Life, The Universe, and Tonsils

[kiyakotari]

On February 22nd, I am scheduled to have a tonsillectomy. It's a very safe, very quick outpatient surgery. However, in adults it also has a very painful, relatively protracted recovery period. The ENT specialist who decided that I need the surgery informed me that I would not be able to talk for at least three days (which is a lot like when I got my tongue pierced, back in the day) and that for at least ten days my pain is going to be a 6/10 after I take the liquid Percocet he is going to prescribe me (apparently it will be a 9/10 without the painkillers). Thus, I am using up over half of my time off bank to spend 14 days recovering. It should be...interesting. Even more so if I hemorrhage when the scabs in my throat fall off around day nine. At least I'm double-insured, so the medical bills won't totally wipe out my bank account.

In other news, I just purchased my first sewing machine, a Brother CS-6000i. I've been using sewing machines since I was a child, but have never owned one before. I am excited.

Comments

[greenjudy]

O_O

Dude. I'm so sorry. How did you diagnose the tonsil problem? I had no idea tonsillitis was so problematic in adults. Will you have good support up there while you're recovering?

[kiyakotari]

Thanks. (Dude, I owe you eMail. Two of them, even! Must get on that.)

I never had tonsil problems as a kid, but late 2008 they started acting up. I've been getting tonsillitis every 2-4 months since then, sometimes mild, sometimes very nasty. This most recent bout wasn't that bad, but I was unable to breathe if I rolled over onto my back in my sleep (which was new). So I kept waking up because I would start to suffocate, and ended up sleeping in my chair in the living room or propped up against the arm of the sofa. Went to see an ENT and he took one look at them and said they needed to come out.

My mom wants me to come stay with them while I recover, but I'm resisting. The only real danger is blood loss from hemorrhaging, and if that happens I'll need to get to the ER as quickly as possible. My apartment is 4 minutes from the hospital. My parents' house is 30 minutes away. Seems like a no-brainer. Plus, I have friends (one of whom is in nursing school, and all of whom are certified nursing assistants) who plan to check on me regularly. I should be okay. It's going to suck, but I'll live through it.

[nagasvoice]

Good luck on the post-op recovery, and yay for sewing machines! The Brothers are good little workhorses in general.

[kiyakotari]

That seems to be the general consensus on the Brother machines, and this one has really good reviews. It's supposed to be pretty much the best one available in the price range (and I got it for less than $170 even after shipping and everything, which is sweet). I don't imagine I'm going to be doing enough sewing to justify anything fancier, and it's already WAY cooler than any of the machines I used as a kid (though not as cool as the ones I've used at my grandma's house). I think I'm most excited about finally, FINALLY being able to actually assemble Zsuzsa's tail and get her finished. She has been nothing but a torso with a head and arms for too long.

Thanks for the well-wishing. I've had a few (much more serious) surgeries, so this one really should be a walk in the park...but this it my first surgery as an adult, so it seems weird. Before, my parents handled all the payment and insurance stuff.

[shipwreck_light]

*hugs* I wish you well with the anti-tonsil business! It's not fun at any age, but now, when you're old enough to smart and remember smarting so clearly? Extra double plus unfun.

But, after that, no more tonsil problems!

Sewing + percocet = disaster, BTW. Or so says the Rev, who has first hand experience in the matter.

[kiyakotari]

Oh, I know well the dangers of mixing Percocet with ANYTHING crafty, trust me! I won't make that mistake again. I have a lovely scar in the meaty part of my left palm, just below my thumb, where I accidentally sunk an exacto blade over half an inch into my hand while trying to build a Gundam model just after having reconstructive surgery on both my feet. Fun, fun times. (Best part was that I couldn't really feel it, and was too stupid on the Percocet and Oxycontin my surgeon had me taking to actually process it, so I just stared at my hand like an idiot until my mom came into the room to check on me and freaked out because I was bleeding all over her table.) The sewing machine should be here next week, which gives me at least a whole week to get Zsuzsa's tail made and in place. After that, I will be content to let the sewing machine sit unused until after I have recovered. But I want to finish that tail BEFORE the surgery.

[just_lori]

Wishing you the best!!

I hope to have your stuff mailed home before you go in... Alas the leg was too pink. But maybe a white body would be ok blushed up for my Jury05 head? I love the lines of the body! And that ankle just keels me.

[kiyakotari]

Awww, I'm sorry the leg didn't match. Still, I guess it's better to know beforehand than to find out after you've dropped money on a body. If your head WS? I recently (this week) got a Juri 05 myself, after having wanted one since way back in the day when they were released. She's had a few mods, but the parts about her that I love (her eyes) are untouched, so I'm happy. (Most Juri 05's that I have seen for sale in the past had either had their eyes modified, or were just WAY out of my price range.) No clue what I'll do with her, though. Probably get rid of her elf ears at least, since I don't have any elves or any interest in owning any.

Surgery is going to be made of so much win, but recovery is going to be pure suck.

[just_lori]

I am glad to have found out beforhand for sure.

You got the one from Tracy! :) Mine was also painted by Tracy but cost *cough* almost 3 times as much. But! She was on hold for a year and a half while I got my life together, and a drama free transaction from a local. So, I paid up without regret.

I also love the shape of Jury's eyes. I feel they make the sculpt. Now she needs a Lishe elf sister and El elf brother...

I get a lot of tonsil stones and would love to have my tonsils removed, but I had no idea the recovery period was made of so much suck. I hope it is speedy!