Feb 1, 2009

Tonsillectomy at 30. (Plus, I have an ingrown toe-nail.)

Oowwwwwwwwah! My throat hurts! Is it time for meds yet???
(All of this is being scribbled, by me, on a white board and thrust at Doug.)

D: "Yep! Here ya go!"

Every 4 hours, I have 20 lucid minutes

When the pain starts, It means the medicine is wearing off. It also means, I'm slightly sane.
And I can walk.
But I can't talk.

So I leave my bedroom. Go to the bathroom. Do a quick survey of the house... (Cleaner than usual, dang that Domestic Doug.)

Enough of that. I take the medicine.

2 tsp liquid Perc. and 2 tsp antibiodic. The first, really nasty. The second, sorta bubblegum-ish. I'm down 5 minutes and have about 15 left.

Soon, the pain in my throat lessens. It's not that bad, really. Not any worse than my usual multi-annual cases of Tonsilitis. Not nearly as bad as I was warned it would be!

The medicine works fast. I can whisper now, but I still avoid swallowing as much as possible. (I may or may not be spitting into the waste basket at this point.

Time to sit down. My legs are definitely wobbly. I grab the lap top and climb back into bed. Time is short. I can talk a little, but quietly. The boys ask if I'm all better now. For a second, I think I am.

I check my e-mail...
Check!
Check my blog for comments...
Check! (not enough)
Check Google Reader for new posts to read...
Read!
I read. I try to leave a comment or two. My vision is getting blurry and my skin is getting itchy. So so so itchy. My thoughts that seemed so clear moments ago are already getting cloudy. It's hard to type. I've made some spelling errors, but don't have the will to correct them. The room is slowly starting to spin.
I hope I sound normal in the comments.
I have a feeling I don't sound normal.
I'm drifting in and out.

The last sentence took 5 minutes to finish. The laptop feels like it's burning through the sheets and scorching my legs. I shove it off of my lap and try to roll to my left side. Must sleep on left side. Oh no! Light on. Getting to the light switch is out of the question. I barely manage to kneel on my bed and pull the chain then fall in a heap. The last thing I remember I'm scratching my legs but they're only itching worse. And then I'm on to dream land to view tortured scenes from a "Lost" and "Scrubs" hybrid (the last two shows I've watched) set to a real-life sound track of boys yelling downstairs which even numerous doors and pillows can't drown out.

This is the life!

See you in another 4 hours.

22 comments:

mountainmama said...

I remember the pain of my tonsillectomy when I was 14. OUCH!!! Did you bring them home in a jar? Just remember not to lose them like I did.
P.S. I am bummed I did not win the BOOK, I am checking it out from the library.

mr. underhill said...

Man, it sounds like you are having a ton of fun. Wish we were there to enjoy it with you. Good luck with the recovery. To cheer you up, log on and watch the first episode of the new Psych season. Quality entertainment, and guaranteed to take your mind off the pain....at least for a few minutes.

Garity said...

You do need more comments...where the heck are Fox and Brandoneous?!?!?! They are always good for lots of comments.

I am checking your blog though before updating mine if that makes you feel any better! (and I checked yours before heading on over to Christy's..shhhhhhhh)

FOX said...

Here I am Garity!!! And well I can't complain about you checking Em's blog before mine, when I have been putting my school work before blogging! I KNOW! How could I?

Em you are a hoot stoned or lucid!! We will take you anyway we can get you!!! Feel better!!

acte gratuit said...

Anners,
They wouldn't let me keep them but they brought them in to my room to show me. They said they have to turn them into pathology or something. Whatever. They just want to have fun dissecting them which is what I was going to do!

Dave,
YAY! I'll get right on that! (Do you ever watch Burn Notice, cause it's AWESOME!)

Garity,
At least I know who my true friends are! (Fox is out. You're in.)

acte gratuit said...

Fine Chrissy,
I'll give you one more chance. But that's IT! Now where's my ode?!?!?

FOX said...

OK I have been put in my place!!!

I am going to finish your ode!!!!

Polliwog said...

Feel better Em. It sounds horrid!

Jennifer said...

You still have more wit than I do unmedicated. Congratulations!

Sorry you're having such a tough recovery!

Christina said...

Feel better soon!

Michelle Glauser said...

You are getting me scared. I've had a lot of sore throats in the last year . . .

Melissa Abby said...

Get better! Just think warm wonderful Hawaii thoughts :)

Linz said...

Yuck! I hope you feel better soon!!

Susan Rozier said...

Emily, Aunt Sue here. I follow your blog religiously, but just don't comment. However, your description of being on pain meds cracked me up. Been there, done that, and you are right on! Aunt Corinne is really struggling with the pain from a bad case of shingles right now. I really feel for both of you. Love, Aunt Sue

Linda M said...

Popcicles!!! Bring on the popcicles!

marissa said...

I am sooooo sorry you have to go through this miserable pain!! I'm glad that you are taken care of though and that you haven't lost your humor even though you may have lost your mind :) I miss you! Also, I was reading other posts and saw that you are actually glad you moved to Japan and I'm glad to hear that. Get better soon!

PapaGrannyFox said...

Em fell better and tell the children to feed your Popsicle to make your throat feel better.

It is true Christina is not blogging enough and I have nothing to do at night now. She always has been self centered. (joking Chrissy).

I guess the only way i will ever see my Ode is to have surgery one more time just to get an ode.

Jenni said...

speedy recovery!

FOX said...

Emily, now you have stolen my Dad and my friends with your witty jocularity!!!

I soooo want to grow up to be you!!

(And by up... I mean "altitude wise"! lol

Feel better!! Enjoy your ode!... or hate it... one or the other!!

Love ya!!!

PS did you notice I got your mom all set up on FB

AND

I helped her do her fist post on her OWN blog!! I even put a link for her to get to your two blogs on her page, so she can always find you!

Don't ask me to spell their title right now, just go to my blog and look under "Fae John" on my friends list.

Hope you feel better!!

JHuffman said...

Hi, I'm one of your stalkers (not really, I just enjoy reading and intelligent, witty people) and I totally feel your whole "surgery pain". I just had Heart valve replacement and a lung lobectomy. I'm also on the percocet and I can't stand it, I feel like a junkie. Thought I might start commenting more(I am stuck in a bed for awhile now, haha) Feel better soon!!!

acte gratuit said...

Welcome JHuffman! Some call it stalking, I call it love!
(Saw that on a t-shirt.)
Comment any time!

Michelle Glauser said...

I'm getting my tonsils out next Tuesday (here in Germany) and I remembered that I'd read about you doing so this year. Can you answer some of my questions?

-Could you suck on cough drops afterwards?
-How bad is the pain, really?
-How long before you feel like talking?
-How long before you feel like eating (I'm worried about not getting my dose of Christmas foods)?
-Any other tips?