep. I guess it's going to be like that for a few days. I have to sleep upright with a few extra pillows for support, it's not that comfortable but I manage to drowse off ok. I think it's time for a second breakfast now that I've finished this post. More fun is yet to come when I start flushing out my nose with saline, I think I'll spare you any photo's though.
Forgive any spelling mistakes, I'm not wearing my glasses as they fog up with the warm air coming out of my green moustache. Time for breakfast.
7 comments:
Heh. You look like the female version of Hannibal Lecter.
Thanks Charlie, at least I can still use my teeth :+) Not that I want to use them like Hannibal.
You look a little worse for wear there Lisha.
Sounds a lot more dramatic that what I had done.
I had to be at the hospital by 7.15am and was home at 10.30am! I had a sleep in the afternoon for a couple of hours and have been pretty much okay since then. My arm is a bit sore, but nothing I cant handle at the moment. My anesthetist told me I would be in excruciating pain afterwards, I think he was pulling my leg unless it is yet to come lol...
Take care and rest up :)
I see what you mean about the green mo - shame it doesn't have curly ends. Waiting times in hospitals - so annoying aren't they. Both Neil and I have had to wait from 7am to about 1pm for various surgeries, listening to steadily increasing stomach growls.
It looks sore (and a little funny he he). I love the hospital docco photos Donald took!
I just had the same surgery three days ago! Do you think it helped?
Yes Melanie the surgery has helped. But you know what I've also discovered? I went gluten free and I haven't had a sinus problem since. The connection with wheat and gluten and taking it out of my diet has helped and I also don't have migraines anymore. Good luck with your recovery.
Post a Comment