Tuesday, July 19, 2005
The Nose Knows
Today I had the nose packs removed. Good news is, now I can somewhat breathe. Bad news is, my nose is going to keep bleeding for a day or two, which means I have to wear a strap over my face that keeps a pad of gauze under my constantly-running nose. Joy.
So, what was it like? Well, at around 6:10, 3/4s of the Cognito Clan showed up at the hospital for various reasons. I was there for the nose job; Mother Cognito came to wish me luck, and to go get a mammogram; and Father Cognito was there to wish me luck, and to look into what caused his knee to blow out right before we went on vacation to Umbria (the two watched over me in shifts while I was undergoing the surgery). I talked to a litany of nurses, and then the doctor, and then the anesthesiologist. I don't really remember much after the anesthesiologist, because damn, that stuff acts quick; my parents were actually kinda surprised that I'd gone under even before I was wheeled into the OR.
When I came to, I felt like someone had shoved a paste pot in my mouth. I kept wanting to go back to sleep, which I probably did once or twice. After a while, I was wheeled back into the recovery room, and from there, I just waited until I felt like I could go home. And then I did. I know, not really exciting, but hey, you try recalling thrilling details while the remnants of anesthesia flow through your veins.
After that, I just headed home. I've found out that I cannot eat certain things (chomping on a lettuce leaf, for example, requires a range of motion that my nose hamper prevents), but on the plus side, I've got all the sorbet and frozen yogurt I can eat (no ice cream, though. So many ice cream flavors contain chocolate, which makes me sneeze for some arcane reason, and sneezing is anathema to my current condition.).
Now if only I could truly breathe...
So, what was it like? Well, at around 6:10, 3/4s of the Cognito Clan showed up at the hospital for various reasons. I was there for the nose job; Mother Cognito came to wish me luck, and to go get a mammogram; and Father Cognito was there to wish me luck, and to look into what caused his knee to blow out right before we went on vacation to Umbria (the two watched over me in shifts while I was undergoing the surgery). I talked to a litany of nurses, and then the doctor, and then the anesthesiologist. I don't really remember much after the anesthesiologist, because damn, that stuff acts quick; my parents were actually kinda surprised that I'd gone under even before I was wheeled into the OR.
When I came to, I felt like someone had shoved a paste pot in my mouth. I kept wanting to go back to sleep, which I probably did once or twice. After a while, I was wheeled back into the recovery room, and from there, I just waited until I felt like I could go home. And then I did. I know, not really exciting, but hey, you try recalling thrilling details while the remnants of anesthesia flow through your veins.
After that, I just headed home. I've found out that I cannot eat certain things (chomping on a lettuce leaf, for example, requires a range of motion that my nose hamper prevents), but on the plus side, I've got all the sorbet and frozen yogurt I can eat (no ice cream, though. So many ice cream flavors contain chocolate, which makes me sneeze for some arcane reason, and sneezing is anathema to my current condition.).
Now if only I could truly breathe...
