It’s been more than a couple of weeks now, since I had my surgery. I figured it’s been long enough, and I wanted to write a blog post about it. Before I had my tonsillectomy, I tried googling pictures of what it would look like during the recovery process. I wasn’t able to find much…so I figured I’d document with pictures, my recovery process.
Day zero (June 1st, 2016 the day before): We took the kids out to eat at Joey’s Seafood, because I really wanted fish and fries before I wouldn’t be able to eat for a while. Instead of heading home for a night of rest like most patients, I had to go to work for my shift at 11pm. I was told I wouldn’t be allowed to eat anything after midnight, but I would be allowed to drink clear fluids until two hours before surgery.
Day one (June 2nd, 2016 the day of surgery):
I left work early at 4am, and headed home to get showered and ready to go. We woke up the kids, and kept them in their pjs. We ended up leaving our place at 5:30am, because I had to be at the hospital for 6am. Even though my surgery wasn’t scheduled until 7:45am. I ended up getting to the hospital about ten minutes before 6. Once I got inside the hospital I went straight to admissions, they asked me if I was having an overnight stay or day surgery. I told them it was a day surgery, then they called my name (similar to the doctor’s office). I went and answered some questions, gave them my ID and health card. Once that was all done, I was given a wristband and sent to the day surgery desk a couple of halls down.
6:20am: One of the nurses brought me to my own little area in the corner of a room. There was easily over a dozen “bedrooms”, that were divided by hospital curtains. The nurse told me she needed some blood samples, and asked me a couple of questions about when I last ate/drank. Once she was done she handed me a hospital gown, and told me to get completely undressed. I had to remove everything including my jewelery, then I was told to get under the covers.
6:25am: The same nurse came back, and explained what they’d be doing during the surgery; and what would happen after. She said she noticed I was waiting alone, and was nervous. So she sat and talked with me for a couple of minutes, she asked me what I like to do and if I’ve got kids. I mentioned that I blog, and she said it would be cool for me to document my whole process. Then she said she’d be more than happy to snap a picture of me, after surgery.
6:30-7:15am: I waited in my hospital bed, listening to the conversations happening around me lol. A child a couple of beds away, had just finished getting out of surgery half and hour before. He was happy talking, and asking for a popsicle. I was told by the nurse that they needed to weigh me, and measure my height. I was handed some foot covers, and told to follow her down the hall to the scale. Once she got the weighing and measuring out-of-the-way, she told me it was time to empty my bladder. Since the porter would be by shortly to bring me to the operating room.
7:20am: I was told I had to take my glasses off (I can barely see half an arm length away from me, without them). A male porter came to wheel me to the second “waiting area”, where me and a couple other patients in beds were waiting for doctors to come check our info binder. I couldn’t help but overhear some doctors talking to a man beside me. They were talking about a completely different surgery procedure a long with the risks, pros and cons. I won’t go into details, but it’s a life changing surgery I’m sure. ^_^
I’m not sure how much time passed by, but I had two people come introduce themselves to me. They looked in my information binder, then talked amongst themselves. A doctor told a different porter to bring me down to the operating room. I was wheeled down a bunch of halls, and through more than two doors. I was scared, because I couldn’t see anything around me. Finally the porter stopped my bed outside of an operating room, he wished me good luck with my surgery and left. There was a woman in a bed across from me, joking about “is this the forgotten hallway”. We chatted until both of our surgeons came to see how we were doing. Suddenly she was taken away, and my surgeon told me he’d see me in the operation room in a few minutes.
One of the nurses came to wheel me into the operating room, where there was about 5 or 6 people. I was transferred from my hospital bed to the operating table, while my surgeon explained what they were going to do. Some nurses started strapping down my legs, and arms similar to a cross lol. This is procedure so that you don’t move during surgery, and end up falling off, etc. I remember I was shaking because I was cold, and scared. I was mostly scared, because I couldn’t see anything around me but blurry spots. Those with glasses will understand, what I’m saying. They put a mask on top of my mouth/nose, then put an IV in me a long with some heart monitor things on my chest.
