Post Day 1 – The Runny Nose

My nose … I have no clue what it looks like post surgery … it’s way too bandaged, taped and splinted up to get a good look … but one thing … is that incredibly large quantities of gross stuff seems to drip from it … neverending … as you can see from the stain in the gauze under my nose in the above picture.

I had hoped that the oozing would have ceased within 24 hours of surgery … but alas, no such luck. I was lucky too … Dr. Z didn’t have to break my nose during its reconstruction … I had a narrow nose … actually … narrow and long … with a bulbish tip … typical Euro-Slavic nose … and he mentioned that that if he broke it as one would often do during a rhinoplasty, it might actually end up wider than he or I desired. Anyways, he discussed with me the options and it was decided that it would be an operating table decision … if he could accomplish the straightening and shaping without breaking the nose, then don’t break it … if not, cracka whacka.

The day after surgery, Dr. Z visited Shaft and I at our palacial Doubletree suite. At that time, the good doc removed my nasal packing the day after surgery. I only had to deal with it for a day, much less than any others I’ve talked with … so my gripes about it may seem unwarranted and simply whiny … but whatever … nasal packing sucks. At one point I swear it was encroaching into my throat ! I don’t know if it was so short a punishment because my nose wasn’t broken, because I was just whining, or because of Dr. Z’s technique, but regardless … I wasn’t about to question as he pulled out the packing consisting of a variety of things, including a surgical glove. Totally didn’t hurt and really didn’t feel that weird … it was just welcomed relief !!! Ahhhh … I can breathe !!!! 🙂

After Dr. Z visited and removed my nasal packing, redid my turbin and went over the discharge and aftercare instructions once again … Shaft and I headed back to our city of origin. It’s about a three hour drive, less with Shaft driving, and went really smooth. We used Satan as our own personal OnStar (she’s in Chicago on business more frequently than Shaft or I) and she navigated us nicely around several possible obstructions. I really didn’t experience much pain or discomfort during the ride. We stopped twice … once for me to take a bathroom break and once for us to get gas and food. I got more than a couple second glances for my bathroom break … but it was otherwise non-eventful and I completed my task without incident. Shaft offered to stop for me to get my traditional White Castles, but I wasn’t in the slider mood … so we opted for a one-size-fits all truck stop where he got some Taco Bell and I scarfed down a Whopper Jr. and a chicken sandwich.

My left eye was completely swollen shut. We had to force it open in order to simply deposit eye drops. My right eye remains usable, but is fairly swollen itself. A great deal of bruising and further swelling surrounds both of my eyes, upper and lower lids.

I started a routine of cleaning and treating my nasal passages. A shot of nasal spray in each nostril, then clean each nostril with some hydrogen peroxide (on the end of a cotton swab) … which does a fair job of removing lots of blood and gunk building up in my nose … after multiple passes of H202 in both nasal entry points … I follow with some antibacterial cream (a Neosporin knock-off as I didn’t want one enriched with Vitamin E and Cocoa Butter) … I close with another shot of nasal spray. I’ve been doing this about every 4 hours.

I’m still extremely thirsty and drink way more than I eat. Mmmm … flashbacks to college. I still tire rather frequently and need sleep often. I’m sleeping in short increments, but when it calls my name … it calls my name. I probably am awake for two hours periods of time before I find myself needing sleep.

My stomach muscles (?) still hurt a great deal and I continue to require assistance just standing up probably 50% of the time. Testicles remain huge and purple.

I think that’s it for now. I’m almost caught up on my updates … should be day current later today, but for now … I … need … sleep. 🙂