Oh My Nose!

This blog may be a little quiet the next few days. Monday I'm having outpatient surgery to correct a deviated septum (and enlarged turbinates) that have been making it difficult for me to sleep for the past too many months. I've tried a number of things, and surgery is the next step. If you've noticed stretches since the summer when the blog has had fewer updates or shorter posts (like in December) it's usually been because I've been sleep deprived to the extent I found writing difficult.

The procedure should be relatively simple and I'll post early monday afternoon when I'm back home. The fun part will come on wed. Stop now if you're squeamish.

When I leave the hospital my nose will be filled with sponges, each about the size of a large finger. This "packing" will stay there as a bandage for two days until the tissue heals. On wed they'll be removed. My surgeon used to have patients come into the office to have them removed, but half the time they fainted! So now he has them do it themselves at home! It seems doing it yourself is more bearable, but it may take me an hour to do it. He said the packing is vacuum sealed and to break the seal I have to pull harder than I imagine. Some patients tie the string to a doorknob and slam the door closed but he doesn't recommend that. Once the seal is broken they should come out easily. Then accumulated blood will flow out for a few minutes, again more than I'd expect. I'm supposed to want to call for an ambulance but I shouldn't as I won't actually need it; it will stop on it's own in a few minutes. Joy.

Then I should be able to breathe great...for about an hour. Then my sinuses will start to fill up as my body won't be happy with the plastic splints setting my septum. This lasts for another week until I return to the doctor's office to have them removed. By the end of the week I'm supposed to regret having had the surgery but right after the splints come out I'm supposed to be very happy and will breathe better than I have in a long time.

Last week I filled my prescriptions for antibiotics and pain killers. I wondered if I should have been concerned that the script was for 60 percosets, but at 2 pills every 4-6 hours that's only a 5-7 day supply. Hopefully I won't need them all.

Apparently most people who have the surgery on Fri are back to work on Monday, and those that aren't are back on Tuesday. My sister has come up to stay with me a few days and we've stocked up the house with food and chocolate (or that should be chocolate and some food). Wish me luck. :)