Day 2:
Well, I got off to a rough start today. I got off track with the pain meds yesterday...I didn't think to take them at dinnertime, and when I remembered, I wanted to blog and visit the CI Chat so I decided to wait until bedtime. By then it had ALL worn off, plus whatever they gave me in the hospital was also all out of my system...so I was very uncomfortable. I took a pill and tried to go to sleep but tossed and turned something awful. My left ear was also hurting...I'm assuming I was laying on it on the operating table or something...so I couldn't find a good position to sleep in (and I can't sleep sitting up or reclined). 2 AM FINALLY rolled around (can only take the pills every four hours) and I got another pill and decided to just play cards on the laptop until I was sleepy...which was around 4 AM. I have been asleep off and on most of today. The pain is manageable as long as I take my pills. I have always hated taking pain pills but have decided that I am going to take them as long as I need to right now...I haven't been as dizzy this time as I was with the first ear, but it has hurt a good bit more. I seem to be mildly allergic to either the pain meds or the antibiotic...when I take them I start itching within minutes. I am not too worried about it, though...no breathing problems or hives or anything....just itchy...and that's tolerable :).
I got to take my turban off today, and that helped a little...took some of the pressure off. The hair underneath is frightening, though, and I can't wash it until tomorrow....oy! My incision looks great...it's very neat and careful and, true to his word, my surgeon didn't shave ANY of my hair off!! I just love that man! My face started swelling pretty much as soon as I took the bandages off...it looks absolutely gross on the implanted side. I expected it...it happened last time too. I expect that some of it will start turning black and blue tomorrow....lovely! I will be so glad when I can wash my hair again...it won't fix anything but it will make me feel less icky :).
My entire ear is numb, which happened last time, but I don't yet have the funny taste issues that I did last time (everything tasted either salty or metallic). I have some pretty loud tinnitus in my newly implanted ear. I had some before, but this is ridiculous...it actually woke me up several times last night. I had the girls test out the ear today by screaming in it to see if there was any residual hearing left. Surgeons are more and more leaning towards trying to preserve residual hearing, but I honestly had no desire for my surgeon to do that...what little I had wasn't worth preserving in my opinion. The ear flunked the scream test, and also the banging cabinet door test...those were the only sounds I was able to hear before surgery, and they're gone now...it's official: I'm deaf as a post!
My hubby has taken off this entire week to play wait-staff, and I'm grateful...he's an excellent helper. I get up to go to the bathroom and occasionally to refill my water glass, but he has kindly delivered my meals to my bed and taken care of the kids for me...isn't he a good one? It's a great feeling to know that I CAN relax and not have to do anything because it's being taken care of :).
Gonna get off here and answer a few e-mails....then House is coming on in a few!
Love y'all..... :)
I got to take my turban off today, and that helped a little...took some of the pressure off. The hair underneath is frightening, though, and I can't wash it until tomorrow....oy! My incision looks great...it's very neat and careful and, true to his word, my surgeon didn't shave ANY of my hair off!! I just love that man! My face started swelling pretty much as soon as I took the bandages off...it looks absolutely gross on the implanted side. I expected it...it happened last time too. I expect that some of it will start turning black and blue tomorrow....lovely! I will be so glad when I can wash my hair again...it won't fix anything but it will make me feel less icky :).
My entire ear is numb, which happened last time, but I don't yet have the funny taste issues that I did last time (everything tasted either salty or metallic). I have some pretty loud tinnitus in my newly implanted ear. I had some before, but this is ridiculous...it actually woke me up several times last night. I had the girls test out the ear today by screaming in it to see if there was any residual hearing left. Surgeons are more and more leaning towards trying to preserve residual hearing, but I honestly had no desire for my surgeon to do that...what little I had wasn't worth preserving in my opinion. The ear flunked the scream test, and also the banging cabinet door test...those were the only sounds I was able to hear before surgery, and they're gone now...it's official: I'm deaf as a post!
My hubby has taken off this entire week to play wait-staff, and I'm grateful...he's an excellent helper. I get up to go to the bathroom and occasionally to refill my water glass, but he has kindly delivered my meals to my bed and taken care of the kids for me...isn't he a good one? It's a great feeling to know that I CAN relax and not have to do anything because it's being taken care of :).
Gonna get off here and answer a few e-mails....then House is coming on in a few!
Love y'all..... :)
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