Surgery results

I don't recall if I mentioned the nose surgery I would be having:  septoplasty and some trimming of the "turbinates" in the nose.  They were causing restricted air passages which is why the least little bit of congestion (and I've got a lot of allergies) would shut down breathing.

That surgery was this morning.

I've been up and down with short naps since returning home. My wife went out to the store to pick up the pain meds. Have completely saturated through two gauze pad ("sterile eye pad" held across the nostrils with an elastic band), now working on a third.   My nose hurts (of course).  My head hurts (probably at least partly caffeine withdrawal since I couldn't drink anything pre-surgery).  My throat hurts (breathing tube during surgery).

I always respond to general anesthetic with severe nausea on waking. I told the anesthesiologist and he provided a scopolamine patch pre surgery (to stay in place three days) and said he would include some anti-nausea meds in the IV before I woke. I think that may have helped some but not nearly enough.

Was a bit concerned when I vomited up blood, but the nurse who was attending me then explained that was from the surgery and probably a part of the nausea issue. Oh. I was flat on my back while the doctor was cutting inside my nose. Where did I think the blood would end up?

Phone call to the doctor's nurse said the amount of bleeding is normal.  No driving until after I have the gauze removed. (Appointment tomorrow at 10:10).

Since I can't breathe with my mouth closed, eating is a bit of a problem.  Fortunately, my appetite seems to be down.  My wife made a sugar-free cheesecake pudding thing that I can take in small bites without having to chew.  That seems to be adequate for now.

What fun.

Edit:  Update 7/15/14
Got the packing out of my nose.  Man, those packs were _huge_.  I can breathe now, although my nose is a bit tender (more than a bit, to be honest) and there's a "burning" sensation when I breathe through my nose.  I am told that this is normal.

The procedure was first to suction out the area at the bottom of my nose, then remove the packs, then stuff cotton balls soaked with a numbing medicine up in my nose.  After the numbing medicine takes effect (about a 10 minute wait) the doctor used a vacuum tube to suck out any gunk left behind. He stuck that tube far enough back that I actually felt him poke the back of my throat.

No strenuous exercise for two weeks (anything that might elevate blood pressure).  Saline spray hourly and saline nasal rinse daily.

One of my two prescription nasal sprays is "gone for good".  The other it's a matter of seeing how things go.

A possible downside, with more airflow through my nose, air bringing in allergens, my allergy symptoms may worsen.  But that's what the allergy shots are supposed to be for.