Thursday, November 15, 2007

Tonsils

Clucky's daughter's tonsillectomy brought back memories of mine. Except I was 19-years-old when I had mine out. And I was put in, no lie, the pediatric wing of my local hospital. I suffered every nurse making witty comments like, "you're too big to burp," or " Time for a diaper change." Ha. Ha. @#$@# Ha.

1986-87 -- it was the year of strep throat for me. One infection after an other had nearly crippled my first semester in college. The only good thing about it was that I got out of French orals (I sucked at French). But otherwise, it was one fever after another. I would go to the health clinic, they would pump me full of antibiotics, gave me a handful of condoms (I really don't know why they did that) and then they would send me on my merry way.

Finally I had had enough. The tonsils had to come out. I couldn't take another day of my throat looking like ground beef.

I remember it hurt like hell, too. I think it is easier for kids than it is for adults -- they seem to bounce back quicker than I did. I do remember that I craved potato chips for a week -- and I normally don't eat potato chips. I just lusted for the forbidden fruit. Or chips in this case.

The operation itself was fairly uneventful. As I was going into the operating room, my cart was next to my Mom's boss' cart. She was going in for a hysterectomy. I prayed they didn't get our charts mixed-up. And as I was about to get put under, the doctors were telling the stupidest jokes I had ever heard. I was praying for anesthesia. And then, nothing.

As I was slowing waking up in recovery, the guy next to me was having a hard time waking up. The nurses were on top of him, shaking him and, screaming into his ear, "DAVID! DAVID, WAKE UP! WAKE UP DAVID!" I popped up and said, "I'm OK! Right here, ready for duty. Just don't beat me like that poor guy." Then I noticed that my throat had felt like Dan Jensen had speed skated on it. Ouch.

Within a week, I was back to normal. I even ate a bag of potato chips. So today, I will eat a bag of Lays in honor of Clucky's daughter's speedy recovery. And look forward to hearing when she can have some, too.

21 comments:

Webmaster said...

What, no Kool-Aid and popsicles?

Unknown said...

My doctors want my tonsils. I'm 25 and they have told me it will take 3 to 4 weeks for me to get over it. I don't have that kind of time. So I'm just dealing with the sore throats.

Marshall Ramsey said...

I've had two fevers in the last 20 years. It was worth it.

Marshall Ramsey said...

I had popsicles, but no ice cream. They said the dairy would coat my throat. I think the hospital was just trying to save money.

regina Butler said...

Oh how funny! Uh sorry, not that you were in pain, but that you hoped the charts wouldn't get mixed up. Boy would the drs. and nurses have been in for a surpirse if they did.

Stacey said...

mayberry's out for the same reason. She just got hers out at 25. I hope she comes back to blogland soon. It's kinda hard to put out an APB on someone whose name you don't know.

Susan said...

Mayberry is also out with post-tonsil removal. Haven't heard from her in a week or so, hope she's feeling better.

I worked with a woman who had hers out at 23. There's no way I'd go into details, but she had complications and it was horrible. She was out about 6 weeks. I know her case was pretty unusual, but I'm not sure I could ever have mine out after seeing that!

Susan said...

Well dang Stacey, didn't see you there. =)

Marshall Ramsey said...

I'm feeling better about my week-long recovery.

grammargirl said...

I had mine out at 29. Recovery was longer than for a kid, but it was worth it. I had horrible ear aches. Removing the tonsils fixed that. Not until the doctor removed them did he know how rotten they were.

msuweather said...

I know its not the same but I'm going to the oral surgeon today to see when he will dig out my wisdom teeth. I hear its not bad but that doesn't help. I feel like thats what everyone says just to make you feel better. I'm 28 and should have had them removed years ago. Lucky Me!

Marshall Ramsey said...

Just make sure you don't get "dry socket."

Katherine said...

I had my wisdom teeth out during Spring break one year in college. Everyone else was at the beach -- I was at home with a bag of frozen peas on my face.

Ditto on the dry socket -- that wasn't fun at all. So - no straws! :)

Stacey said...

Am I opening myself up for grief if I say I never had wisdom teeth? I also still have my tonsils. Some backwoods goober doctor figured it was a good idea to take my adenoids out but not my tonsils.

vhdawg said...

Any of you remember when it snowed real big probably in the spring of 1982? The last significant snow we had for probably 16-17 years?

I was six years old at the time, and I had my tonsils out the day before it snowed.

Couldn't even go play in it. Stood on the couch at my grandparents' house and looked out the window as my dad and future stepmother made a snowman for me. Got to rush out there just long enough to have a picture made next to it, then back inside I went.

Moral of the story? Don't have your kid's tonsils taken out if it's going to be less than 50 degrees out. They might regret it for the REST OF THEIR LIVES.

Susan said...

My wisdom teeth came out in college. The biggest problem I had was not strangling my mom who decided to take me out for Mexican the next day, not thinking about the fact that I couldn't eat the chips. Aside from that, I enjoyed the 24 hour nap and went on my way.

Where's Ro said...

My best friend had her tonsils removed during one of our Christmas breaks while we were in college. Her dad was a huge prankster and when I called to check on her, he tried to tell me she didn't make it! Fortunately there was this very scratchy hello coming through as my friend had picked up another phone in the house.

I was so adamant about not having surgery to remove my wisdom teeth that I had my orthodontist put braces on the only crooked one coming in. All 4 came in with no problems and I have had them for over 10 years!

Unknown said...

That is the saddest thing I have heard all day vhdawg!

HopieUM said...

Stacey I am the same way- no wisdom teeth trouble and i still have the tonsils

msuweather said...

Countdown to Wisdom Teeth showdown - November 29th at 10:30 I go under. Man I'm really nervous about it, this will be the first time I've been "put under" and its kind of creeping me out.

CluckyRN said...

My little chick scarfed on pizza last night. How cool is THAT?

I had my tonsils out at 28. There is no hell like a tonsillectomy on an adult. My then-50-something father in law had his out right after I did. No fun for him either.

Wisdom teeth were a BREEZE! Went to an oral surgeon on my 21st birthday. The top ones were pointed at the back of my head and the lower ones were impacted. The put in an IV, I made it to 97 on the "count backward from 100" thing..woke up an hour later with a mouth full of gauze and an ice pack. That was on a Tuesday, I went back to work on Friday. I will admit, that was my first experience with lorcet...what a ride!

~:>