I see the date on my last post, and I can’t believe that much time has passed! There were Thanksgiving and Christmas and so many other days that I could have and should have written about! So symbolic of life that time does literally fly by. So one of my goals, intentions, desires, plans, resolutions – I need to do better! I need to write and often. Whether anyone reads it or not. Whether I feel inspired or not – I need to write.
Last Thursday, I had my ear surgery that I wrote about in my previous post. Surgery to remove a Glomus Tympanicum tumor below my right eardrum. Apparently, it had begun to grow but, thankfully, not to the point of invading the bone or any serious structures. I had to be at the hospital at 9:15 a.m. for the pre-op procedures. The surgeon came in to see me prior to surgery. He’s one of three “Otologists/Neurotologists” in the state of Iowa. A young man with a nice personality, I didn’t recognize him at first. He said “well, I wasn’t wearing my pajamas the first time you met me!” (Scrubs!).
The anesthesiologist came in to meet me next. A young woman wearing a blanket over half her scrubs. I didn’t blame her. It’s cold in the O.R.! I told her that I do not like the sensation of being “put to sleep” or “coming out of anesthesia”! And I said, “don’t say to me: I’m putting you to sleep now or I will come up off that table”! I have to admit that I hate anesthesia. However, I could literally feel the prayers of all the family and friends who were praying for me that day. I actually walked into the O.R. and climbed up on the operating table unassisted!
Later, I remember being in the “wake-up room” as the recovery nurse called it and smiling at the woman who was waking up on the gurney a few feet from me. We both looked at each other like, well we made it! I wanted to sleep though and remember waking up again in the room where my sweet husband was sitting beside me. Unfortunately, he recorded me saying all sorts of ridiculous things under the prolonged effects of the anesthesia! I seriously do not like the feeling of being out of control until all the effects of the anesthesia wear off!
Four days later, I’m actually wearing makeup for the first time since the day before surgery. We had the prescriptions for pain and nausea filled at the pharmacy, but I haven’t needed either one thankfully! I have only taken Extra-Strength Tylenol. Cannot take any ibuprofen or other NSAIDs. The hardest part prior to surgery was that I could not take my Meloxicam (anti-inflammatory) for my fibromyalgia for an entire week! So the pain for a week prior to surgery was terrible. Thankfully, I have resumed it and am so thankful for the fibro pain relief. The worse part of the post-op ear surgery is the total (dissolvable) packing in my right ear. I cannot hear a thing out of that ear at the moment! It feels like foam insulation has been blown into my head!!! There’s a long list of restrictions for the next few weeks: no CPAP, no bending, no lifting, no getting water in the ear – just to name a few but I’m trying to cooperate.
I’m thankful for my husband who has been taking such good care of me these past few days. Hopefully soon I will have enough energy to cook and clean again! Maybe not too soon…
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