It has been 9 days since my surgery....

I've been able to catch up on some blogs and it looks like people are doing great. Wendi and Shari have come through with flying colors. I'm happy to say that I feel better myself.

I have to admit that reading that people were awake and coherent after the surgery just blew me away. I couldn't wake up. It was so weird. In fact, Dr. Merwin got special permission to let my husband back to the OR recovery to put in my hearing aid and help me understand the nurses. I kept demanding water but they couldn't give it to me. I couldn't even keep my eyes open long enough to read lips let alone anything else. I think I was finally able to open my eyes and stay awake around 9pm that night. How I got home is a blur! In fact all I have are bits and pieces of waking up. I don't really have solid memories. I think I am extremely sensitive to anesthesia? I have no idea. I've had surgery before but I never went home the same day so it's hard to compare them. All I know is that I was extremely out of it and I stayed that way for a while.

After the first few days I was feeling much better and in high spirits and then I started having problems with my throat. It hurt to eat and to swallow. It was weird. I know it had to do with the tube down my throat but I didn't learn that until later. Then I developed a bad, bad case of acid reflux which lasted a couple of days and that freaked me out as well. Thankfully, my sister Liz knows tons about acid reflux b/c she's dealt with it for a long time. She was able to give me some tips. Thank you Liz! I can say that is behind me now. I think having other problems started to freak me out and caused a lot of anxiety. I think I just expected my head to hurt and not much else.

I still have the staples and stitches which is a pain in the butt. I really feel like I could be back at work at this point if those were gone. They are coming out on Monday and I'm extremely thankful for that. I don't feel completely normal yet. I still have some throbbing on my head at times and some weird pressure type feelings but that's it. No pain or anything. I usually take Tylenol when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed. I wish I could blow dry my hair and all of that but with the staples and stitches I'm still a little nervous to do that. I don't really like touching my head or my ear so I avoid that area all together. I have to clean my ear with soap and water and thankfully my husband does that for me.

My only other problem...is my taste buds. They are still a little whacked out. Oddly enough the only thing that I can't eat...well drink is Diet Pepsi and Diet Dr. Pepper. I lived off these two drinks prior to surgery. I try to drink a can of it and it just tastes BAD, BAD, BAD. It's really funny b/c I am very well known for my Diet Pepsi obsession. Needless to say I've been drinking plain old water since the surgery. I hate water. I loathe water but that's the only thing I can stand at this point. It's healthier so that's one way to look at it. -Sigh- I can only assume that the caffine addiction has been overcome? I don't know. Last time I went a day without a Diet Pepsi I thought I was going to die a slow horrible death. I don't really feel like that now.

I think I mentioned this before but I asked Dr. Merwin to remove a mole for me. He did. He took the stitches out for that on Monday and I'm a little nervous about it. There is a huge gash were the mole was. It's not pretty. I leave a band aid over it with some nerosporin. Hopefully, that will heal better before I go back to work. The dermatologist would have had to do the same thing so I don't regret having Dr. Merwin do it. I was already asleep might as well kill two birds with one stone.

So, yesterday I decided I was craving some chic-fa-la and there isn't one near the house....well there is one in the food court at the mall near our home so we went there. My husband got something different. We got our food to go. I get a little apprehensive being in public that I'm going to scare people with the staples and stitches. Haha. Since I can't blow dry my hair I don't wear it down b/c it looks BAD! Anyway...back to the subject... As I was waiting in line there was a guy in front of me with a casted arm. I happened to look up and guess what? He was wearing a cochlear implant. I really wanted to say something to him. However, if I showed him my head and he was about to eat maybe he would be grossed out. So, I decided not to. My husband was blown away. He was like "what are the chances of that"? I agreed!

Well, I will go read my book now. I miss my hubby since he is back at work. He did a great job taking care of me! Too great. I miss him a ton while he's gone. I really want to thank everyone for their encouragement. It means soooo much to me. I am looking forward to Monday and will hopefully find out my activation date as well.