womzilla | Today's medical update

Slept very poorly. I had to keep my head elevated, so I would fall asleep half-sitting. I had no airflow through my nose, and before too long my mouth would drift shut. Boom--instant apnea, awake and gasping for breath. I estimate I got about five hours' sleep over the course of ten hours in bed.

There's been astonishingly little actual pain, though. I haven't had a painkiller since the recovery room--not even a plain Tylenol--and haven't felt the need.

Back to the doctor today for removal of the packing.

It turns out that gauze was not all that was up in my nasal passages--there were five or six yards of Mardi Gras necklaces.

Okay, I exaggerate. But there were large acrylic beads which had to come out of passages only slightly wider than the beads. Not not not something I recommend recreationally. Now my nasal passages are clear of solid obstruction, but the membranes are leaking vast amounts of blood-tinged mucous. I look like I have a perpetual nosebleed. I'm still pretty congested and thus still mouth-breathing.

Oh, and opiates? Constipation city. I'm so glad I was only on them for a few hours.

With the nasal passages semi-cleared out, eating and drinking are a lot easier. I had my first substantial meal today--a big platter of chili from Manhattan Chili Company. Sense of smell is still weak, so it wasn't as satisfying as I had hoped. But it was still good. I had a bowl of chicken noodle soup last night just before going to bed which was pretty much completely devoid of "taste". This was much richer than that, at least.