The Pre-Op Experience

During my pre-op appointment at the Hospital (which was about two weeks prior to my surgery), I met with a nurse.  I submitted paperwork that was requested by my ENT that my General Practitioner and I fill out.  It was two separate medical history forms.  She went over it, asking about other surgery's (wisdom teeth etc), allergies, if you experienced a recent cough or cold etc. I was also weighed for anaesthetic purposes.

I was also given some post-op information (very vague!) I strongly recommend if you are over the age of seven, to seek out information and prepare questions prior to this visit. I didn't know until this appointment that I had to stay in recovery after my surgery from 4-6 hours.

You may meet with the anaesthesiologist for questions as well.

My total appointment took about 10 minutes, although they prepare you to wait between two to four hours.


The day of Surgery:

• You will not be allowed to eat or drink anything from 12 am on, the day before your surgery
• Any and all jewellery/piercings will need to be taken off/out. I had several that would not come out, which left me struggling and in a panic the morning of my surgery.  I recommend doing this the night before - especially if you haven't taken them out in years
• You will need to arrive 1 1/2 - 2 hours prior to your surgery time. You may want something to read.
• You will also be required to wear a sassy little scrub outfit and booties.  Tres chic. 
• Bring a plastic bag or resuable bag for you clothes.  You will have the oportuntity to put it in a locker, or you can leave it with who ever is staying and waiting for you.
• The surgery itself takes between 20-30 minutes
• If the nurse offers your a topical numbing cream for the IV, TAKE IT! I did not and my entire hand was aching (my veins are quite tiny)
• Immediate recovery is between 4-6 hours.  My surgery was at 12:40 pm and I was in the car heading home by 5:30 pm.
• Try to get as much water, ice chips, popsicles into you before you leave.  You will be pretty medicated so your pain will be tolerable.  The more hydrated you are, the less it hurts.  BEWARE: You may need to go to the wash room and since you will be hooked up to an IV, you may not be able to.
• Before you are ready to be discharged, your clothing bag will be brought back to you so you can change.  They will wheelchair you out to your car and then you are on your way home!
• You will have a strange taste in your mouth (burnt flesh), but it doesn't last long because before you know it your mouth tastes awful and smells even worse (this lasts about 1 1/2-2 weeks). Fun stuff! NOT.

Day 17, 18, 19, 20, & 21

All are pretty much the same.

I am able to almost eat "regular" foods, although softer foods are easier to get down. Some foods still feel like they scratch on the way down, but as long as they are soft enough its a non issue.

My throat is feeling odd..  almost like a hairball is stuck.  There is a constant 'membrane' if you will coated around where my tonsils used to be. It feels phlegmey and like something is stuck. It has felt like this for nearly a week and has relatively stayed the same.

I only experience pain when my throat dries out, which with the changing weather, seems like its more often than not.  It's important to remember to stay hydrated! I know I've been drinking less water so now I'm trying to make a conscious effort to drink more.

Day 16

I made it back to school! That is pretty cool.  Although by the time I finished getting ready I needed a serious rest.

I've checked out my throat and the left side appears to be healing nicely, with mostly fresh pink tissue.  The other side worries be a little; still scabby, very bump and red.

I still have swelling surrounding my uvula and my voice is still high and child like.  I've almost gotten used to sounding so silly.

I survived another week and I'm hoping to be back to 'normal' very soon!

Day 15

Everything is still relatively the same with the healing and how I'm feeling. I have more energy, yet when I do simple tasks, I'm completely drained.  Returning to classes tomorrow should be interesting.

Today I experienced a pinch in my throat... not sure what happened, perhaps a scab made a break for it?

Foods that mush up easily are still easier to eat and almost preferred to solid foods.  The small pieces tend to get stuck in the sockets, but they are sitting well in the belly.

I have gained 3 lbs back from the 10 lbs I lost during the first week. That's what happens when you are able to eat!

Day 14

Another day and a little more food.  Today I tried eating boiled chicken.  It was cut up into cubes which made it easier to go down.

I find that rice and spaghetti get a bit stuck in the back of my throat (super hot and yummy I know).

I still have a majority of scabs in tact. Hopefully they go away SOON!

Day 13

I finally had REAL food today! It was amazing! Spaghetti and home-made meatballs :)  It was soft enough to chew up really small and get down.

I feel better each day!

My throat is still sore from time to time but usually its worse after I eat (understandably). I'm only taking tylenol when needed which is usually only twice a day. This is exciting to me because I'm down to two from eight.

