Scraping O' The Sinuses
Today was the lucky day and off I went, minus husband and daughter, to what I thought was a harmless ENT visit. The usual stuff. Well I was met by a Reservist, an older man, who took awhile to review my records.
"So you see ENT's pretty frequently then?" he inquired.
I proceeded on with the details of the past 11 years of seeing ENT's, the four sinus surgeries, the continual vacuuming of the gelatinous substance I cannot remove from my nose by myself, etc. Also had to explain how I am the new found recipient of a bizarre yet-un named disease which affects my immune system, hence why my body cannot fight off allergens, even with medication, like most healthy normal folk.
"And how do they clean out your sinus again?"
Ehm, look Doctor, you ARE the doctor I was thinking. Do you want me to hook up the machine myself and demonstrate? I am sure I would be an expert by now.
He decided it would be safer to "have a quick look". I guess in high hopes there was nothing in my nose and it was a pure figment of my imagination. Much to his disappointment, there was indeed goop in my sinus. With that he said, "Let's go across the hall."
Basically, to make a long story short, the man had to perform a right maxillary erythroid sinus procedure on me. Outpatient surgery. All because he knew how to clear out sinuses in surgery, but not really with the usual sinus vacuum suction.
I had requested beforehand I not be sprayed (IE numbed) since the spray is often a cocaine-based numbing agent and it gives me a terrible headache. Secondly I knew I had to drive to the next appointment at the Cancer Centre for my weekly injection. Thirdly, because I am Queen of taking the pain. I have had my sinus scraped out so much I am used to it by now. So hey, don't spray my sinus. I can deal with it just fine.
So after perhaps about an hour and half of forceps up the sinus cavity, scraping, suctioning, scraping, tugging and pulling, scraping (not to mention the endoscopic light brighter than usual right on my eyeball) he got about half the contents of congealed goop out of my nose. (it is technically known as "aspergillus fungus")
Needless to say I was a bit dizzy. (but no, it did not hurt)
I then got to sign papers authorising my "outpatient surgery" and was promptly sent downstairs to the pharmacy to collect my two week dose of steroids and a packet of Zithromyecin.
Steroids....what better way to stay awake 24 hours a day and eat everything in sight. Not that is matters because I am pretty thin, and have taken steroids on and off for ages and nothing really happens as far as weight gain. I suppose I am lucky in that sense.
Anyhow, I then had to scurry on downtown to get my injections. By the way, these injections have now been increased to $785 per injection as opposed to the regular price of $740. This is per injection, every week. So says the weekly EOB statement from TriCare insurance I have been receiving.
However, the insurance pays it and we are not responsible, or we would be taking up donations to buy a box to live in on the street corner.
Now that would be a sight wouldn't it?
So that was my day in a nutshell. Now I have dinner to go prepare...home made Three Cheese Lasagne. Then I think, quite possibly, yes, I might actually sit down and rest for a bit. Maybe.
My Dad, Clare and myself at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg Virginia. Taken in May. What a fun day it was!!
