Take away the pain
Yet another early morning blog post.
When I went for my pre-admission appointment they gave me a brochure on coping with pain after surgery. It goes through different pain management strategies looking at various types of drugs, repositioning of the patient and distraction. I think what I am trying here is a distraction.
I woke up about 10 minutes ago in the most excruciating pain yet. I felt like my throat was on fire. I mean I took an endone when I went to bed 5 hours ago. Now I have taken some more panadeine forte and had a throat gargle.
People have been comparing my pain to childbirth. Usually men that is. I suppose I was fortunate to have beautiful labours. With Jasper, I relied on gas, running water down my back and even though I asked for an epidural and never got it because he decided to come quickly, I remember the pain being intense, but not lasting for days. It was also a positive pain in that I knew I would be holing a baby. Even with a few stitches afterwards (pushing out a 10lb 14 oz baby in a 7 minute second stage will do that apparently) it was a bearable pain.
I suppose I just have to look at this as a positive pain. The pus filled tonsils are gone for good. Having that pus in my body for over 7 months cannot have been doing me any good. I will be so much better off without it. I have been told the pain lasts for up to 6 weeks. I suppose that is not too much to ask for after 7 months of chronic tonsillitis. And I can never have it done again, right? (Actually don’t answer that as the first question my ENT asked me when I first saw him was ‘Have you had them out before?’)
So now I will try and sleep for the next few hours. The meds have kicked in. In the morning I will make an appointment with my GP as I am now shit scared I will run out of meds early in the week and somehow panadol alone doesn’t seem to cut it.
Tags: childbirth, pain, personal reflection, tonsils
April 5th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
=(
April 6th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
As a male who has no idea about childbirth, I can sympathise on the tonsil front. I like the excited way my ENT lectured me on not having them out before, and his frustration that as a result of trying to clear the little buggers, I became allergic to penicillin. Still…making them do some research for alternatives is good.
I spent 5 days in with an infection post op, and due to the usual small prick in the bum to give me a penicillin jab not being an option, it was a strange few days. But with the help of scotch gargles, the need for pain killers soon abated. Toast was also prescribed- no jellies, gin or otherwise. A good curry a fortnight later was interesting, but worth it.
I do hope you have your pus-filled balls to take to work. I’m sure you could now offer them to M for a feel.