Tonsil Update

Friday: The most painful part of the procedure was getting my tonsils injected with Novocain. There were about 7 or 8 injections on each side.

(Warning: Gross part coming up next.) The doctor then removed the tonsolliths before the laser cryptology. The one on my right looked to be about the size of a green pea. I didn't see what he got out of the left, but he remarked that it was less than the right side. It's no wonder I've felt like I had a pill stuck in my throat for 3 weeks!

During the procedure, my tongue flinched and I got zapped by the laser! I hardly felt it since the topical anesthesia hadn't worn off yet. From that point on we used a tongue depressor to be sure I didn't move accidentally again.

Afterwards, I could speak normally up until the anesthesia wore off and then I wasn't feeling too good. Pain. Lots of pain and swelling. It was mostly pain in my ears, but also in my throat (of course).

There was so much pain that the Vicodin didn't seem to be helping at all. Lots of nausea... Only liquids for me tonight and super runny mash potatoes that I tried to eat but was only able to swallow a few teaspoonfuls.

Saturday: I was still in pain and Vicodin was still not helping. More nausea... More and more nausea....more and more...uh oh, ouch! (Yes, I did. Twice! Yes, it hurt.)

I was able to say a word or two then I'd have to whisper. A minute or two of whispering and I had to be quiet for about 30 minutes or so.

I had a mostly liquid diet, some bread soaked in broth, and a danish which required lots of chewing and drinking before swallowing.

Today (Sunday): I am still in pain, but I stopped the Vicodin. It didn't seem to be helping and I think it was causing the nausea. Today's pain has been like yesterday's (with the Vicodin) minus the nausea. I can also talk a bit more than yesterday.

This morning I could talk for about one or two minutes in a normalish voice then I'd have to whisper for awhile. So far, I've only completely lost my voice three or four times today (unlike yesterday which was probably a good 1/2 of the day.)

Tonight though? YUCK. Ouch and lots of frustration. (Warning: Another gross part coming up next.) The scab on my left tonsil is peeling off very slowly. It's driving me to insanity. It feels as bad (if not worse) than having a tonsillolith back there.

I can see it dangling and I just want to yank it off. (Thankfully Dan didn't and won't let me.) I know it'd be a stupid thing to do, but it is so tempting since it hurts where it is still attached and pulling...

I was able to talk tonight for a good 15 or 20 minutes until this dangling tonsil scab thingy started to hurt. Now I have no voice again because if I talk, it makes me feel like coughing, which makes it hurt... So no more talking tonight.

Gargling with warm salt water seems to help as does my favorite and oh so yummy Tazo chai tea latte -- more of both in store for me tonight.

I'm hopeful that tomorrow the left side's scab will fall off and I should be able to speak for longer periods. (The right side hasn't peeled up at all yet. Hopefully that one will be gone by Tuesday.)

I suspect that by Friday I'll be seemingly normal to everyone around me. I imagine that it will still be difficult to eat most foods though until I'm mostly healed and the flesh has gotten tougher.

That's it for now. I'll try to post an update tomorrow or Tuesday. If I grossed you out at all, I'm sorry. If I didn't and you were hoping that I would, I'm sorry too!

Posted by ~Angela | Comments (2) | Add Comment | Permalink