The Surgery Tomorrow at 7:45 am, after having eaten and drank nothing after midnight (but taking my blood pressure medication), I will undergo a procedure to have my deviated septum corrected, a partial turbinate reduction, and my sinus passages opened. Currently, my septum presses against my right turbinate. When I get sick, which is often and prolonged because my nose doesn't drain properly, not only is it a big gooey mess, but those turbinates swell making life hell by sealing off my breathing passageways even more.
On a healthy day, I am only severely congested, waking up with a heavy mucus stuck in the back of my throat that no amount of coughing really helps alleviate or dispel. I also have a difficult time with physical activity, getting winded quickly due to lack of quality breathing. Additionally, I snore at night and often stop breathing. I am a mouth-breather and have been one since at least my teenage years, if not before.
While it is my hope that with this surgery, I will be able to say my apnea goes, too, if it doesn't...well, that will be a bridge to cross then. My apnea, I've found, is more manageable when my head is elevated on 2-3 pillows and I use a saline spray.
Tomorrow, I start a journey that, from what I've heard is extremely painful and requires considerable healing time but is well worth it.
In all honesty, I'm feeling both ready and nervous.
My doctor's office has more than prepared me for this with a viewing of a maxillofacial CT scan of my face issues, videos of the procedure, and pre-op Q&A's. I have filled my medications: an antibiotic, something stronger than prednisone, and a quality pain pill that I had to sign for at the pharmacist. Today, I enjoy tasting food and get some soft food such as Jell-O, macaroni and cheese, and the like stocked in the house.
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