TORTURE!!!

I was able to go to the ENT today. When I made the appt., I asked if I needed to bring anyone with me. The nurse told me that they wouldn't do any procedures for this appt. WRONG! I'm glad it's fixed, but I definitely have a story to tell.

You might want to stop reading if you're squeamish

(it's not really that bad, but I'm giving you fair warning!)

I went to University Hospital since there were more doctors available on the insurance there. That also meant younger doctors. The doctor my appointment was made with saw me first (not young), while another doctor (young) was in the room typing all the notes on the computer. After the doctor decided it was broken and could be fixed, he went out and another young doctor came in. He talked to me about what the procedure was, had me sign the consent, and took me into the procedure (torture) room.

The first step is numbing. If I had known exactly how this happens, I might not have had it fixed... Anyway, the young doctor soaks some gauze on a wire with string hanging off of it (I wish I could find a picture, but I did see that they are called tampons...) with cocaine - now I'm a druggy ;). Then they put it in your nose (2 each nostril) and just when you think it can't possibly go any further up (or hurt worse), oh, yes it can!!! OUCH!!!!! So those get to sit in your nose for a while to start numbing things. Meanwhile, you're crying, and the young doctor doesn't offer you anything to wipe the tears and he leaves the room.

The young doctor comes back in a few minutes for the next part of the numbing procedure. This time it's a shot in each nostril. Think of the dentist... Since he's a young doctor, though, there are a few pokes before it's in the right spot, then the BURNING!!! More crying and this time some bleeding. Still no tissues or anything and alone again in the room. Eventually he comes back and sees I need something, puts one of those cute blue plastic things you sit on after having a baby on your chest (too late, blood already on the shirt...) and a gauze to wipe some of the blood.

After a few more minutes, it's time to numb the outside of the nose. Since my tongue was feeling numb, I figured it wouldn't be too bad. WRONG!!! One on each side again. I really was surprised how much those two still hurt after all of the other steps!!! Alone again.

Now it's time to move the nose back into place. The other young doctor comes in and offers his hand to squeeze. I said I'd just keep grabbing the bed. At this point I ask, "How many of these have you done." "I'm not really sure." Quiet. Other young doctor says, "It's definitely not the first time for any of us." FABULOUS! So, blunt instrument up the left nostril, a small pop, some pushing, etc. None of this really hurts, thank goodness, except for the apparent poke in the nose that still hasn't quite stopped bleeding... Not young doctor comes in to look, it needs a little more, still doesn't really hurt and done with that part. A little cleaning of the nose, placement of the tape, placement of the guard, cleaning of the blood between my nose and mouth (most of it, at least) and I'm done. Gee, that was easy.

I am glad to have it fixed, but I do wish that someone was with me to at least help me wipe my tears! It's probably good that Jim is out of town and didn't have to witness the blood, though!

Update time.

I continue to be a bad blogger, but here is what we've been up to...

Jim had another birthday and got the ever exciting slippers, cargo pants, coat, laptop part, screwdriver set and pj pants. Don't be jealous! :)

Matthew decided he needed a mohawk to go watch Jim play his intramural basketball game.

Shaquille O'Neal came to the base gym to talk to the military kids.

You can kind of see his head above everyone else in the middle.

Here he is trying to leave.

This is the closest picture we got.

(See, it really was him!)

This is a tag from a skirt I recently bought.

Megan saw it when I had it on but hadn't taken the tag off yet. She read it and started laughing.

I'm happy to say that the skirt really did seem to work.

After church on Sunday, Wesley accidentally broke my nose at church. I was coming down the hallway and someone had tossed him something. He was going backward to catch it and jumped for it. His head crashed right into my nose. It was one of those things I could see coming, but couldn't get out of the way. I heard crunching and it is shifted to the right a little. I've been to the ER and my Primary Care doctor. I'm waiting for my referral to go through so that I can see a specialist. Hopefully it can be fixed soon and heal from that point instead of where it currently is. It might not be easy to see in the pictures. Surprisingly, it doesn't hurt that bad and it hasn't really even bruised. Still...

(I hope I never need to take a mug shot...)