OWWW. IT TOTALLY HURTS!

Oh man. I am so glad this throat surgery is over. I can't even believe what a nervous wreck I had been leading up to it. Well wait. I wasn't a comPLETE total wreck, but by the time the night before this deal arrived, it then became a bit more scary. Actually... it wasn't so much the surgery itself I was afraid of, given I'd be way knocked out with anesthesia, so I wouldn't really feel any pain at that point. It was AFTER the procedure that scared the hell out of me.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The doctor told me I'd have some discomfort, but it wouldn't be too too bad. Which of course I translated into: SHIT. THIS IS SO NOT GOING TO FEEL GOOD AND I SHOULD TOTALLY BE PREPARED FOR MAJOR PAIN. After all, there were stitches involved, an incision involved, some swelling involved, etc. etc. Add all that up and to me... it sounded like way more than mere discomfort. 

However, I must admit that in the end... the doctor wasn't completely off base. Yes, every time I swallow, I feel discomfort and that alone is unnerving. But as for GENUINE, REAL HARD CORE PAIN... no I'm not experiencing that at all. THANK THE LORD. It's like: uh, yeah, okay. This hurts like hell, but I think maybe I can get through this afterall. Keyword: maybe.

Everyday I wake up, hoping my throat will feel way better than the day before which is not exactly the way it’s working out. Damnit. Anyway... so far I'm surviving. Kinda.

I'm also SO DAMN HAPPY that the pathology report came back and YIPPEE YIPPEE YIPPEE. There was no cancer found. Talk about thank God for small favors, right? Believe me… had it come back otherwise, I’d so have to simply say adios to everyone and call it a day for Living As Linda. Forever.
Anyway... 

I came home from the hospital, had my sister stay with me that afternoon and I then had hired help for someone to be here with me that evening. Just in case I kicked the bucket or something. I ate angel hair pasta, jello, pudding, popsicles, etc. etc. And... I took Percocet every few hours. Of course swallowing is no pleasant feat at ALL but at least I wasn't ready to jump off a cliff over it. I won't lie. It still HURTS to swallow but by now, I'm totally hungry enough to endure each swallow so I can get some sort of real food into me. Had I not felt the swallow deal with each bite I take, I'd be in tip top shape... but whatever.

So that was basically day one. Day two went along pretty well uh... up until dinner time. For the first time that day, I took half a Percocet around 6:00 that evening. WITHIN SECONDS I broke out in THE most horrible itching situation EVER. Everywhere from my head to my toes I was an itching mess. I GOT SCARED IMMEDIATELY. I knew it was a reaction from the med, given it happened within 2 seconds after downing the pill, but then on top of it all, an anxiety attack kicked in. I couldn't see this going down a happy path at ALL. In the end however...

I called the doctor, he called me right back, told me to get some antihistamine and take Ibuprofen and Extra Strength Tylenol and within about an hour an a half, I was back to humanity again.THANK YOU, DEAR GOD. Now I'm on day three.

Guess what? SO FAR, SO GOOD. Yay. I even spent some time with some friends, went to the grocery store, and had a normal life. I'm thinking I'll just have to kick back and hope I wake every morning with the healing and swelling going down lickety split and bingo. I'll be good as new. Cross your fingers everyone, for I so need this discomfort to be a thing of the past. Oh yeah…

A crazy, new extra thing has occurred. MY FEET AND TOES ARE SWOLLEN TO TWICE THEIR SIZE. This, I am not happy about at all. I normally have pretty decent looking ankles and toes. NOW? Now I have feet that look like Big Foot. I just now spoke to the doctor, who has no clue why this would be happening but... should this continue... YIKES. I HAVE TO GO THE ER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. Holy shit. Are you kidding me??? Just what I need.

All I know for sure is: this had BETTER be the last surgery I ever need in my entire lifetime. I am done with pain!! Which reminds me… I just swallowed. OW. IT TOTALLY HURTS!