Tag: tonsillectomy

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2 weeks after the Tonsillectomy and I am feelin’ fine :)

I am pretty much all better now. YAY! I have been making up for lost (eating) time let me tell you. I am leaving Thursday to fly to Berlin so between now & then I have tons to do, lots of loose ends to tie up etc..

Last night I visited Arturo Vega, a friend I have had since I was 15. He is the Ramones creative director and has designed every official Ramones t-shirt out there. He invented that Ramones symbol:

 


Anyways, Arturo turns 60 this month; my fellow Libra pal will be celebrating his birthday with me in Berlin. He is coming for some art exhibition. The Ramones signed their very first record deal in his flat, the same flat "The Loft" he calls it, he lives in today (around the corner from what used to be CBGB's).

Arturo showed me the new DVD he produced called "Too tough to die". It isn't even out yet. It's all Ramones material, most of it never before seen and it included the unveiling ceremony for the Johnny Ramone statue. Artie is quite the salesman, I ended up buying lots of Ramones t-shirts etc. I get them half price but $80 is $80. I have more Ramones shirts than I know what to do with lol.

I have to get my ass into bed, my final Doctor visit is tomorrow (he will look at what used to be my tonsils one last time). It helped me a lot to vent here in my blog; without that I would have been not only in pain, but very frustrated. I love to write, it feels great.

That reminds me, I have to publish another Ask Dr. Dot blog, it's been a while.. busy busy busy..

x 

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Steve Vai tonight :)

So it's day 10 after my tonsillectomy and I finally got 7 hours of solid sleep. I needed it bad. My throat and ears still hurt the most when I lie down, but when I am awake, just my throat hurts. I am soothing it with honey dew melon, luke warm water and cold soups.

I simply can not pass up the invite to go see Steve Vai tonight in concert. He emailed me personally and so I am going there in a few hours. I won't be doing much talking as it hurts to talk but I will be all ears for the Guitar God. It is GORGEOUS today in NYC. It rained last night, hard core, so today it's crisp, clear yet sunny like the perfect fall day. Slight breeze makes it even better. I will go for a tiny walk, as I am feeling as soft as warm jello. This pisses me off as I love to stay in shape and now it will take a while until I am firm and fruity again I suppose.  Undecided

But I am hoping all this HELL was worth it, as my tonsils were keeping me ill for over 2 years. I can't count the times I was on antibiotics and I always felt tired and had a sore throat. I am counting on feeling much better now that my infected tonsils have been junked.

Anyhow, back by popular demand, more puppy pictures from friends of mine in the UK, a family I hold very very dear to me.

Enjoy

x


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Preparing for a Tonsillectomy

Day 8 after surgery and it still feels like I gargled razor blades and drank lemon juice and tobasco sauce directly after.  Catherine went home 3 days ago, then I had Danny (anal ring toss) stay with me for 2 days in case I needed help. Danny and I raise too much hell; we laugh too much, so I asked him to leave me alone to suffer again. Which make me think of a list of things to warn people who are preparing to get a tonsillectomy. A check list for them; things I have learned that could maybe make things easier for someone else. 

1) Go shopping before and get baby food but NOT applesauce, as it has citric acid and burns like hell. Plums went down the best. Get soft bread, chicken soup and baby wipes. Baby wipes are helpful the first week as we are not supposed to shower, so they are good for wiping the offensive areas. Get vitamin water (I am guessing they only have those in the USA) and "Power-c" is the best one as the others have too much citric acid. You need to drink more than just water to keep up your electrolytes. Get a min chalk board or scetch pad to write on so you don't have to speak the first few days at ALL. But some Cloreseptic Throat Spray as it's s good to numb the pain, but only after like 5 days, as the first few days it's too sensitive for such a spray. Get anti-nausea tablets ahead of time, as your Doctor could be a slacker like mine and not write you a prescription. These pills help when you can't eat but need pain pills. Trust me. 

2) Avoid ice cream that is dairy based the first 3 days as it clings to the wounds and makes  a mucus and it's already difficult to sleep as it is. Pear sorbet is good as the others (strawberry or orange ) burn like HELL.

3) Tell everyone you know that you are having the operation and ask them NOT to call you for a week as speaking hurts. The dumbest thing in the world is CALLING a tonsillectomy patient after their operation. They can't speak as it hurts like HELL!!!!!!!!!! Have people text your or email you and get back to them when and if you feel like it. 

4) Find a serious friend to look after you, post OP. We all have goofy friends and serious friends. Choose the serious one to look after you as they will understand that laughing and talking is not an option and will have their head on straight and hopefully be dependable for you, like Catherine was for me.

