DAY THREE - Happy New Year!

Well, I was all set to begin telling you how much worse today is than yesterday but then Heather was kind enough to send me a link to a couple's blog who have been battling cystic fibrosis, lymphoma and a premature baby and double lung transplant -- and that kind of took what little wind I had out of the sails. Thanks Heather. While I do realize that my problems are very small compared to many other people's -- sometimes we all just need a good wallowing in whatever personal tragedy we are experiencing at the time. With that in mind, here's my update:

Today is worse than yesterday, way worse. For one thing, I didn't get any sleep last night because there is literally no way for me to lay that my gigantic uvula doesn't close off my throat and threaten to choke me to death. It is ridiculous. I can doze for 10 minutes at a time but then I wake myself either choking or emitting some of the most hideous snoring sounds you have ever heard. I cannot believe that a petite sweet young thing such as myself could possibly be capable of making the kind of sounds that have been coming out of my head at night. Trust me, I've investigated thoroughly and I'm always the only one in the room when the sounds are happening so I'm pretty sure it's me. Second, I was told yesterday to take Benadryl whenever I took my pain meds, which I did all night and I have decided that that is clearly not a good idea for me. I got out of bed at 830am today and have not touched the Benadryl since then and I STILL feel like I am walking and thinking through pudding. The combo of pain meds, nausea meds and Benadryl is just too much for me so I'll gladly be itchy for the duration since I cannot even form a coherant sentence when i take it all. I think I scared the boys this morning by making no sense whatsoever. The last thing that is making today worse is that my neck and head are killing me. It feels like the worst headache I've ever had and it starts in my shoulders and goes to the top of my head. My skin just hurts to touch it! The headache is much worse than the sore throat at this point.

SO, let's stand back and take stock: I haven't worn makeup for 2 days, nor have I gotten out of my PJ's. I cannot speak in full sentences, my face is broken out, I am snoring like a prehistoric creature, my breath smells like the creature died in my mouth, I have a headache and nausea and I am generally unpleasant all the way around --- who doesnt think Tim is the luckiest guy in the world????
He has been so patient and kind and is trying to help as much as he can -- I'd feel worse if I hadnt pre-paid him for this a few weeks ago!

Thank you to everyone who has offered to help and who has sent good wishes our way. We can use all you can send.
For those of you lucky enough to have plans tonight - have fun and BE SAFE!!!

My Uvula is ENORMOUS!

I just checked my situation in the mirror and I finally had reason to write the sentence I've always wanted to write! (see headline)

seriously... its the biggest, most ginormous, horrifyingly juicy and red uvula you have ever seen! I'll bet somebody somewhere would pay good money just to look at it and marvel at its hideousness. I'm going to try to take a picture and post it for you all for FREE!

Just thought you would like to know......

DAY TWO

Well, I know Heather is waiting for some extreme wackiness but I'm at the end of a drug cycle so I feel somewhat lucid right now. However, take heart because my pain meds are causing me to itch all over so the Dr. told me to start taking Benadryl with it... I can only assume that that will get us closer to what you are expecting. I will say that I actually wrote a post at 4am that could have been good but I accidentally deleted it trying to post it... that was probably for the best.

Ok, I'm halfway through the day and 24 hours post surgery. On a scale of things I would be willing to have done again - I rate this above gum graft, herina repair, Tim's rotator cuff and root canal but I have to place it below c-section because at least then I got a new baby which is always good...plus I think I got more sympathy for that. I haven't had ice cream because it just does not sound good. I have had a popsicle, more mashed potato soup, apple sauce and some very overcooked cream of wheat (Spongebob brand - it was all we had) I have rejected numerous suggestions from Tim who is doing his best but doesn't seem to be grasping the fact that I have loose and raw meat flapping around in my throat. I am currently working up my nerve to try a little bit of very well cooked mac and cheese but I'm not sure I like the looks of it... it may still be too sharp.

So, I read a lot more about folks who had the same procedure that I had which is called the coblation method and what I have learned is that up to day 4 things are way better for the lucky people who have their tonsils out this way. Around day 4 is when the scabbing begins and sometimes people slack off on the hydration and the pain meds and that is when things go to hell on a zip sled -- I can assure you that I will continue to drink mass quantities and take my meds as ordered and hopefully I will be one of the lucky few to say it wasn't that bad.

Last thought for now: I have decided to change my goal for this whole thing from "I just want to make it out alive" to " I want to show my wimpy brother in law how easy this is so that he will just go ahead and do it already!" FYI: he needs his tonsils out worse than anyone I have ever known but he is scared to do it. I figure if it's not too bad for me, it will be relatively easy to shame him into it in 2010! (Right Amanda?)

Last, last thought: Tim is really doing a great job taking care of me and the boys with only one working arm. I've caught him without his sling a lot the last 24 hours and I'm afraid he is going to set himself back trying to do too much. If any of you calls the house, would you PLEASE encourage him to be kinder to his own system? thank you!

This is going to be fun!

Ok, first -- I know that it's been a long time since I posted anything at all and I have a lot of catching up to do but that will have to wait a few days because I'm inviting you to go on a journey with me starting tomorrow. Tomorrow, I am getting my tonsils taken out. Yep -- at the ripe old age of 29, I am finally having the surgery that most people have at 8. Most of you will not be surprised to learn about this since I'm sure you remember me getting braces as an adult - also something people normally do at 8.... and you are all now well aware of my love for surgery and how I try to have one or two each year just to keep in touch with my friends in the OR. My surgeons count on me to make the Lexus payments!

I may not have told everyone about this because at this point, its a little embarrassing to have to tell people that I'm having surgery AGAIN. This was confirmed by my dear friend Wendy who, when I told her that I had to have this done, laughed and said "I can't believe this, this is ridiculous!" and she is right. In addition to the tonsils, I am also having my sinus surgery from May repeated because yes.. I always have to have the same procedures twice (see earlier comment on my friends in the OR...).

I've spent perhaps too much time on various websites reading other folks descriptions of their own personal tonsillectomies -- and I have to say, it hasn't made me eager to get in there tomorrow! I haven't found even one person who says "well, that wasn't as bad as I thought". I have found literally hundreds of people who say "Wow, I knew it was going to be bad but I didn't think it would be THIS bad!" -and I've found more than one who would like to cut off their own head. As you all know, in my family we deal with everything adverse with a heavy dose of sarcasm and humor so... I figured that I would blog each day about my experience and see if any of us learns something from it.

I understand that the pain meds are a big player in this process so if you come across some posts that dont make much sense - you'll know why.

I would greatly appreciate any good thoughts or prayers that you see fit to send my way -- remember that my baby Daddy is still only flying with one wing!

Here we go......