My surgery on Friday went well! Approximately 48 hours ago I was in the OR. It was a pretty crazy experience for me, especially since I'm a nurse. I tried to be a good patient, and I think for the most part, I was. Pre-op wasn't bad. Everyone I spoke to was really nice and the nurse used lidocaine before my IV so it didn't hurt at all. The doctors (2 of them were residents, I think...) came in and asked me if I was willing to participate in a study to figure out why some people like me get nasal polyps and some people don't. I said, "Sure! Why not?" They said that the only thing they'd do differently was get some extra blood work while I was asleep and take a few strands of my hair to check for nicotine. I told them, "You won't find any, but knock yourself out anyway..." The nurse gave me some Versed before Hunter got kicked out and I wheeled back to the OR. I remember them placing some foam things under my arms and strapping me down with something - it wasn't uncomfortable at all. I actually enjoyed it... I love to be snugged in. And that's pretty much all I remember until voices I didn't recognize were waking me up after surgery.
Apparently I have a stent up there somewhere, some sutures, and some dissolvable packing. But that's all he-said-she-said, because I wasn't conscious for all that.
When they tried to get me out of bed for the first time, I was not having it. All I wanted to do was lie there. I kept saying "no" but I was doing what they wanted me to anyway. I felt sick to my stomach when I stood up, but I took some deep breaths and they gave me an IV anti-nausea medicine and I was all better. It was horrible trying to keep my eyes open. The recovery nurse was like, "Leah, we need you to keep your eyes open, it'll be easier for you to move with your eyes open." I kept trying to tell her that I was doing my best to keep my eyes open, but then my eyes would immediately close. I hate the way anesthesia makes me feel. But I didn't puke and I wasn't itchy or anything like that. I was just suuuuuper tired and really wanted to drink water. So once they got me into the chair, I just sat there with my eyes closed and sipped water. Hunter asked me yesterday if I remembered what I told the nurses my pain was, and I said "Nope..." I was apparently at a 4/10, which I don't think is too shabby for someone just having screwed around in my sinuses for close to 4 hours. And then they somehow loaded me into the car (I have no recollection of that...) and Hunter drove me home. I vaguely remember that he tried to stop at a fast-food place for dinner for him but I feel like the speaker box wasn't working, so he drove away.
When we got home, Hunter somehow got me up the stairs and onto the couch. I made some phone calls letting people know I was alive, had a little nosebleed, and slept on and off for a while. Oh! And I have to wear this little "drip-pad" for 3 days after surgery...
It's actually quite brilliant. It's 2 rubberbands for the ear holes, a piece of tape that's been taped back on itself except for a little piece with which to attach the gauze. It keeps any random dripping from going everywhere. It makes it a little difficult to breathe through my nose, but that's nothing new. Anna said I should draw a mustache on it, which I might. (Please excuse the hair, I'm performing a Pinterest experiment. This Little House on the Prairie hair do is supposed to make my hair curly.)
So there are a few things I've learned about myself and about life through this situation. And I will share them with you.
1. If you ever needed to torture me for information, here is what I imagine would be very effective: making me itch yet unable to scratch anything, depriving me of food and water, and making me cold. Not being able to eat or drink after midnight of the day of surgery was zero fun. I had to get allergy tested during this whole ordeal and I am not sure how I went without scratching as a child. Here are the photos of my torture sessions:
This two-step process entailed placing the little tray of prickers on my forearms and then after 10 minutes of staring at my red and irritated and itching arms, having 27 small subdermal injections on my upper arm and letting them get red and itchy for 10 additional minutes to measure my body's response. It was not enjoyable. I am pretty allergic to almost everything. Yay for me.
2. Having a breathing tube down your throat does not feel good for the rest of the day. That was actually what was causing me the most discomfort after surgery. So when people that have surgery that involves having a breathing tube, take them throat lozenges. You'll have a new best friend.
3. I have the most amazing friends and family in the world (I already knew this, but it was confirmed this week). I cannot begin to count the number of people who reached out in some way to me or to Hunter to just show support and let us know they were praying for us. In the face of such a potentially scary situation, it was so wonderful knowing that we have so many people who are there for us.
4. I open things incredibly close to my face. Examples: Cabinets, doors, refrigerator. (Mostly things in the kitchen...coincidence??) Like I know a safe distance and open it to where it comes veeeery close to whamming me in the nose. Which is now scary.
4. My husband is entirely awesome (but I already knew this, too...). He has been taking such good care of me without a single grumble. I like to think that I don't ask for much, but when I do ask for stuff, it's like all in a row. "Can you get me some more water? Can you turn the fan on? Can you turn that light off, please?" Even though he forgot to turn his alarm on the day of surgery and he got up late, he's been amazing through this whole situation!
5. Whoever invented steroid nasal washes is a sadist. I have to do them twice a day and I hate them. That is all.
I will end with a quote that I thought was funny, but unless you're a Harry Potter fan, you won't think it's funny. My work wife came by this morning after she got off work to check on me, and as she was leaving, she got to the bottom of the stairs and stopped and looked around before proceeding. I said, "What are you doing?" She said, "Just looking for nargles..."
