Looking back, I’ve been relatively lucky in life when it comes to health issues. In 68 years, I’ve only once been previously confined to a hospital. That was a nightmarish three days in Korea trying to cure some virus I picked up as a tourist in the Philippines. I shared a room with three other loud folks in Korea; at least this time, I had a room to myself. It was still a miserable experience, though.
The ordeal began with a no food or drinks after midnight mandate. And then I got to witness up close and personal the quirky methods employed at what is reputed to be one of the area’s better hospitals. My doctor told me to go to the emergency room at 0830 to secure admittance. Once there, I was taken to a curtained room in the ER and set up with an intravenous tube so a variety of drugs could be fed into my body.
And then I sat in that curtained room for an hour or so before someone put me in a wheelchair and transported me to the third floor, wear my hospital room awaited.
Once I was settled into the room, a nurse came by to advise the surgery was scheduled for 12:30. Why in the hell was I directed to check in three hours in advance of the operation? I was hungry and cranky but powerless to do anything but submit to the Filipino way.
Around noon, the anesthesiologist came by the room to introduce himself and ask a few questions to ensure he administered the correct amount of knockout juice. I told him I had no allergies but that I was concerned about the COPD. He assured me he would closely monitor my blood oxygen levels throughout the procedure. He laughed and said when he found out his patient was an American, he assumed I’d be morbidly obese. It is a compliment that he did not consider me to be that fat.
At the appointed hour, I was transported by wheelchair to the operating room and then put on a bed for the procedure to be performed. I remember the inhalation mask being put over my mouth, being told to breathe deep, and then nothing else until I awoke two hours later in the recovery room. Of course, the waking up part was the critical thing.
I don’t remember this, but I was told that when I first started waking from the drug-induced slumber, I went a little crazy and started screaming to let me out of her. I heard when I climbed out of bed, I fell against the wall, and three or four attendants had to drag me back to the bed. I guess I went back to sleep after that.
So, it’s been 24 hours since the surgery, and my nostrils are still oozing blood. The ENT says this is normal, and I have an appointment with her on Tuesday to remove those plugs she inserted where the polyps used to live.
I have felt like shit since the surgery. The nostrils don’t hurt, but wiping the blood off my lip every few minutes is a pain. I couldn’t sleep last night, which only added to the misery. My head hurts, I’m lethargic (more than usual), and my brain feels fuzzy (also more than usual). Still, after a year of clogged sinuses, the road to recovery will lead me to some better places. Here’s hoping!
And thanks to you, my readers, for your words of support and encouragement.
Welcome back to the land of the living!
—skeleton warrior pulling another undead warrior out of a grave in Army of Darkness
transported me to the third floor, wear my hospital room awaited.
We love phonetic spelling!
I went a little crazy and started screaming
Good God, what demons do you have locked up inside that head of yours?! I guess years of dealing with HR bullshit could drive any man crazy.
to let me out of her
For me, the crucial question is: how did you get into her?
My post-op appearance.
Ah, those Brezhnev brows!
I imagine that, by now, the bleeding has at least slowed down.
Happy convalescing. I’ll be writing my rude comments throughout the coming week, but I’ll be especially interested in how the nostrils are next Sunday. Things ought to be significantly better by then, and even better in the weeks that follow. In the meantime, you’re fortunate to have your caretakers. Try not to inhale too much pollen and truck exhaust whenever you’re out and about.
“Why in the hell was I directed to check in three hours in advance of the operation? I was hungry and cranky but powerless to do anything but submit to the Filipino way.”
Pretty sure in advance of surgery requiring general anesthesia that would be the way any place. Stay cranky. You’ll drop some weight through the limpid recovery days and get the chance to reassess things.
Glad to hear everything went ok.
Thanks God u made it…🙏Hoping for your fast recovery.
Thanks, BW.
Thanks, Frank. Good to hear from you again. It’s been a while…
Yes, Dan, I had to recite my mantra several times, “Take a deep breath, relax, and accept the Filipino way.” I’m glad I don’t have more first hand experience with how hospitalization and surgery work. I was probably irked going in because I had read in the USA, this type of surgery is done on an outpatient basis.
The fasting was weird; just before I was taken to the operating room, I was starved. When I woke up after the surgery, I had no appetite and didn’t eat anything until the next morning. Twenty-four hours without eating is a record for me.
Kev, was that spelling error the only one I missed? My brain was still mush yesterday afternoon, and while I attempted to proofread it, I had a feeling I didn’t catch all the mistakes. Oh shit, I see I was still dropping “e’s” as well. I’ll try and do better!
Believe it or not, some girls like my bushy brows. I do get them trimmed when I get a haircut, though.
Yes, the bleeding has slowed down, and I expect I’ll be back to normal by next week. I can already pull some air in through my nose, and I’m looking forward to being able to smell again.
Yes, Teri has really stepped up and shown the value of her caregiver training. She interacts with the doctors about my meds and other health issues. In fact, I’m going to give her a pay raise. Swan was an angel, staying up with me all night in the hospital when I couldn’t sleep, giving me comfort. As miserable as I was, I would have been lost without them there.
You will look back in a few weeks and wonder why you were bitching. LOL
Glad to hear things are going as well as can be expected.
So glad you made it through this. Your pre-angziety was probably worse than the experience. Hope the only outcome is breathing better
Thanks, Jerry. Yep, being able to breathe through my nose again is a good thing!