I'm home now...

[sgorny]

Voice very breathy, but they say that will probably get better. Throat looks like Frankenstein got ahold of it on a drunken binge and went to town. Can only hope that the steri-strips are buckling the skin a little funny to hold the cut together, because if I end up that dippy & bulgy... it will be turtlenecks forever. Or scarves, at least.

The doctor seemed amazed at how big my thyroid gland was. Said it was the biggest he'd ever seen. Each lobe is supposed to be the size of your thumb... each was the size of his palm. At least 10 times normal size. Surgery took 3-1/2 hours because it extended all the way up under my jaw almost to my ears, and (on the left side) down underneath my collarbone. Christ, it didn't feel that big!

And I'm hoping there's a lot of swelling, otherwise... well, I don't want to think about it. I'll have a better idea in a few weeks, but right now I think I'd scare kids.

They have me on Roxicet (oxycodone/APAP) - and I have to say, that stuff kicks ass! Seriously, I'm to take 1-2 every 4-6 hours. I took 1, then waited about 45 minutes and took another half. Whoo, it was a trip for about 20 minutes! Then it just settled down to take the edge off. Hell, it sanded it mostly away! Except for the fact that swallowing is difficult due to the swelling.

The steri-strips are supposed to fall off in 7-10 days, and since I go back to work in 12, I really hope they do. Because, as I said... unsightly in the extremis.

Well, I'm going to fly back over to the couch, sip more cold water, and continue watching Season 1 of Dead Like Me. Got Season 2 also, plus SFU (S1), Dave Chapelle show (S1&2), Rescue Me (S1), and The 4400 (S1) to watch. Plus, I want to rewatch S1 of QaF (love that season!), and "selected highlights" of the rest of the years.

I've got plenty to keep me busy!

*buzzing along - in some pain, but not really caring - just avoiding mirrors*

Comments

[mclachlan.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy everything went well. Glad to have you back!

Now go rest!

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

Glad to be here! And I'll rest as much as possible!

[its-ktd.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you've got lots of good "company"....

Take care ♥

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

I will, and thanks for the good thoughts!

[littlemisstexas.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear everything went well and that you're taking it easy. : )

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

Definitely taking it easy, at least for 12 days. Then it's back to the coal mines.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_alicesprings/]

Enjoy that TV marathon! Feel better soon, take it easy.

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

Love that icon! And the TV marathon begins...

[rae-1985.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it all went ok and you are home safe and sound. I'm sure that it is mostly swelling, and in a couple weeks it will look much better. Keep well rested, have fun with the meds, and enjoy all your shows.

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

*crosses fingers that you are right about the swelling*

Definitely enjoying the meds, which make sleeping & swallowing... not perfect, but easier.

I sent the book off - you are #4 on the list. Let me know if you don't get in within a month or so. severina2001 has it first. Plus, mailed off your DVD about 15 minutes before I had to check in for surgery. You should get it any day now.

[rae-1985.livejournal.com]

I got the DVD in the mail today. Thank you so much. I can't wait to watch it later tonight.

[zosha2003.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're home. Take care.

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

I will, thanks!

[queenydiva.livejournal.com]

Yay! You're at home, with good drugs. That's pretty much all we can hope for at the moment. :oD

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

Yep. It can only be up from here.

[twistinside82.livejournal.com]

Rest up and enjoy all of your DVDs. ;)) Glad to hear you're home, and feeling well! (even if it is drugs :D)

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

You could write me some fic to make me feel better...

*grins slyly*

[twistinside82.livejournal.com]

There'll be lots of fic this weekend if you're going to be around for blogathon. :)

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

I'll definitely be here!

[cindybaby.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds awful, but I hope you're feeling better really soon!!!!

Relax and enjoy all the wondeful shows.

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[gaedhal.livejournal.com]

Jeez, I have a full container of that
Roxicet stuff from the last time I had
surgery. I never took any of it!

Did I miss something really good???

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

You definitely missed out! Seriously, I usually have to take double the dose of anything to feel it, but this stuff? 1 pill does the trick in about 10 minutes, and 1-1/2 will give you a little trip for about 10 minutes before it settles down.

Consider it after your next surgery, if the pain is bad. It does make things better.

[darksylvia.livejournal.com]

Oo..pain killers.

I'm watching S1 Dead Like Me, too!

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

We'll have to discuss it!

[teary-eyed2.livejournal.com]

I guess your surgery (I had 2: partial and then total) wasn't quite as easy as mine. I didn't get any "feel good" painkillers; just paracetamol and an icepack "choker" changed every 2 hours since I only had discomfort, not pain. The icepack helped swelling and bruising considerably since they put it on while I was still in recovery. I even ate the hospital food (OK I nearly threw up the first time but that was the anaesthetic effect ;)). Keep your chin up (literally since it helps keep the scar tissue from tightening).

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

I'm still having trouble with the eating (mostly with the swallowing) - pretty much a liquid diet/very soft food right now. And the keeping my chin up is difficult, because they've snugged everything down with steri-strips like mad (stitches underneath). I'm going to work as much as possible to keep it from tightening up after the first few days, because I don't want to pull the scar out into anything wider than necessary.

P.S. If you don't mind... how long & how noticable is your scar? I'm worried, as my cut is about 3 inches long, and who knows how wide until the steristrips fall off & the skin relaxes. You can e-mail me at qafhappy at livejournal dot com, if you want to answer off LJ.

[teary-eyed2.livejournal.com]

My scar is 3" and not particularly noticable unless you look closely. Most people didn't even notice the flesh-colored micropore tape which I was told to wear for 3 months after the steri-strips came off (again to minimize scarring). Six months after surgery the white scar line is very thin and quite smooth. And don't worry about getting the steri-strips wet through showering, they'll stay on securely as long as dab the area dry and not wipe it roughly. And if the area around the wound feels numb, that's natural and takes up to 3 months to subside.

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the advice. It's wonderful to get from someone who has been through the same thing.

[http://users.livejournal.com/bliss_/]

Thanks for the post! And no worries, I am sure that is just the swelling...! :)

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

I'll try giving you a call later this week. What days are you off?

But realize - my voice is very soft (strange, I had such a big voice before), and breathy, so it may be hard to hear over the cell phone. You might have to call me at home for better sound. Hell, the S.O. can hardly hear me when I'm right next to him, although he does have some hearing loss from too much time as a musician.

[http://users.livejournal.com/bliss_/]

Hey!

No worries about calling, let your voice heal up and then we can chat for a long long time!

I read your other post today...asking someone to change a DVD is very very reasonable when you are sick and trying to feel better!!

How is season 2 going?

[damietta.livejournal.com]

Glad you are OK. And, S1 is good medicine!

[qafhappy.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I got S2, also, and plan to watch them in a marathon... well, as much as napping allows!