Post-Surgery

Truth be told, this is about two days after surgery, and I'm actually looking pretty decent here. The first couple days were scary.

Surgery is OVER, hallelujah, and I couldn't be happier. I think, overall, it went really well and was successful, but it has been a little rough.

So, for an update in case you missed what actually happened, they:

• took out my ethmoid sinuses (the ones between your eyes)
• and my sphenoid sinuses (the ones at the back of your nose)
• which basically means they combined it into one big cavity instead of a bunch of small passages that can easily get blocked off when I get sick
• removed a bunch of super inflamed tissue
• widened the passages into my maxillary sinuses (the ones in your cheeks that drain uphill)
• shaved down my turbinate bones so they'd stop blocking my sinuses (turbinates are down low, on either side of your nose, kind of by the sides of your nostrils)
• straightened my septum up high where it was deviated
• which basically meant he had to break my nose and re-set it

So, no wonder it hurt, huh?! (That and the fact that, as April put it, "They had instruments INSIDE YOUR SKULL!!!" Truth.)

Apparently there was a lot more inflammation than the surgeon anticipated, so it was a little more complicated and involved than he expected, and took a bit longer to do.

I had a heck of a time coming out of the anesthesia. Apparently I spiked a fever in recovery--I remember them saying, "She's too hot, she's too hot, we have to get her into a lighter gown." Between that, having a hard time waking up so they couldn't give me more pain meds, being in tons of pain, and the meds I finally did get making me super nauseous, we didn't get to leave the hospital until almost 10:00 at night (they thought I'd probably be out of there around 4 or 5ish).

I'm not usually a big baby when I'm sick (in fact, I'm usually pretty dang tough), but I will tell you I have NEVER felt so miserable in my whole life. And when LB and my mom and sister got me back to my apartment that night, the mirror told me that my outward appearance reflected it--SCARY. I've never looked so terrible. EVER. My family assures me that is the truth.

So I guess the good news is that LB has officially seen me at my absolute worst and he is still sticking around! :) He was a CHAMP. Seriously. While I was in surgery, he went and bought me flowers (which I unfortunately neglected to get a photo of until they were already pretty much bloomed out...oops...but they were beautiful!) and this sweet little stuffed puppy.

My puppy might be a bit jealous. ;) Or she might just think it's for her. :)

Don't worry--he brought her a big bone to chew on, too--he thinks of everything!

He came over and set them up in my room, let Allee out, turned on the lamp by my bed and turned the covers down and laid out my pajamas--isn't he the sweetest?! And last night when we were talking about how awful I looked, he said, "You just looked like you felt miserable." Awww.

He slept on the couch that first night at my apartment and got up at all hours of the night to make me toast and get me ice and water and meds and whatever else I needed. He's a sweetheart.

So, yep, I'm doing okay. Still in some pain, but the meds do a good job keeping it under control. The only tricky thing is timing it right so I can still drive and function now that I'm back to work. I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday and one more two weeks later, and then hopefully this will all be behind me. Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers and well wishes!