Bodyshock

• By Alison
• 21 November, 2008
• Comments Off on Bodyshock

I’ve come to the conclusion that my body just doesn’t like to be messed about with.

A few months ago I had an operation on my sinuses. It was a comparitively non invasive procedure to open up and drain my maxillary sinus. Apart from a
momentary attack of anaesthetic terror (I was afraid I’d never wake up) the operation went just fine. I woke up mere seconds after I went under, but
someone had moved the clock hands around 3 hours. It was oddly familiar coming down – I was talkative, agitated and very dry mouthed. They’d used cocaine
up my nose as a local anaesthetic.

But the most unfun part of it was the gauze taped under my nose. Despite the entire inappropriateness of it, I kept thinking of it as a banana hammock. And up
my nostrils were two long tampons (I am sure they didn’t refer to them as that – not in my hearing anyway). After a few hours they came to take the padding
out. This is where it went pear shaped.

The gauze was pulled carefully out. Half of the tampon was in my nostril, the other half in the back cavity. It was the pulling out of that back part that was
excruiating. Once they were out it was a blessed relief. But seconds later my body went into shock. Waves of dark and light washed over me. I was hot and cold
and felt so wrong I couldn’t describe it. The nurses threw the oxygen on and kept telling me I was fine. I didn’t agree with that so much!

This went on for hours. Well about half an hour. I have no real idea of time. Hubby came in while I was still in shock. I couldn’t even talk to him.
Gradually it subsided and I felt normal again.

So yesterday I had another bout of fun. Boys can look away now. I went to the doctor to discuss having a coil fitted. I told you boys to look away. The doctor
ended up suggesting that she fit it then, and foolishly I agreed. It’s not the most pleasant of experiences, but I won’t elaborate.

After a moment of recovery, I went out to make a follow up appointment. That’s the point at which the black cloud desended over me. I almost turned and
walked out of the surgery to get some air, but luckily I chose to tell the receptionist (who was still on the phone) that I was about to faint.

Next moment I was ushered into an empty room, and spent the next hour lying down having my blood pressure (which had plummeted) monitored, and feeling like I
had fat pins and needles in my hands and fingers. When I felt better, I sat up. My blood pressure dropped again. I thought I’d never feel normal again. Of
course I did eventually. And the pain went away too. I left the surgery 2 hours after I got there for my 20 minute appointment.

This was nowhere near as extreme as in the hospital, but it tells me that my body is no good at handling stressors. I never thought of myself as a delicate
flower!