The next thing I knew I was being woken up, in a completely new area strapped to four machines having a hard time breathing. (Don’t panic, this is standard. It’s the area they bring you right after surgery, so that they can monitor you until they think your well enough to be back to your “room”.) I was in so much pain, so they kept giving me pain medication until I couldn’t feel anything. I also got a couple of heated blankets, because I was shaking. At this point I’m not sure if I was cold, or just scared. The nurse said it had been about two hours, since I was brought to the room. They thought I was doing well enough to be brought back to the day surgery area. You aren’t guarantee the same spot, that’s why before you go in for surgery you place all your belonging in a hospital bag. I was lucky enough to get my little “corner room” spot again.
1:10pm (time based on time-stamp on my picture):
The nurse asked me if I was ready for my picture, I figured this time was as good as any.
The nurses kept suggesting I have a popsicle, to which I did. Two to be exact, and I remember thinking they weren’t helping lol. They gave me some ice-cube shavings, and finally water with a straw. When I didn’t have a popsicle, or ice shavings I had to keep an oxygen mask on my face. I had an ice pack wrapped in something on my throat (seriously this thing was amazing), and tons of heated blankets to help the chills I had. They loaded me up with morphine and let me rest. The nurse kept coming to check my throat, and they decided I would be allowed to leave at 2:15pm.
2:30pm- The nurses talked me through the discharging process. They explained, that I could eat in a couple of days if I felt up to it. I just had to make sure that I was constantly drinking clear fluids, and keeping my throat moist. If I had bleeding, that was normal and all I had to do was rinse my mouth and relax. If the bleeding continued for longer than 20 minutes, or the bleeding was happening so fast I couldn’t swallow it fast enough. I should go straight to Emergency. I was told I wasn’t allowed to fly for two weeks, and that I shouldn’t do anything overly strenuous. Then I was given a prescription for Tylenol 3s and sent on my way. My mom had to come pick me up at my bed, and wheel me to the van with the wheel chair.
2:41pm:
4pm: Had a minor cry moment, I was feeling overwhelmed.
Sometime between 8:40-9:45ish- My throat was bleeding, it bled for about 10 minutes. I rinsed my mouth out, and then went to sit on the couch to mentally calm myself down. 
10pm: My mom brought me my Tylenol 3s. I hadn’t had any painkillers since, before I left the hospital at 2:30pm. I’ve got a high pain tolerance, but I was really in pain at this point.
I spent most of the afternoon/ evening sitting on the couch with a blanket, and an ice pack on my throat. I had some ice water in a cup, and kept drinking ever few minutes. I didn’t eat anything this day. I was told I was allowed to talk whenever I felt like it, and if you know me I love to talk!!! However I didn’t speak all day.
Day two (June 3rd, 2016): 
I attempted to eat, managed to eat half a perogy in two hours then gave up from the pain. My throat swelled up and I had one popsicle, and a bunch of ice water. My youngest had a little emergency of her own, and required stitches on her top lip. Half way home, she decided to pull them out, and had to go back and get stitches again. Once again, she pulled those out so we just used butterfly tape to keep it closed. I’m sure it will make a small battle scar. I didn’t talk all day.
Day four (June 5th, 2016):
I wasn’t feeling up for anything, but we took the kids to the splash park. The sun felt good, but I had to make sure to keep my throat moist by drinking lots of water.
Day five (June 6th, 2016 Down 7 pounds): I had no more Tylenol 3s, I called my doctor and he said I could have Tylenol with codeine. I had major pain, could have been caused by my wisdom teeth trying to come out. I wasn’t able to have a BM, since I hadn’t been eating much of anything. I ended up taking something to help move things along.
Day nine (June 10th,2016 Down total of 10 pounds so far): Made fish and vegetables for supper. This was my first time actually eating a full meal. All bathroom issues resolved.
Day thirteen (June 14th, 2016):
Day eighteen (June 19th, 2016): I no longer had any pain, or swelling. So I stopped taking any type of pain medication.
Day thirty (July 1st, 2016): This is the last picture I’ve got, everything is nice and healed with just a bit of redness.
TIPS I’ve got: Even though everyone says that you should have a lot of Popsicle’s for after surgery. I didn’t really want any Popsicle’s at all. My best friend was cold water, and ice. I had no desire to eat, but you should definitely try to eat something. Plan to eat soft foods, and make sure you over chew them before you swallow. Even if you’re in pain, make sure you eat something so you don’t end up constipated. It will be annoying, you’ll be hot and cold at the same time. An ice pack on your throat will help numb the pain a bit. Despite being in pain, make sure you take BIG frequent gulps of water.