Day 7 Post-Op

One week ago today I went under the knife for a surgery I had been waiting three years for. I woke up in the recovery room after surgery vomiting blood and instantly thinking "why in the hell did I do this." Those feelings lasted only as long as the morphine did. As soon as I got "home" from the hospital I had no regrets. This last week has been anything but easy, but I think it has been a good test of strength.My appearance has obviously changed, to what extent? I won't know until all of this awesome swelling goes down. I mean the top was moved 10mm forward, the bottom 14mm. The right upper cheek/nose area is starting to itch, which I believe means the nerves are thinking about waking back up. My current pain level on the new dosage of pain medication is down to a 6/10. I would like it to be at a 5, maybe I can get it down that low by today. My energy level today has been greater than in the last week. I am going to attribute it to the lower pain levels and more sleep (also because of lower pain). I have graduated myself from sippy cups! I can now drink everything out of a real cup! I'm sticking with plastic for safety with my teeth. I don't want glass to be knocking against my teeth. I am still drinking Gatorade like it's my job, and my staple stomach coating drink is Special-K. I think it was the sugar in the Boost that made me sick yesterday. Chicken broth is very salty and makes me feel nauseous as well. I have been getting dry skin around my mouth so I have been applying extra moisturiser to keep my face from getting raw. Sometimes I drool and I don't know it because I don't have enough feeling in my lower lip region. I am glad my swelling is going down slowly, but I really cannot feel a difference. I still feel like a pumpkin head. Today I noticed my swelling is more imbalanced, or more crooked or something. For the last few nights I have been getting nose bleeds at bed time. I think one of the times it was due to too much coughing and a blood vessel popping, but I also think it is because the air is dry here compared to back home. So I don't have to worry about the blood while I'm sleeping I have been making myself a "nose bolster" (at least that is what the nurse at the hospital called it). I roll up a piece of gauze about 1.5 in. long and put it on a piece of medical tape about 5 in. long. I then just tape this under my nose all night and it works like a charm! Now to be more graphic, in the morning I take a wet Q-Tip and clean the dry blood from the edges of my nostrils.

Last night was my first night of food dreams. These are like torture!! Last night I was eating spaghetti, and tacos. I guess at least in my dreams I can pretend to eat these things so I can have some of the flavor, right? As soon as I'm off of this clear liquid diet and onto a smoothie type diet I can see myself getting really creative with what gets put into the blender! Steak shakes anyone?

That's all the energy I have for posting right now....smiling on!

Comments

  1. unmovableNovember 11, 2009 at 3:52 PM

    Reading your blog reminded me of Dr. Coffin, who started the first open heart surgery program in Burlington in the late 60's/early 70's. He used to tell the recovering patients, "every day in every way you are getting better and better." Mary, last Wednesday you were virtually been hit by a Mack Truck. You survived and every day in every way you are getting better and better,

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownNovember 11, 2009 at 4:09 PM

    I think the swelling has gone down!! Every day I look at your pictures and just yesterday I thought to myself that your face looked "slimmer." ;) Glad you're still smiling!

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownNovember 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM

    Your swelling does look less! I'm glad to know you're in less pain, you're looking beautiful, beautiful!! :-) We're thinking of you back here on the east coast!

    ~JB

    ReplyDelete

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