Surgery stories?

[ctrl-alt-delete]

Finally, at the age of 22, I got my tonsils out on 1/19. Even though I've had chronic tonsilitis, tonsil stones, and strep my whole life, my parents were total assholes concerning the doctor...if we literally weren't dying, we weren't going.

During the Summer of 08, things got really bad. After a routine case of strep, I received the antibiotics and the problem went away as per usual...except this time, it came back after a week. After continuing this cycle with the doctor 5 or 6 more times, they finally sent me to an ENT specialist. Of course, he wanted to take them out, but not having insurance at the time, I did not go through with it.

So, ever since that summer, I have lived with tonsils that were greatly swollen. Since I got in a car wreck in the Summer of 09, and my deductible had already been met, I decided it was time to get the surgery done. Unfortunately, I did not meet the deadline, but oh well. My fault for procrastinating so much. After going back to the doctor pretty much a year and a half later, even though he didn't remember me, he instantly said "they have to come out. They're horrible." Keep in mind, the appearance or pain of them had been consistent that entire time.

Anyways, I remember going in to the room and laying on the table...I was pretty nervous, as it was going to be my first time under anesthesia. Not being in control of my own sleep kind of scared me. The nurses did a couple things to prep me and then the next thing I knew(literally, I have no recollection of them introducing the anesthesia or anything else...no countdown, nothing), I was waking up...

In the worst pain of my entire life. The doctor said recovery would be 7 days, but from everything I've read online, it typically takes adults quite a bit longer, 10-20 days "at least." I haven't eaten a damn thing yet, and highly doubt I will be any time soon. Even pudding was too painful. So, I've been surviving solely off of water. The meds don't do much at all to ease the pain...and I've always had severe sleep apnea, so I've kind of just been lying around, sleeping 15-30 minutes at a time. Fortunately, I was laid off from my job the beginning of this month, so there is no better time to have gotten it done.

When it's all said and done, I know it will be worth it. The proposed benefits to me were loss of pain, loss of bad breath due to tonsil stones, possible loss of sleep apnea, improved hearing, sense of smell, less frequent earaches/headaches, and even improved health overall. (Not catching colds and such so often.)

Anyways, just thought I would share. It's not like I have anything else to do at 3 in the morning. :(

[Brasel]

I had my tonsils taken out for many of the same reasons, but I was lucky enough to have it done while I was in high school. All I remember is getting rolled in on the bed and answering the questions of one of the surgeons with something absurd, though I don't remember what it was, and then waking up. When I woke up, there was a male nurse who was reading a magazine holding out a barf tray for me. He said, "You're going to need this." After I took it, I immediately puked up a ton of blood. I was out of school for about a week and I remember playing a lot of Parasite Eve 2.

I had my wisdom teeth taken out when I was in the army. After I got back to my barracks, I was eating vanilla ice cream and talking to my wife on the phone. I was still kind of loopy from the drugs and totally numb. I look in the mirror and I have ice cream and blood running down my mouth and my shirt. I told my wife what I say and said that it looked just like strawberry shortcake.

[ctrl-alt-delete]

Just wanted to give you guys a quick update.

On 1/22 at about 3 AM, I woke up with a minor bleed so I had to go to the ER until the doctor showed up to recauterize, this time doing it with Silver Nitrate while I was awake. (Numbed it with something first)

On 1/23, again at about 3 AM, I woke up with a bleed. After looking in the mirror, I realized this one was way worse, and right about that time I started vomiting blood that I had been swallowing in my sleep. I was rushed to the ER in an ambulance(most frustrating experience in my life, for reasons to be described later), where they gave me some injection that causes blood to thicken and clot or whatever, but not until after I had lost 33-35% of my total blood. For some stupid fucking reason, they won't give me a transfusion...I guess it's not typical until 40%...

So they sedated me again and recauterized everything AGAIN and now I have to lay in the hospital for monitorization until at least this afternoon. (1/24)

Anyways, for those that believe in prayers, they would be greatly appreciated, and thoughts are most welcome.

I love you guys...when I was fainting from the blood loss(blood pressure dropped down to 60/35...), I wrote down my password for my girlfriend so she could tell you if anything happened to me. :)

[Aegix Drakan]

Yeow. Sounds like you're having a rough time of it, pal.

>_> Mine came out when I was really young, an dI have pretty much no recollection of it now...except for 2 things.

1: Getting in a very big argument with my mom at the hospital because I didn't want to wear a hospital gown.

2: Being wheeled into a small crib (I was really young),with some kind of scuba mask, and they asked me to breathe in. I took one whiff, felt myself fall back, and BAM. I was out. I didn't even feel my head hit the bed. ...And then I woke up, wondering why my throat was hurting, and why that doctor over there looked like he had mud on his face.


TL;DR: Went pretty well for me, I guess. Sorry to hear that you're not doing well. You'll be in my thoughts for sure.

[erm2003]

I hope you have a speedy recovery. That sounds just horrible. I have been fortunate enough to only have my wisdom teeth removed so hopefully I will keep that luck a bit longer.

[Prrkitty]

Awww hon... I'm sorry you're having such a hard time. God Bless 'n good luck. I'll be sure to send lots of positive energy your way. I had my tonsils 'n adnoids (spelling) taken out when I was 6... don't remember much about it except for a week after the surgery my hospital room mate and I were riding the big wooden wheel chairs around in the halls and ran into the legs of the doctor that did our surgery. Apparently we banged him up pretty bad <lol> poor guy...

[Aegix Drakan]

my hospital room mate and I were riding the big wooden wheel chairs around in the halls and ran into the legs of the doctor that did our surgery. Apparently we banged him up pretty bad <lol> poor guy...

