Monday, September 8, 2008

Tonsillectomy...schmonsillectomy

So I get my entire throat gutted out...literally. My huge-ass tonsils along with my soft palate which includes that little dangly thing at the back of your throat - all gone. I feel like the inside of a pumpkin at Halloween. Anyone have a candle? Maybe one of those new electric flames so I don't burn the roof of my mouth would be best.

It's funny how doctors and even those that have gone through a procedure will gloss over or even forget the details of how crappy the ordeal truly is.
  • I was told I would be out of commission for 10 days to two weeks. Pretty accurate. I returned to work on day 13.
  • I was told the pain was awful. True - definitely blows away childbirth and I had back labor so it was rather excruciating.
  • I would have limited ability to eat and drinking liquids quickly might come out my nose. True. In fact its quite funny to do on purpose if I can suffer the pain. My son thinks is hilarious - "Mommy blow the water out your nose again..."
  • I might sound nasally. Well I don't sound like Fran Dresher in the Nanny but I do sound like I was born partially deaf. At least to me - others say I sound different - don't be polite just tell me. It's kind of funny. (It's kind of funny in a Jack Black robocop voice - now that's funny - rent Be Kind Rewind but don't expect too much)
  • I would lose weight - woohoo - hell yeah I did and I'm still losing so yippee for me.

Here's what no one told me (some of these are funny - you have to picture me stumbling all mediciney headed around my house in bed clothes, hair all in disarray, afraid to talk or swallow, starving and dying of thirst):

  • The pain medication hurt so bad to take that I didn't want to take it but suffered through it to be able to sleep or drink
  • Codeine is your friend
  • You can't stop a sneeze no matter what
  • Sneezing is excruciating when your throat has been gutted
  • Coughing is right up there with sneezing
  • Yawning is excruciating - maybe topping sneezing due to frequency
  • Excruciating as a term for the pain doesn't truly do it justice
  • Salivating makes you have to spit - constantly - I hate to spit
  • That funky smell is your throat rotting or something - healing???
  • Coffee makes the stench worse
  • Brushing your teeth is a dangerous and treacherous ordeal
  • Something messes with your body's ability to process what it's taking in resulting in unexpected and uncontrollable BM's
  • You can't shout at your suicidal pre-schooler
  • Liquid diets are boring
  • Jello for every meal for two weeks SUCKS!
  • Chicken broth is not a beverage
  • You can't blend a salad enough to make it palatable

But I'm back to work and my regular schedule. I can't eat or drink, talking hurts and I can't seem to stop the damned yawning.

Supposedly I will not get as sick anymore and I sleep without a snore.

Was it worth it? Dunno - that may be a future blog.

3 comments:

LucianoJazz said...

Do you think that Clark could get this procedure for the snoring?

LucianoJazz said...

Pain for all those wrongs he's done me in the past sounds worth it to me.

Kryspy said...

Ha - It would likely solve the snoring but you know him - he'd NEVER go through with it:)