Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Sinus Surgery

I have been suffering from chronic sinus infections.  I have been on 3 different antibiotics just this year for sinus infections.  My ENT doctor said that the infections aren't going away with the antibiotics and said I needed to get sinus surgery to solve the problem.
Dr. Hill told me this a month or so ago but the government had closed all non essential surgeries because of the Covid-19 outbreak.  They wanted all medical personal and their protective gear to go to all the Covid cases.  Once they realized that we were good and the hospitals were not over run with Covid people they opened back up to do surgeries.
So about two weeks after they opened for surgeries I was able to get in for my sinus surgery.
I did have to get tested to make sure I did not have Covid-19.  Tony took me to the drive up testing place downtown.  We got signed in and then we pulled up into the stall under a white tent.  We waited our turn before a nurse (in full protective gear) came to my window.  She gave me some information about Covid-19 but realized that I didn't look or seem sick.  I told her I was just getting tested because I was getting surgery.  So then I had to sit on my hands while she stuck a really long Q-tip up my nose and then rubbed it in there for 10 seconds.  It made my eyes tear up.  After it felt like I had pool water that had gone up my nose and kind of burned. I was glad that was over.
They called me on Tuesday as Tony was driving me to the hospital to tell me I was negative.  That was good because I was already on my way.  Because of Covid-19 Tony was not able to come into the hospital with me at all.  I had to call a number when we got their and a nurse came out and got me.  It was sad to leave Tony and go by myself, but it had to be done.
The nurse took me to get signed in to the same day surgery office and I was the only patient in the room.  Maybe part of that was that my surgery was so late in the day (I checked in at 1:15).  After I checked in a nurse came and got me all checked out before taking me to my room.  I then changed into my gown and waited for the nurse.  The nurse got my IV in and I sat in silence waiting for my doctor and anesthesiologist.  After they came in the anesthesiologist wheeled me back to surgery.  He was super nice and talked to me about everything.  I got on the table and they put me out. After surgery I woke up in recovery.  I was sleepy but not in too much pain.  I heard the nurse call Tony and tell him what was going on.  They then took me into my room to continue to recover. 
I was really tired and lonely, but I eventually woke up enough to get dressed and get wheeled down to Tony who was waiting for me in the car.  It was about 7:30 so it was a pretty long process.  I wasn't in too much pain and I didn't feel nauseous at all, so that was really good. Mostly sleepy.
I slept in the reclining chair the first night.  It was a long night and I did not sleep well.  But I was able to take a couple naps the next day.  It has been a long recovery and my head has really hurt.  It has felt like the worse sinus infection ever.  So much pain and pressure in my head.  Lots of bloody discharge from my nose and sinuses.  But each day is a little better.  This has been a painful process and an expensive one so I am really hoping this solves a lot of the problems that I have been having.  It'll all be worth it, right!?!

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