On Friday Oct. 5th I had my tympanoplasty done on my right ear. The surgery went great! Was about 3 hrs. long. The hole in my eardrum was larger than anticipated due to buildup/damage from so many ear infections as a kid, scare tissue, etc. that it had calicified and turned to bone. So doc had to cut that all out, and after he did that, there was not much left of my original eardrum....but he was amazing and took a graft and gave me a new one!!! The recovery was not supposed to be too bad. My doctor said that most people leave the hospital after and hour or two post surgery, and by Monday I should be feeling pretty good. Oh boy, if I had only known what was coming for me!
We arrived at the hospital at 6:30am Friday morning. After the usual paperwork, IV in, nurses, anesthesiologist stopped by to talk to me, Doc stopped by to go over surgery (again), etc. They took me down to OR #4! Those of you who know me, know I am totally into medical stuff! It was actually really cool being old enough to check out the inside of an OR and remember it. I vaguely remember my last surgery, (I was 11) and all the others were before then. I talked briefly with the nurses as they started sticking things (not sure what they were....probably things to monitor BP, HR, etc.) all over me. The anesthesiologist put something in my IV, it felt cold, and I started feeling sleepy. The nurses continued to talk to me as I became more and more incoherent. One of them commented, "Wow, are you a runner! Your HR is really low." (It was 52 bpm) In my groggy, but trying to force myself awake and NOT go to sleep state I answered, "No, I'm not a runner....I do zumba!" Those were my last words before I went unconscious. How fitting, I know! Haha!
When I woke up, I felt like CRAP! A nurse kept calling my name and trying to get me to wake up, when all I wanted to do was sleep. I had oxygen on me. I kept wanting to take it off, cause I felt like I couldn't breathe with it on, but I was too tired to move my arms. I was finally able to move one arm up to take it off, and the nurse put it back on and moved my arm back to my side. I would reach up again, and she would put my arm back down and put it back on, ugh this bugged me! After about the 4th time of me moving it and her putting it back on, she took it off and put the little nose oxygen thing on me. This was better, but every couple of minutes it would tickel my nose! I don't know which was worse. I think she was getting annoyed with me. Finally I was awake enough they took me to my room where Lance was already waiting. I immediatley went back to sleep since I felt so horrible! I woke up and had to go to the bathroom, but when I opened my eyes the room was literally spinnning! I sat up and threw up, and trying to get to the bathroom and back without throwing up was impossible! I have never felt so horrible in my entire life! About 4 hrs. later I decided we should probably go home, even though I wanted to stay because I felt so so sick, and so tired! The next 4 days I did nothing but lay on the couch and sleep! Literally! I had no idea I could sleep sooo much! I woke up to go the bathroom and to eat. Then would go back to sleep. Lance had to help me do EVERYTHING! I have never felt more handicapped in my life! Saturday morning he helped me to the bathroom, luckily I made it there without throwing up. Saturday was the day I was supposed to take the dressing off, so I did while I was in there. Lance had gone to get me some medicine I think. I took the dressing off and tried to clean out some of the blood/drainage. All of the sudden the room started spinning again, and I was starting to get tunnel vision. I felt like I was going to throw up and all of the sudden I realized I was about to pass out! Wish I would have realized that a few seconds sooner so I could have got down on the ground. Next thing I know I am half conscious and Lance is holding me trying to lay me down better. Somewhere in my subconscious I remember that I probably passed out and Lance needed to just lay me down with me feet up to get some blood to my brain. I just remember repeating, "Lay me down, put me feet up" Pretty sure this scared Lance half to death. He heard a crash and came running. He said I hit the toilet and was half in the tub when he got there. I just layed on the bathroom floor for about 10 min. till I felt I was ready to try moving again. Lance managed to get me back to the couch. And of course, I then threw up (again). The vertigo/dizzyness lasted for about a week! It was incredibly crippling. I had wonderful friends that brought me dinners though, and family that watched my girls! I have no idea how I would have got through the worst of the recovery without them! Although, this recovery SUCKED and was the hardest thing I have had to go through physically (including having babies!), I just remember laying there on the couch thanking my Heavenly Father for the wonderful blessing of good health, being active, and the ability to take care of myself and my children. You really don't know how great of blessing that is until it is taken away from you for a little bit of time. Day 5 post op I was able to shower and dress myself! That was a huge blessing!!! I actually cired in the shower. I now have never been more determined to take good care of my body and always be so so thankful for it!
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