Wednesday, April 8, 2009

My 'Nose Job'

I have been suffering from allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps for many years now.
I tried taking medications many times.
They keep coming back.
Finally, I went for a polypectomy - FESS procedure, last Friday.

To tell you the truth, I don't know much about the procedure.
I didn't even bother reading it up, although I meant to.

The whole process was quite fast.
I went to the Ipoh ENT.
They asked me to go for a CT scan then asked me to choose which date I would like to do the procedure.
I chose last Friday because it was the end of my paediatric posting, and so I can take a few days leave to rest before my next posting.
As it turned out, I was advised to take about a week leave, so I took 2 days leave from my Ortho posting as well (I get 10 days of leave per posting).

On the day of the procedure, they told me to be at the hospital by 7am.
(I was fasting from 12am)
The surgery only took place at about 3pm.
By the time of the surgery, I was cranky.
I think I was more irritated by the long wait rather than the hunger.
All I wanted was to get the procedure over with.

The procedure itself took about 3 hours.
I was under GA.
The moment I woke up from the GA, the first thing I wanted to do was to pee.
The nurses offered me a bed pan, but there was no way I was going to use a bed pan.
Thankfully they were nice enough to help me to the toilet (I was still quite dizzy from the anaes).

After that, I was taken to the ward where I spent the night.
I was discharged the next morning.
Quite fast, don't you think?

Come to think of it, I didn't eat anything the whole day.
Before the surgery I had to fast.
After the surgery, I had a horrible sore throat and couldn't even think of putting anything in my mouth besides water; plus I was sleepy.

Anyway, right now, the procedure is done and over with.
I am taking 2 different flu tablets every day.
I have to wash my sinuses with an alkaline wash 4 times each day- which I hate doing.
I have to use 2 different types of nasal drops.
I have been given another drug to help control my allergies.

I hope the surgery and all the other troubles that come with it are worth it.
Hopefully the polyps don't come back.

I hate washing my sinuses.
My sinuses hurt a little.
Is that normal?
I think I should call my ENT and ask.
I don't care if she thinks I am complaining too much.
Tomorrow, I will call her.
Hopefully she will be able to give me a solution.

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