POST-OP Day 8

Since I last post, I've returned to work and have had a very busy life . . . probably too busy considering that my body is still healing.

However, the show must go on, and I'll give you a few updates now.

Saturday I was finally back to my same energy level that I had been at pre-surgery, so I was super-happy about that.  I got a lot accomplished on Saturday throughout the day, but by evening I was pretty exhausted.  Sunday was similar to Saturday, and I was able to attend Sunday School and church, but by mid-afternoon, my neck was really stiffening up.  I had been icing it and heating it intermittently in the days prior, but I think Sunday just pushed me over the top.  I had reduced the amount of Tylenol and Ibuprofen that I needed to make it through the day, but on Sunday I had to start back to my every-4-hours routine.  For the first time since having the surgery, I cried, due to the literal pain-in-the-neck I was experiencing on Sunday evening.

Thanks to the many prayers of friends and family I'm sure, by Monday morning my neck was feeling no pain at all, and the stiffness was almost completely gone.  I was able to make it to work on Monday morning, and the kids were a out-of-control . . . I'm assuming it's because of the fact that their routine with me was completely disrupted the week before while I was off work . . . which is precisely why I didn't want to be gone for as long as I was.  However, by the following day, things were better with them and I felt more like I was back on track too.

Yesterday I had my stitches out.  There were five in total, and after spending 1 1/2 hours at the medical clinic waiting to see a doctor, nearly another 30 minutes were needed to remove the stitches.  I was advised by my husband (who has had many stitches taken out in his lifetime), that it wouldn't hurt.  Well, it did hurt.  It was actually very painful.  But, I think it's because of where my stitches were located in comparison to my husband's past stitches, and mine are also "newer" than any he's taken out before.  Those factors may have come into play with regards to the pain I was experiencing, even though I did follow my surgeon's orders to have the stitches removed seven days post-surgery.

The good news is that there is no longer pain, even though last night after getting home from the doctor, I was in a lot of pain.  This morning I woke up and the pain was gone.  It's still really sensitive in the area where the incision was, and I would imagine that sensitivity is going to remain for a while.  But the incision is healing up well and the nurse who was assisting the doctor told me that the surgeon did a good job on my incision and that my neck is going to look okay once everything is healed.  Apparently she's seen a lot of incisions in her day . . .

My biggest issue right now is the swelling in my throat.  It still looks like I've got a huge turkey-like "wattle", although now it seems even more obvious since some of the swelling around my chin and jawline is starting to go down.  I really, really hope that it doesn't look like I have an over-sized Adam's apple for the rest of my life . . . I'm almost ready to quit wearing scarves and let the world see my incision site, except for the wattle.  That's really what's holding me back from showing my neck at the moment.  My side profile has always been something I don't really enjoy about myself, but now I dislike it even more . . . the part of me that I like least physically is now the part of me that is most-exaggerated.  Go figure.  I think I'm learning a lesson in pride here.  Yes, God, I get the message.

Thanks to all of you who continue to pray for my healing and recovery.  I need the prayer and I appreciate each one that it sent up on my behalf.