5) After a few days, gut a piece of bread (discard crust to the birdies) and zap some chicken soup broth (mushed carrots that come in chicken soup are great too) in the microwave for 20 seconds and take it out and tear up the soft bread and let it absorb the soup. Once it is completely cooled, slowly chew it and swallow. This was the best meal I had so far since this whole thing started. It is hard to slowly chew as I am so fucking hungry my body wants to wolf it down, sigh. That reminds me, I lost 10 pounds already but am starting to feel soft in the middle, like my Pooh bear. I can't work out so I'm getting soft. ugh! Which brings me to number 6..

6) Work out as much as possible before the operation as you can't exercise for WEEKS after. Eat really healthy (well, always anyways) the last few days before the OP as you won't be eating well for ages. 

7)  Gargle with salt water every couple of hours after the surgery to help my throat heal faster, and it seemed to work real well. Just take plain old table salt, preferably the iodiized kind, mix it with warm water, and gargle with it for at least a minute every couple of hours, or as often as you possibly can. It tastes like shit, but it really does help your throat heal up faster. And be sure to drink as much water as you possibly can so that you keep yourself hydrated

8) Those Slim Fast shakes or any protein shake that you like help after a few days, as they keep you loaded with vitamins and liquid and taste great.  Like drinking a meal.

 9)Shower right before you check into the Hospital. You won't be able to wash for a few days.

10) Honey dew and  Cantaloupe melons seem to go down just fine (at day 7). I am sure they would go down earlier too. It is hard to get enough vitamin C during this whole ordeal, so this is the fruit I found to be the easiest to eat

 

Well, that's all for now, but when/if I think of something else,  I will slide it on in here asap.

x 

 

 

 

< Schwing!

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Tonsillectomy day 6

Today is day 6 after surgery and I didn't sleep but one hour last "night" thanks to ear and throat pain. I can't get comfortable… Some people will enjoy reading about this, not many, but some. Probably people thinking of getting the same operation or people who have suffered through it.

I had Catherine drag me to my Doctor 3 days after surgery and asked him to look at me, if it was normal to be throwing up so much etc. I had to wait about an hour in the waiting room, ready to keel over, looking rather light green. Finally he had time for us, Catherine being my voice. He was bitchy at us, like how DARE we question him, that all this was normal. I can not believe they fucking send people HOME two hours after such an operation. Even if you give birth in the usa, they send you home that day. That sounds ok if all goes well, but it seems they want to keep ya movin' in this country.

I am DYING to get my hands on Michael Moore's new dvd, think it's called Sicko. All about how fucked up the health care system is in the great ol' USA. The government can afford $10,000 per minute (or isn't it per second even? ) on arms, but god forbid if you stay over night at the hospital. Anyhow, my Doctor was irate that we asked him for anti-vomit nausea tablets. He said he has never written a prescription for them, ever.

Thing is, if you can't eat and barely drink, your belly is bare. You pump pain killers and antibiotics into it, and it's not a pretty sight; you will blow chunks and you don't really want to be puking if your throat is so tender from just being gutted, now do you?

I feel for everyone who has ever had this shit done.. my heart goes out to you, as I know, it is hell. I am up, since over 30 hours now, can't sleep… just passing time until it heals.. sounds counterproductive I know…

Simon Cowell (American Idol) called last night to say "Hi". That really made my night. I could barely talk but he could hear me. He said it (the operation) shouldn't change my singing voice. YAY!!!!!!!!!!! What a nice guy huh?

I guess I have to back out of going to see Guitar god Steve Vai in Manhattan tomorrow (well, today now, the 25th). I just couldn't enjoy myself, what if I bumped into someone or vice versa and my throat started bleeding? I couldn't have fun, no 🙁

HOPEFULLY I will make it to the show on the 28th in NJ. Trying for that, really I am.  Oh, I finally gave into the call of Haagen Daas, and it felt great. I don't suggest it the first 3 or 4 days, as it clings too much to the throat. But after, it is a treat to try some 🙂

x 

ps. the old fashioned instructions the Hospital gave me to take home says "after 36 hours, you can begin a soft diet: soup, gelatine, flan, APPLE PIE"  wtf!? Let me ram some PIE down my delicate bloody, well, pie hole. NOT. 

