Thyroid Surgery Done
(Last Updated On: August 4, 2009)
My surgery ended around 3pm yesterday. And I am relieved to have it behind me. The tumor turned out to be benign (not cancerous), so I still have the right side of my thyroid in tact.
After I was okay to leave from the recovery room, Frank, my mom, and I went to stay in a hotel room since it is a 3.5 hour drive from Grand Junction back to Crested Butte. I was happy we stayed there as I was quite nauseous, and everything I tried to eat and drink just came right back up. Vomiting was especially painful- my throat felt like I had tonsilitis or something and the muscles in my neck that I use to swallow were especially sore. Add this to a good 2.5 inch incision on the front of my neck and I was trying to avoid vomiting at all costs. Because of this, I opted not to take the pain medication they prescribed for me- Vicodin. My stomach just does’t handle narcotics very well.
I was able to sleep last night. I wasn’t in an extreme amount of pain. The worst part was the congestion. I don’t know why I was congested – not sure if it was even related to the surgery. But, it was irritating me all through the night. I couldn’t really clear it out of my system as coughing is very painful.
I woke up this morning with a very stiff neck and a horrible headache, but my nausea was thankfully gone. We drove back to Crested Butte and I am thankful to be home. My throat is less sore than yesterday, but my neck muscles (especially the swallowing muscles) are extremely sore. I find it hard to eat because of this. Eating/drinking colder things definitely helps with alleviating some of the pain. But, I’ll be on a bit of a diet for the next few days 😉
I thought that the surgeon would have my incision all wrapped up in gauze. But, it’s actually all hanging out in the wide open for everyone to see. Yesterday, it was oozing a tiny bit of blood here and there and I had to keep wiping it up. But, today, it seems like it’s in good shape. The incision is stitched with a tension stitch. When I have them removed on Monday, they will just snip off one end and pull the whole stitch out.
I also thought the surgeon would tell me not to get the stitches wet. So, I pictured myself taking baths and washing my hair in the sink. But, this also is not the case. He said I should take showers and that I should actually scrub the stitches twice a day with antibacterial soap, then cover the stitches with an antibacterial ointment.
I’m definitely in pain, but not in as much pain as I thought I would be in. This surgery is more painful than knee surgery, overall, mainly just because of it’s location. Otherwise, I’m doing pretty well. And I am very relieved to have this all over and done with!
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Found your comments interesting ~ I just had my thyroid surgery last Wednesday (July 29th). Wish I had your results, though. Mine was cancer, but it had not (hopefully) spread as my lymph nodes seem fine. My whole thyroid had to be taken out. Have heard that if you are going to get cancer, thyroid is the best to get. I was shocked how much that surgery took out of me! The nausea, swallowing, coughing, congestion, hunger and weakness, terrible hospital food, and I had requested a private room so my guy could sleep there with me ~ didn’t get one until the second night. Have always thought that laying next to him gives me healing energy, so was happy to have him in bed with me every chance that I got. So, now it has been a week since the surgery. Glad I didn’t know what I was getting into or I would have really been apprehensive about even going through with it. A month from now, my memory will probably fade and I will forget about what I went through and will be happy that the cancer is out of my body. Just yesterday I had a qigong healer work on me ~ she told me that I have to love the cancer (for helping to teach me) or it will not want to totally leave my body. (She said that all of us have a few cancer cells.) What an interesting thought. I guess it makes sense that any time you hate or are angry, it only produces negative results. I’m rambling . . . sorry. Another thing ~ my incision is covered by a wide piece of clear tape and under the tape are many small pieces of white tape, going the opposite direction as the clear tape. Hate to think about how they are going to be getting off the large piece of clear tape. I feel like I have been through enough with this 🙂
Glad to hear you are doing well . . . isn’t it wonderful to have it behind you . . . Camille
Camille- It IS great to have it done! And it’s interesting what the qigong healer said to you!