Patrick’s Sinus Surgery

Friday the 13th wouldn’t normally be a date I would prefer to have surgery, but that’s the way it worked out for Patrick’s sinus surgery!  Patrick has complained for years about not being able to taste and/or smell:(.  Some days are worse than others, but even his best days weren’t all that great!  After a few years of only treating they symptoms and getting temporary relief, he decided to get a second opinion.  The doctor he went to see (Dr. Felicia Johnson) ordered a CT scan and discovered that he had lots of tissue/polyps that needed to be cleaned out.  She performs her surgeries on Friday’s, and 7/13 was the only Friday we had open with a full weekend to heal until Miss Mattie gets here, so Friday the 13th it was;)!

  I think I dreaded the surgery more than he did!  I was not looking forward to the recovery.  Those of you that know me, know that I do NOT do blood so I was having lots of anxiety about that.  However, he did “miraculously” start being able to taste/smell the week before the surgery was scheduled and kept acting like he wanted to cancel the procedure.  I told him that he couldn’t (even though this did make me nervous that if something happened to go wrong it would have been MY fault!) because if he didn’t do it now he was never going to do it!  After he was out of surgery, he told me that he was more nervous about it than he was leading on, which makes me think that’s why he could “miraculously” smell/taste beforehand;). 

One funny/sweet thing that happened before he went back:  He refused to take off his Miller Band when the nurse asked him to, but he didn’t hesitate to take off his wedding band.  I wondered if I should be concerned;).  Of course, I am kidding!  Who wouldn’t prefer to take Miller to the O.R. with them!  I know I would!!!

He is probably going to kill me for posting these pictures, but you know I have to document everything, so here ya go;)…..

Looking good in his gown before he was rolled back:

My patient and me…..

Post op:  Not looking so hot!  Bless his heart…..

The recovery hasn’t been near as bad as we both expected!  He has been quite the trooper (and I’d like to think I’ve been a pretty good nurse!  I’m sure he would probably beg to differ….LOL!).  His biggest complaint has been his dry mouth (from the meds they give you during anesthesia to dry up your secretions so you don’t aspirate).  The first night he was up every 30-45 minutes downing Gatorade, which would then make him get up every 30-45 minutes to go pee!  It was a vicious cycle that kept both of us up all night.  Oh well, I’ll take dry mouth over pain any day! 

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers!  I’ve kept him up to date on all of your sweet messages.  I think he’s felt pretty special this weekend.