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Tonsil HELL – continuted

Yesterday I was in severe pain and notice on my pain killer bottle that I could take "one or two tablets every 6 hours" so I decided to take two. BIG MISTAKE.
I grew pale and got that tickling feeling in the belly and my friend Catherine caught me each time I vomited, as I faint every single time I puke. I HATE IT. I hate puking. Not that anyone likes it, but I fall all over the bathroom and end up lying on my back sometimes with puke in my mouth, which is dangerous. I get so freaked out when I have to vomit.
I faint and it takes me minutes to come to.  I wake in a sweat and it feels like I was out for hours. Puking is not good with a freshly operated throat.


After a few hours of vomiting and fainting, Catherine called the ambulance. They were too busy, so they sent the sheriff to bring us. He had his sirens on, running red lights and all, I was in too much pain to laugh, but I did find it humorous in a twisted way. Not so funny though when we arrived.
I had to wait over 30 minutes until they finally gave me medical attention. Waiting in the waiting room was no fun fyi, why? Because we don't speak SPANISH.
The TV was on a Spanish station, everyone there was speaking Spanish and it was all extremely loud.
I found the energy to turn to Catherine and whisper:
"what country are we in?" which wasn't meant to be funny, but it made Catherine laugh out loud. But seriously, Spanish is the main language in the usa now, but I don't fucking speak it (yet).
Guess I will have to learn it.
After a few hours of lying there with an IV shoved in my veins, we took a cab home and today my throat feels 10 times worse.


HOLY FUCK this pain is the worst I have ever had. I feel bad for Catherine as I am boring and miserable right now. BORING. Lying around in pain. She is a great friend indeed.
I have no appetite at all. Can't get enough ice water, but it hurts to swallow each time.
I am sorry to moan and whine, but I wish this was over with ASAP.
Steve Vai is playing in 4 days, I have to get better, I want to see the show !
Frown

 ps. Good news is Joanne Harras of the NY Press sent all of my checks, yay! And I have gotten loads of emails from confused NY PRESS readers, asking me "where is your column!???". They are shocked and sad. Like me. Oh well, there's always the blog, I will keep posting Ask Dr. Dot weekly, as soon as my throat heals (will it ever?)

 

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Getting your tonsils removed is absolute HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walked into the Hospital this morning at 5:30am, as planned and the man at the front desk started speaking to me in Spanish. After he realized I don't speak Spanish, he said "oh, you speak English instead?".  That's how it is here in the USA now. They speak first to you in Spanish or ask you in Spanish,  to "push 1 for Spanish", then 2 for English. I just thought that was amusing.

I was told I had to wait until 11am until I was to go under the knife. I didn't sleep the night before, so I was up for around 24 hours. Bored and pissed off that my thirst was driving me mad. You have to stop, as I said before, by midnight the night before, so now I had to wait until 11am. Then I was given an IV (hate being pricked with needles) and wheeled down to another waiting room. Finally the Doctor walks in, surrounded by nurses and tells me "wow, you have GREAT skin". I also found that odd. This made me even more nervous, thinking, is he ok? He said he has already done 8 tonsil removals that morning. Last thing I remember was hearing "we are putting some medicine into your IV to make you relax". The anesthesiologist was great; I didn't vomit like I usually do after being put under.

 

Woke up FREEZING, like you do and by the way, why do they wake us up? I was in the deepest sleep, didn't notice any pain until I heard "are you sleep!??" from a tiny group of Latino scrubs (people who work in the operating room). I WAS sleeping, now I am awake and realize that I am in FUCKING PAIN. I told you last blog how tough I am. Guess I lied. I can barely swallow water. It KILLS to sip cold water. DYIN' HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Food is the last thing on my mind. I never want to eat again. Thank GOD I ate two pints of Haagen Daas last night before my midnight cut off point. As I can imagine it will be a few days before I can get even some sorbet down my pie hole. Speaking of my pie hole, I just photographed it, it will probably disgust you, but this is a case of misery loves company. If I have to suffer, why shouldn't you? Ow! FUCKING OW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a wimp, this is killing me, I just wanna fucking die!

Will update you on the agony when I get a chance. I wish people would stop telling me to eat ice cream. ANY diary products are bad for a tonsil recovery. It sticks to the throat, creates mucus and prevents healing. It's all about sorbet, Italian Ice as they call it over here. Ice Cream with out ANY milk in it. I have some jars of baby food lined up too, mashed apples, pears, etc.. Catherine, my assistant and friend will be here tomorrow to baby me (I even bought a Pooh Bear bib 🙂

 

I wanted to film the Tonsil operation, but they were "not amused" at the idea.

Here is the ugly truth that is happening in my big abrasive mouth:


 That picture even makes me want to hurl. NASTY.