...LOL. I never would've pegged you as a dangerous driver, Prr! XD

[Yapollo]

I've had my tonsils out too, it hurt like (imagine most painful moment to you), but in your throat. It will be over and done COMPLETELY with usually in two weeks, even if you are having the operation as an adult.

Congraulations though, it hurts now, but it is rewarding. I have never had strep again, and you probably won't either.

And don't eat any ice cream for a week, trust me it is not as stereotypically fun as you might expect.

[biggiy05]

I've had my chest reconstructed twice. I was born with a birth defect called funnel chest. In February 2002 they reconstructed my chest by pushing my chest outward to correct the dip I had. They cut a ton of cartilage out, attached two metal wires on my ribs and called it a good day. A month later I went back to school.

In February 2007 I had to have my chest reconstructed again. My chest caved in after I started growing after my surgery in 02 and things slowly got worse until I was at the point where I couldn't breathe again. This time they went in and put two bars in my chest that looked bicycle handlebars. What was supposed to be a simple four hour surgery turned into seven and a half hours of complications and my body trying to reject the bars before they were even in completely. I was on a ventilator for the first 24 hours and spent two days in the ICU before moving to the recovery floor. Six days in the hospital, all of which were painful and a nightmare I never wish to repeat again.

Five weeks later I could hardly lift my right arm or swallow anything solid or liquid. After a trip to the ER to meet my surgeon and some x-rays I found out the upper bar had flipped and was moving up and pushing against my trachea. They went in to try and move the bar back into place but had no luck. They took it out and I spent two days in the hospital. I spent nine months recovering at home before being released back to work under light duty.

This past June I started having problems at work. Whenever I lifted the stretcher whether it be empty or have a patient on it I felt something tear in my chest. It got to the point there the pain was too much so I had to go home. I found out that the bar was putting pressure on the sides of my chest and the tearing was cartilage. They did surgery to remove the bar and I went home later that night. I was able to keep the bar to show my Captain and EMS instructors.

[Aegix Drakan]

Yikes, Biggiy... I knew you had your chest reconstructed, but to have THAT many problems? You have my sympathies. That must've been hell.



They did surgery to remove the bar and I went home later that night. I was able to keep the bar to show my Captain and EMS instructors.

...I don't know whether I should be freaked out by that, or if I should give you a high five for total badassery.

[Yapollo]

Yeah, I am sorry that you had to go through with that Biggiy, hope things don't get too bad.

[ctrl-alt-delete]

I've had my chest reconstructed twice. I was born with a birth defect called funnel chest. In February 2002 they reconstructed my chest by pushing my chest outward to correct the dip I had. They cut a ton of cartilage out, attached two metal wires on my ribs and called it a good day. A month later I went back to school.

In February 2007 I had to have my chest reconstructed again. My chest caved in after I started growing after my surgery in 02 and things slowly got worse until I was at the point where I couldn't breathe again. This time they went in and put two bars in my chest that looked bicycle handlebars. What was supposed to be a simple four hour surgery turned into seven and a half hours of complications and my body trying to reject the bars before they were even in completely. I was on a ventilator for the first 24 hours and spent two days in the ICU before moving to the recovery floor. Six days in the hospital, all of which were painful and a nightmare I never wish to repeat again.

Five weeks later I could hardly lift my right arm or swallow anything solid or liquid. After a trip to the ER to meet my surgeon and some x-rays I found out the upper bar had flipped and was moving up and pushing against my trachea. They went in to try and move the bar back into place but had no luck. They took it out and I spent two days in the hospital. I spent nine months recovering at home before being released back to work under light duty.

This past June I started having problems at work. Whenever I lifted the stretcher whether it be empty or have a patient on it I felt something tear in my chest. It got to the point there the pain was too much so I had to go home. I found out that the bar was putting pressure on the sides of my chest and the tearing was cartilage. They did surgery to remove the bar and I went home later that night. I was able to keep the bar to show my Captain and EMS instructors.

Now, THAT puts things into perspective. Thanks for the story man. Hope everything else is smooth sailing for you.

Day / for me. Throat still quite a bit of pain, but no more bleeding so far. If I can ever taste food again, I don't think I will ever take it for granted for the rest of my life.

[biggiy05]

Yikes, Biggiy... I knew you had your chest reconstructed, but to have THAT many problems? You have my sympathies. That must've been hell.


...I don't know whether I should be freaked out by that, or if I should give you a high five for total badassery.

Recovery was a nightmare. Going through the fire academy just shy of a year after surgery was hell.

As for taking the bar home. I told my Captain I was going to ask the nurses to take a picture of the bar once it was out. He also is a royal douche and never thought what I went through with my chest was that serious. When they wheeled me into the OR I asked the nurses and one said I could just take it home. The look on my captain's face was priceless.


Now, THAT puts things into perspective. Thanks for the story man. Hope everything else is smooth sailing for you.

I ran on quite a few patients that were always trying to make it seem like things were worse than they were. We had a frequent flier who I got tired of one day so I lifted my shirt and showed my scars and the lump where the bar stuck out. From what I understand nobody has run on her in months.

It's been rough waters. Once the bar came out some complications developed with my heart that has affected everything else so there's good days and sleep the day away days. Currently tearing into a doctor and his nurses at OSU for giving me the run around and refusing to see me.

[Yapollo]

Well I hope things get bette,r Biggiy.

[Prrkitty]

...LOL. I never would've pegged you as a dangerous driver, Prr! XD

Apparently I suck at driving one of the old big wooden wheelchairs :) LOL!


Yikes, Biggiy... I knew you had your chest reconstructed, but to have THAT many problems? You have my sympathies. That must've been hell.

...I don't know whether I should be freaked out by that, or if I should give you a high five for total badassery.

I'd say the total badassery :)

[Lilith]

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