Day 21: Final Thoughts

Well, it's damn near time to wrap up this blog. But first, a few things to discuss.

I noted two posts ago about these massive boogers that come out weeks after your surgery. Brace yourself, I'm about to post a picture of what a mild (yes, this was a small one) one looks like.

I had a picture of a ridiculous looking one, but I accidentally deleted it, and my Dropbox was out of space...so it didn't get backed up.

On that note, if you have enjoyed this blog, please sign up for Dropbox and install it on your computer. That's a referral link to my account, and will actually help me earn free space, so I won't have to purchase more! It's free for you and free for me! If this information on the process of a septoplasty has helped you in anyway, I'd really appreciate you signing up and installing it on your PC. Anyway, back to the picture I was talking about.

 
Yes. This is a mild one. You'll be blowing this suckers out for at least 3 weeks following your surgery, so stock up on the Kleenex.

I can breathe wonderfully now. The surgery was totally worth it. It was really, really rough at times...and I can't emphasize enough the potential of an anxiety attack with this type of surgery (fuck those splints), but I feel great.

My nose is still slightly sore to the touch, but I've been told that can last up to six months. But at this point, even blowing my nose doesn't hurt. I've seen different doctors say different things about when you can blow your nose, but 10 days seems like a good medium. Personally, I'd ask your surgeon if you want to be safe.

Cheers!

Day 17: I'm Really Sick

I know I'm updating a couple of days early, but I felt enough things happened to warrant an update.

About 24 hours after my post on the 13th, the flu hit me in full force. My nose is still a little sore from the surgery, but I did notice I did not have to blow my nose with much force to get the...junk...out. Chalk that up to having my septum being a little straighter, I guess.

I wished I looked this graceful when sneezing.

Sneezing doesn't hurt, really, but is a little uncomfortable. Kinda feels like a bruise getting poked, which is basically happening, I guess.

The flu has cleared up now, though. Still, I'm in that odd post-flu stage where everything kind of solidifies and you wake up unable to breathe in the middle of the night because you have all this heavy mucus up your nostrils. So, not out of the woods just yet.

I would caution anyone who gets this surgery to avoid getting sick two weeks before or two weeks after. It just makes things worse, contrary to what I thought, it got much worse than I thought.

See ya Friday.

Day 14: The Flu

Hours after making my Day 7 post, I somehow caught the flu.

However, I didn't notice it much. From what I understand, after the splints are taken out, the nose can sometimes swell up again to make up the space that those splints took. So, you can mucus and dried blood getting clogged for a while until the swelling goes back down. So, it's like you have the flu anyway!

Now I know how Mike felt. Put me in the game, coach!

Around Day 12, my swelling went back down, and I carefully began to blow my nose. Huge wads of blood and mucus came out for several days...must have been stuck back there for a while.

Probably the most exciting thing happened yesterday.

As I noted before, pre-surgery, my right nostril was completely blocked and I couldn't breath through it. I did all my nose breathing through my left nostril.

However, when I was sick, my left nostril was completely clogged. It was actually the right nose that I was able to breath through most of the night. It was amazing.

Today, both of them have cleared up, but I'm still blowing old blood and mucus out of my nose!

Feeling really good. I think this surgery was worth it. This is the moment I imagined pre-surgery.

The only thing to watch out for is your sense of smell. You might lose it for a few days following the surgery. But when it comes back, the first smell you get is that of dead tissue. It's the worse smell imaginable. It's...sweet? Like a rotting sweet smell...I'm getting sick again just thinking about it.

I'm guessing that's what these guys would smell like in real life?

It takes four to five days to go away. But I did not enjoy that part at all!

Next update will be at Day 21.

Day 7: I Can...Breathe?

Well, I just got home from my ENT.

It was a bit touch and go, but I made it through.

He walked into the waiting room and asked me how I was doing.

"Alright. My left nose hurts a lot."

He sympathized with my anxiety during my ordeal. He noted that the surgery was pretty rough, but let's take a look at your nose.

First things first. He cut my sutures.

3 snips. A little pinch, but not that bad.

Then he told me to relax and used one of his tools to expand my right nostril a bit. He used another tool in his left hand to kind of squirm the splint out of my nose.

It's the weirdest feeling. You know what I can compare it to?

Yep. That's right, folks.

Taking a huge dump. It's that sensation of having something full that's being released. Not really pain, but there's a definite pressure.

Left nostril time. Oh fuck, this is going to hurt. He starts pulling...

And somehow the splint was twisted up my nose a bit! No wonder it was hurting me so much! He had to kind of yank and spin it to get it out. FUCK! It's out!

I felt better right away. The pulling/tugging feeling in my inner nose was gone, replaced with a strange emptiness. The air almost burns when you take your first breath through your nostrils.

"How's that feel?"

Good Doc. Real good.

---

Next, he told me everything is healing spectacularly. His surgery was done with the intent to allow me to go from no breathing through my nose to 85-90%. No complications.

No exercise for a week, use saline or petroleum jelly to keep your nose from drying out while it heals, and take it easy.

I walked out of the office smelling things again for the first time in years. Wow.

Day 6: I Can't Wait Until Tommorow

I feel awesome today. Is it because I only have one more day before I get these things out? Probably. But also, just being able to see my doctor and make sure everything's alright with my nose means the world.

I've started looking up videos of how they remove the splints. It looks a bit uncomfortable, but not really painful. Where I see everyone cringing on YouTube, however, is when they clean your nose with this...sucking tool. It's like a long skinny tube, similar to what your dentist uses to suck junk out of your mouth when you are getting a filling.

Oh God...please don't suck out my brains!

I'm...a little nervous about that. But, getting these things out is a priority at this point. I don't want to deal with this anxiety any longer.

Wish me luck!

Tips for Day 6:

• You are almost there, buddy. If like most patients, you got your post-op scheduled for a week after your surgery, you are going to get your splints out tomorrow. Nice job.

Day 5: Setbacks

Not feeling good today.

Chalk it up to the hot, humid weather but I feel like I'm getting worse. My breathing is probably 90% blocked, up from 70% a few days ago. I can see that my septum is visibly straight, so obviously, that isn't the problem. Is this just congestion? How clogged are those splints?

Going to bed early tonight.

Sleeping it off.

Two more days til I get these things out.

Tips for Day 5:

• I found reading helps me go to bed a little easier and distracts me from pain. Try it!

Day 4: A Surprising Good Fortune

I feel good today.

The pain has gone down considerably. The only thing annoying me right now is my left nostril. It's pulling, or tugging on something every time I eat. It sends this pain throughout my body...must be close to a nerve.

The spot that this guy is holding is about where I feel the majority of my pain. Weird. They didn't even touch that area.

I imagine it might be the stitches or the splints. Perhaps a combination. I will find out on Friday and let you know.

I'm off the Vicodin. I'm still getting nightmares, but I guess that's because it's still in your system for a while.

Last night I slept alright. It wasn't the best sleep of my life, but it was better than sitting upright all night.

I've ditched the mask completely at this point. I just have to dab on my nose with tissue every once in a while to catch stray mucus or blood.

Tips for Day 4:

• You might feel better! If so, still take it easy. You might find yourself winded really quick if you go back to your old routine.
• Try to manage the pain the best you can. You are almost there!