I cannot wait for the scabs to be gone with and these giant sockets to fill up but I have a feeling that will take another week or so (hopefully not longer because I have some 'sharp' foods I'd really like to nom on!)

Day 12

My uvula is still swollen and sore.  For the most part most of my scabs are gone aside from the ones in the giant sockets in the throat.

I am sleeping better, still loving nutella on bread, no crusts and pierogies.

I have the small amounts of energy so I try and be productive (catch up on school work, clean up my two week mess of a room) but after 10 minutes or so I feel as if I ran 5km.

I can't wait to be better!!!!!!!

My post-op appointment won't be for another month or so...which is weird right?

Day 11

Everyday I'm feeling stronger which is AWESOME!

I woke up this morning with some swelling at the top of my throat around my uvula.  I've read in other posts (I did LOTS of "research" tonsillectomy patients symptoms and side effects to see if mine were "normal") that this occurred in others around day 8. It is really strange to look at and it is a little sore but compared to days 1 and 2, I'll take it!

I am also able to swallow softer solids now which is AMAZING! I've tried bread with no crust and pierogies and FINALLY my belly feels full.  It is a great feeling being able to eat more than pudding and apple sauce.

My voice is still some strange mixture of a five year old and someone who had their jaw wired shut.

I am getting more energy back from simple tasks still really wipe me out but I know this will get better each day.

Day 10

I actually had a decent sleep! I did not experience the strange pains and I believe I got a solid 7 hours.

However, I did wake up with my throat being extremely dry and sore and actually my uvula is swollen today.  I read some other posts on the internet a few days ago and others have experienced this too.

The scabs seem to be thinning but I haven't coughed any out.  For the most part I guess I've been swallowing them or they haven't come off at all.  I'm sure in the next few days I will begin to experience that which I am looking forward to only because it means I'm that much closer to being healed and more importantly able to eat REAL food!

Day 9

I experienced the same weird pains again which put me in quite a mood all day.

This is taking a toll on my emotions.  Man, I was not expecting it to be this hard emotionally. The worst is seeing you family eat all of the foods you can't. You experience anger, jealousy and sadness.  Its really strange.

I barely ate or drank water today as I was feeling so down.

Word to the wise: do NOT eat oatmeal. That shit is not soft.

My throat pretty much felt the same as the last few days, but the test was sleeping: would I be able to?

Day 8

After having a crappy sleep I was pretty down. This recovery game is getting to me.  One day you feel great and that you are better and the next you aren't.  You feel like crap.

The rest of the day was pretty much the same as the day before. Overall today was a good day. I feel like I have some energy back, my pain level has decreased and I have an appetite again.

I had a lovely visit from my boy friend :).

Again, went a little noodle crazy.  You don't understand. After being unable to eat solid food for 5 or 6 days, I went to town! I then felt sick... but was hoping my noodle comma would help me sleep better.

Day 7

This morning I woke up with a different taste in mouth... its not much better, but thats a sign of progression right?

Today is one week since my tonsils came out.

For the most part today has been better than the rest.

I was able to eat some noodles, that I scarfed down... so hungry!

I am also just taking tylonel instead of the morphine so I did not feel nauseas, high five!

I'm in better spirits! Let's hope this lasts a while. :)


UPDATE:

Oh my Lanta I did not sleep well AT ALL.

For one, I usually sleep with one pillow and on my side. I can't because when I lay flat my throat hurts.  I guess it stretches the tissues and makes me uncomfortable. I've been sleeping with two pillows which is an adjustment but up until now it hasn't been so bad.  NOT LAST NIGHT! I pretty much had to keep my head still and lay on my back because if I turned my neck at all I had razor sharp pains at the back of my tongue and a tightening in front my throat all the way down my neck.

So much for feeling better. :(

Day 6

Same shit different day.

Yesterday was not a great day for me, hence me writing this today (day 7).

Emotionally I'm wearing thin.  I feel like I have made zero progress in my recovery and that I will be stuck like this forever.

To top it off, I'm just so hungry.  I don't like jello, mashed potatoes or soup. I'm sick of apple sauce, pudding, ice cream and popsicles. I just want a burger with fries... mmmm.

Pain is relatively the same today. By continually drinking my throat doesn't bother me THAT much, but my ears are still sore and once again I feel nauseas.  Apparently morphine can cause nausea when you take it on an empty stomach (surprise surprise), when you just start off or when you stop taking it.  I have almost gone through my dosage and have been taking it only as needed.

I was able to eat pudding, mashed potatoes and a popsicle later on in the evening when I stopped feeling like  such a bag of ass.

