I Survived!

I went to the Surgical Center by myself early in the morning. Matt was to come later after waking up Jane and dropping her off to be babysat. I knew I was being irrational but since it was my first time to have general anesthesia I kept worrying about some fluke complication happening that would end up with me dead. When I was changing my clothes into the surgical gown and shower cap in the bathroom I started crying. I sent a really lame text message to Matt saying something about, "If I don't make it, I love you. And tell Jane throughout her whole life how much I loved her and that she brought me the most joy." That is so embarrassing to admit now that everything is okay. Can I just tell you how much I love anesthesiologists? This love affair started with the epidural I received at 8cm with Jane. Pure bliss. I didn't think I would like this anesthesiologist so much considering he wasn't going to be rescuing me from current pain, but I did. He could tell I was nervous so he was making some good jokes. When I got wheeled into the operating room they were playing the Rolling Stones and he asked, "Do you like the Stones?" Then he said, "Okay your only job at this point is to pick a sweet dream." The next thing I remember is seeing Matt and touching his arm and being so glad I was alive! I thought I had just woken up but Matt told me I had been awake for awhile, that I had talked to the doctor, and that I had been asking him the same questions over and over again.

Here's the info Matt got from the doctor. Warning: Boring. The doctor is optimistic that the surgery went really well. He said that he scraped away a lot of infection from the underside of my eardrum and (presumably) grafted a new layer of skin onto it. He also cleaned out a bunch of junk from my eustachian tube which may have started this problem in the first place. He didn't feel he needed to place a permanent tube in my ear as he thinks the eustachian tube should start functioning properly now.

After waking up/realizing I was awake I started to feel A LOT of pain in my ear. I told the nurses and she gave me some demerol into my IV. After a little bit I started complaining about the pain again so she put some morphine into my IV. I didn't want to keep complaining because, after all, that seemed like a lot of medicine, but it was hurting me so bad that she gave me some percocet. And then I was still complaining so she gave me another percocet tablet! Looking back I'm not sure the loopy, drugged-up one should be in charge of how much medicine they're getting. I was so drugged! I had to go to the bathroom at one point and was so dizzy trying to get there. Then, back in the bed, I got a major case of the giggles. There was a man next to me behind the curtain trying to come out of his anesthesia and he kept mumbling what sounded like "Where's Ellen?" in a really loud and basey voice. Then one time he said "Oh, man." Everytime I heard him I started laughing uncontrollably. Matt was laughing too which made it worse. I was trying to eat some crackers at the time and my mouth was so dry. So then I started saying "These are so dry!" "I can't even eat this." And I thought that was hilarious to say so I was cracking up laughing, all the while, spraying the dry cracker out of my mouth with each laugh. The nurse came to check on me and I said, "I think I'm ready to go. I've got the giggles." So she went over the discharge papers with me and I tried VERY hard not to laugh each time I heard that guy mumbling.

So Matt and I left the surgical center with me in a complete head bandage. (see pictures). I remembered there was a nurse telling everyone that 7-11 was giving away free Slurpees that day so I had Matt stop at one. We got our free slurpee's and headed to Sharon's house to pick up Jane. Here I am, doped up, crashed out on her couch with my ear bandaged, iodine all over my face, and red slurpee stains on my lips and teeth. (For the record, I can't believe Matt talked me into posting this most-embarrassing picture. He had to beg me for awhile so I hope you enjoy it).



Jane really didn't seem to notice anything was wrong with me, but she did like my new "bracelet."



Back at home Jane was a pretty good nurse.



I was under the impression that this was going to be a pretty easy surgery. I even asked if I could go running the next day. The nurse seemed a little confused and said, "Well, I don't think so. You better wait until you can talk to your doctor." I only threw up once, so that wasn't too bad. The rest of Friday consisted of sleeping and waking up for 20 minute increments. Each time I would wake up I thought I was totally cured and "over it." But 20 minutes later I was crashing on the sofa again. When I woke up at 10pm I decided it was time to have some cake that my dear friends Candis and Christina so thoughtfully brought over. It was from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

It was AMAZING! Thanks, girls. That was seriously so awesome. I felt so cared for. Saltines and cake have been the perfect post-op food.

Then, this morning I got to unveil my ear. To my surprise the doctor ended up having to cut my ear open from the back. He had originally planned on being able to perform the surgery through the ear canal but I guess there was more junk to do than he had bargained for. Ewww.



I'm feeling better today although I'm still taking percocet regularly. I am just hoping for four things. 1. That the surgery removed all of the infection and repaired the hole in the ear drum. 2. That my eustachian tube will function properly from now on. 3. That my hearing will be almost completely restored. and most importantly: 4. I hope that my ears will one day look symmetrical again! AAHH!