Nose healing now for my next surgery.....

I successfully navigated my way through church without incident.  My husband's plan of attack went off without a hitch (although leaving before the prayer had me squirming a little - hahahaha).  

I can't tell you the number of times I asked my husband how many hours were left before my doctor's appointment to get the nose stints out.  The were driving me insane!!! and I was sure that once they were out I would feel immediate relief in my nose and the tingling and numbness in my mouth would be gone.  I would be able to blow and wipe my nose again, we would have world peace and the economy would be back in order ... oh and my dvr would no longer be on the fritz - in essence all would be right with the world.  Okay so not everything would be fixed but a girl can hope right???

I had to bring Smiley and Giggles with me to my appointment.  -groan-  Giggles had already started out on the wrong foot and had been read the riot act before we got to the doctor's office.  It didn't work.  Why do I bother???

So after an infinitely long wait in the waiting area we get into the exam room.  Here's the tray of tools to be used on my nose....

And when I asked my boys if they were going to watch the doctor work on my nose this is how they said they were going to watch...

What they actually did was glance briefly, ask if it hurt and when I said it didn't (which wasn't entirely true.... I just didn't want to freak them out) they lost interest and started entertaining each other by grabbing each other's heads multiple times, poking each other, sliding off their chairs, hanging upside down on their chairs, getting in each others' faces etc, etc.  Each time the doctor turned around to dip his suction and probe utensils in solution I was turning and snapping my fingers or telling them to stop or giving my best "knock it off glare" and quickly turning back to get more steri-strip bandage drilled out of my nose (I say drilled because that's exactly what is sounded and felt like... ouch!!!)

After having the nose stints removed (by the way I WISH my stints looked like the ones in the video on my blog .... mine were thicker and harder) ... the pressure in my nose was relieved somewhat but it's funny how it still feels like there is stuff up my nose.  Probably because of having so much of my turbenates cut off.  My doctor says I still have to be careful with my nose for 6 weeks.  Yikes!!!  I tried blowing my nose and didn't do very well with it because I can't wipe very well.  Oh well.  with time I suppose.  If my nose is shiny at the end you'll know why.  try not to laugh too hard.    At least the hard part is over.  

Now I have a new problem.  Well, not really a new problem actually... it's an old problem that I'm wondering if surgery can correct it too....

You see - I'm dessert challenged.  Once I made a cake and forgot to add the eggs.  When I made a Mrs. Field's Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter cookie recipe and divided the dough - I baked half the dough and the cookies turned out hard and crunchy and the other lady baked the other half and they turned out great.  If we are asked to make cookies for something, we are better off if Brett makes them or using the school frozen dough because if I make them from scratch... not good.  I believe I'm cursed when it comes to desserts.  I wanted to make some cupcakes because it was my friend's birthday so here was a mix I made the other day for chocolate cake that I made into cupcakes...

Brett spit it into the sink it was so bad.  I decided that I cared too much about my friend to take her these cupcakes and let the giftcard stand alone.  The kids ate them and thought they were good.  (so does that mean I don't care enough about my kids cause I let THEM eat them? hahahahaha) poor kids have no discrimination apparently.

Can this dessert problem be taken care of surgically???

It Was NOT a Pick!!!!

I know! I know! I'm STILL talking about my nose!!! But if you had the stomach and the nerve to watch the clip on my site and saw what is UP my nose you will understand what I am living with 24/7 and you will understand why I can't STOP thinking about my nose.  When I watched that video just moments ago I realized why I have been telling everyone it feels like I have gigantic glasses being pushed down on my nose and I can't take them off.  Now after seeing what nose stints look like I think a better analogy is that I have an alien creature inside my nose trying to push it's way out!!!  Yikes!!!

At first after the surgery there was just the horrible pain.  Then gradually that has subsided to constant pressure.  Gee, I wonder why.  So I've told you that I have this blowing my nose issue where I'm not allowed to blow my nose right?  But my nose is filled with mucus all the time and dripping.  Fortunately I have this convenient gauze moustache to catch the blood, fluids and boogers that come down.  But boogers/mucus are not always accommodating and sit just inside your nose to drive you stark raving mad.  Regularly a good blow into a Kleenex can take care of this problem.  I'm not allowed to bend over either so I can't even do that to encourage drips to come out faster onto the gauze moustache.  drat!!!  What's a person to do???  Q-tips!!! (cue Halleluia chorus and rays from heaven).  It was when I was  Q-tipping and sighing with relief that I felt the nose stint just inside my nose at the bottom.  I freaked out!!! I thought the stints were high up inside my nose.  I don't know why I thought this... I just did.  I tap it again with the Q-tip to be sure... yep.  It's a foreign object in my nose.