Day 5

I write this with an extremely sore throat and neck and a popsicle in hand, cherry...mmm.

I don't know what happened. I woke up in agony.  My tongue is still sore and swollen but the fire coming from my throat is brutal.  The only plus side - I can sort of eat a popsicle.  My jaw is allowing a few more millimetres of access, thanks jaw.

For the most part I feel that I backtracked with my progress. All of my friends, boyfriend and family keep saying only a few more days and you'll be okay... It has been six days and it feels like years!  As a frequent flyer of tonsillitis, the pain of the throat is relatively the same.  Talk funny, painful to swallow - the usual. But the other side effects are what make it difficult.  I feel like I am in the same place as October 30th.

My stomach is constantly growling and I dream of eating food again. REAL food, not liquid foods or soft foods. This girls wants some spaghetti and meatballs STAT!

Day 4

I am starting to feel human again.

I am lasting longer in-between pain medication and I am able to eat some kraft dinner, pudding and apply sauce.

I personally don't really like eating ice cream or pudding because it creates sticky saliva which stays in the back of your throat.

I have the ability to swallow without wanting to punch anyone in the face!

Day 3

This is just as bad as day two, only I had a bad headache all morning.

I was pretty depressed because I could barely open my mouth wide enough to eat a popsicle, so I just say there and watched it melt while I pouted.

The only plus side to day 3 was that my best friend sent me some pretty flowers!

Day 2

Day two sucks.

My ENT and a friend warned me about day 3 and 4.  At day 1, you wonder, how will this get worse? Let me tell you how:

• Your neck hurts from the base of your head to your collarbones
• Your ears will plug at first, followed by a consistent ache
• Your jaw begins to ache since it was most likely cranked open during surgery
• Your head will begin to ache, along with your jaw because you may need to clench your teeth in order to swallow
• Your throat is still on fire
• And lastly, your tongue swells and makes is unbearable to move

No amount of pain medication on day three seems enough.

Oh, and I also had nausea which added to the awesomeness that is day three.

Not being able to talk is super hard for me.  My house has been so quiet and I feel helpless.  My daddy bought me a note pad so that I can write, so that sits next to my bell.

Day 1

Day 1 = bearable.

Morphine tastes like shit.

My throat was super sore and I only had popsicles.  I attempted apple sauce but no dice.

The worst is that it feels like you've been recovering forever, but its just the beginning.  My throat is stinging and tastes awful, just awful.  The taste doesn't go away.  Its a combination of burnt flesh, the things you've eaten/drank, morning breath, tonsillitis and death. SO unattractive. I think that is one of the worst parts of this entire experience.

I experienced extreme nausea which left me in the fetal position next to a bucket, a side effect from the pain meds.

I did however receive pretty flowers from my grandparents which cheered me up!

D-Day

The day has arrived, October 30th, 2012, my personal dooms day.

I have been dreading getting my tonsils out for a while, so much so that I chickened out last year and had to get another referral.  Not this time, I made it through.

My surgery was scheduled for 11:40am and of course was delayed by a bit over an hour.

By about noon, I was so hungry that I forgot about being nervous since you cannot eat or drink after midnight the day before.

Once my name was called, I walk across the waiting room is my sexy scrubs and booties and march down the hall towards the OR.

During one of several interviews the young doctor asks, "So what are you dressing up for on Halloween?" I look at him with a blank stare and say "Well... nothing... because I will be in bed... from this..." He must have had a 'duh' moment, which I can relate to A LOT, and was like "oh ya, right...". Like DUH!

I move onto the operating table while one young doctor is trying to find a vein to insert the IV.  He says "I'm not going to hold it against you that your veins are very small since you are starving and anxious", I reply "thanks" as I feel a sharp stab into the back of my left hand.  I stare up at the over head lights, plastered with Disney princesses, stars and character stickers and I think, man this is such a baby surgery.  You see, I was petrified.  Surgery is surgery. Yes it is a minor surgery and a day surgery, but it is a scary situation.  Ultimately you are being drugged and sliced open - how is that NOT scary?

I digress, I hear the anaesthesiologist say, "you may feel some pain at the insertion point and some heaviness in your chest..." and by that point I started blinking, breathing in the oxygen (which tasted awful) and then I was out like a light.

I woke up in recovery to a nice nurse telling me how gorgeous my red hair was and asking me my pain level. The drugs were still very active so I was very sleepy, but got my pink popsicle and then headed to the next recovery room where I was for the next 4 hours.

My Momma greeted with me with this little puppy!

My boyfriend joined us and patiently waited while I lay there and ate ice chips until I could leave.