I must digress for a moment before I get to the It Was Not a Pick part...

So yesterday I take my son to his doctor's office and I think... great... another public outing with my gauze moustache.  At the doctor's office I have to deal with the receptionist, two nurses, and the doctor.  None of whom say ANYTHING about my gauze moustache.  Is that odd?  Not a joke, comment, question, glance.  Nada.  Now perhaps they are just used to gauze working at a doctor's office and all... or perhaps I chanced upon 4 people who by nature have no curiosity or compassion in them.  As for me.... if I see someone with a black eye you know I'm going to say something like "who won?" or "fall out of bed again" or if they have criss-crossing bandages on their face "get run over by a train"? (that one was used on me many years ago so I feel obligated to pass it on).  

My sister called me chicken and I don't normally respond to dares.  I even took it two steps further and took these pictures without makeup and doing my hair.  But I figure if I can take my kids to school with this gauze, go to doctor's appointments, shop at Walmart etc. I can post my picture.  So here goes...

If you combine the two you have the full view.

I did have a very important meeting this morning to try to get Smiley into a special pre-school so I thought I would color coordinate my gauze moustache for the occasion....

Back to my story.  On the way home from the doctor's office last night I couldn't stop thinking about the stints in my nose (because I can't stop feeling the sensation of them.)  So I wondered how close to the opening of my nose they really were.  And the only way to really tell.... do you see where I'm going with this???? yep... I stuck my finger in my nose to feel where the stint was.  And sure enough I touched it!!! Freaky!!!!  But worse than that I realized that I was on Redwood Road with cars all around me with my finger up my nose!!!!   You're dumb as a what?? (a saying from my MIL)  I quickly snatch my finger out of my nose but was it too late?  Did someone see me?  Worse yet did someone I know see me and now forever after I will be dubbed as a nosepicker when really I'm not!!! It was not a pick!!!! It was a touch!!!! I was just touching my stint!!!!  Do you have any idea what is up my nose????  -sigh-  I can't wait until Monday when these things come out.

In bed last night I told my husband that I wanted to google nose stints.  He says "I don't want to look at it... I'll throw up and pass out."  My hero.  I don't think he is going to play the video.  What do you think?  If he does I hope his desk at work doesn't have any sharp corners.   I better call his mom and have her place some pillows on the floor around his chair.  (his office is in her basement).  

Well, Monday I get these babies out.  Can't wait.  I'll tell you tomorrow about Brett's game plan for my trip to church when I told him I was thinking of wearing my gauze moustache to make sure my nose doesn't get bumped.  

Tubes at 8????

We survived or should I say Jaden survived another ear tube surgery.  This is number 4 or 5... who can keep track of these things???  In the car this morning the boys were picking which superhero they were with what vehicle and I said I was Wonder Woman with her invisible jet.  I think my choice was obvious... not that I think I look like Wonder Woman by any means but really... aren't ALL moms Wonder Women and don't we ALL wish we had invisible jets at some point??? be honest!!!

But I digress... Jaden's surgery went well although day 2 he crashed and slept most of the afternoon.  His ears have been sensitive for a few days.  Not that that is a bad thing because it means I have an excuse to tell brothers "don't yell so loud, it hurts Jaden's ears (and mom's for that matter)" of course it also means I have to be more patient.  I raised my voice (that's a kind term for yelled) at Cody the other morning and Jaden said "mom! you hurt my ear!" oops!  guess I need to watch that anyways.  My bad!

Jaden was a little nervous about the surgery but he was allowed some comfort items to bring with him.  He chose his Spiderman blanket, his neopet Shadow Grundow (I call it Shadow Creepy on account of the freaky red eyes).  I brought my comfort items of a book to read and a Diet Coke on account of having to get up at 5:00 am for the surgery- migraine here I come!!

  Jaden was spoiled later by his Grandma Glassey who always bring post surgery treats/gifts.  Thanks Grandma!