I have come to realize that not everyone will understand or have the empathy needed to help someone through pain or discomfort, even if they don’t know the origin of it.
Thank you!!!
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@TheDude thank you so much for keeping us in your thoughts. I am all set for tomorrow surgery. Will update you all after the surgery.
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@Isaiah_40_31 thank you very much
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@JPB, I was going to ask when your surgery was, I thought it was coming up. Best wishes for you too 
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Thank you for checking in. A week from today.
JPB
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Hi made it through to the other side. Serious throat pain and general pain typical pain. Ice ice ice and meds are helping. Just a short update for now. But will keep everyone posted. Disappointed in the fact of no steroids will be given and we’re not given during surgery. It would most certainly help me. But it’s been no every doctor And or nurse. Will write more soon. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. Truly appreciate it and please keep them coming if you would 
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Of course will keep praying, hope that the pain eases 
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Thank you for the update, @Ddmarie. It’s good to hear that ice & pain meds are keeping things sort of tolerable for you. Did you ask why you can’t be given a course of prednisone? How about for your trip home? I know you’re heading back on the earlier end of this trip so I’d think they’d bend over backwards to make sure you are comfy especially on the flight home.
I’ve been praying & will continue to pray for a quick recovery & safe travels home. Glad the worst is over now.
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Thank you! We got discharged and Back to the hotel around 4 this afternoon. Great to be here and actually get some rest. I think we agree most Hospitals are not a great place to be able to rest. Too much commotion and noise. So I’m grateful to be here we are already napping. 
Im not really sure what the deal is with the steroids but wasn’t really too happy about the absolute no wiggle room. I asked Dr Hackmans peer who came in to speak to me before the surgery and he just kept saying no. Super nice guy but didn’t want to hear a thing about steroids. I even tried with the nurses in the room once I got situated after surgery and it was no. Extremely bizarre and not what The dr had told me when we spoke about the surgery prior. I was a bit disappointed because I didn’t even see Dr H one time before surgery or after. Saw his team but not him. He called my husband with an extremely short hey it’s done call and that was all, no detail. So not really too sure about all that. Regardless I’m doing better pain level wise than I was. Now that I’m out of the hospital I’m just alternating Tylenol and ibuprofen and icing constant icing. I can’t handle oxy and that’s all the discharge doctors wanted to prescribe. It makes me super sick so I just declined. Still have the neck bra on they wanted me to wear it for 48 hours so I take it off tomorrow so not really sure what the incisions really look like. It was great to get the drains out but man I think those things do a great job at keeping stuff flowing. My necks a bit itchy tonight. My ears and cheeks on both sides are both numb. Doing okay over all just super tired out! Thanks again for thinking of me
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Top is left side bottom was right side.
Drs surgical notes very detailed. These guys were just growing in directions that would and did impinge things. So it’s nice to know I’m not crazy!
Edit typo
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Good to get that validation! Glad you’re back at your hotel now & can get proper rest…hopefully between the drains & the neck bra it’ll keep swelling down, good you’re icing too. Healing hugs and prayers
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@Ddmarie - Nasty looking buggers! So glad they’re no longer plaguing you! As far as neck bra goes, we did have a member awhile ago who left hers on beyond 48 hrs. She waited until it felt loose on her neck to remove it permanently. I don’t know how tight it is when first put in place as I didn’t have one but if your neck swells some after you remove it, you might try putting it back on (if that’s possible) for a day or two as compression can be really helpful in reducing swelling.
I’m sorry to hear about your poor post op experience w/ not seeing Dr. Hackman. That seems to be a common complaint - either the doctor has an associate come by post op, or as your husband experienced, the doctor has a quit chat in person or by phone w/ a friend or family member of the patient but not directly w/ the patient. I think that’s wrong. I know these docs are busy, but “in a perfect world” after doing a major surgery, a few min. of personal conversation w/ the patient would be important.
I hope you get some more good rest before heading home.
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@Ddmarie - I am so happy you made it out the other side! The hard part is over. Not sure why they refused steroids, though there are some risks associated with taking steroids after surgery. So, it could be that they have found those risks to be unacceptable. I googled it and there are a number of articles discussing the risks, which I really did not consider before I had surgery and got steroids. They can delay healing, and there is a higher risk of infection and an odd lung fungus. I had some issues with the pre-op discussions with Dr. Hackman, and the post op visit with the hospitalist, who apparently does the prescribing. I commented on this when the hospital sent a satisfaction survey. You may want to mention it to Dr. Hackman during your follow-up visit, too.
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Thank you for updating us. I am glad you are healing and hope that you are able to rest! I am heading in on Friday for my bilateral ES too with Dr. Hackman. I will broach the steroids with him too.
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I know it’s fast approaching my friend! What I want to remind you of is, you got this!!! Knock on wood, so far, I am SO glad I did both sides at the same time. Is it fun absolutely not, is it tolerable, yes it absolutely is. I remember reading on here some folks stories of; I think the pain was more tolerable post op because it failed in comparison to what I was dealing with everyday, this right here is exactly how I feel. Mornings seem to be the toughest for me. Do I have paralysis yes, do I think it will get back to normal yes, numbness yes sore discomfort yes and yes but my goodness do I feel like the elephant is out of the room. No more jabbing Ice pic feeling (sure it’s sore now due to healing but it’s not a constant knife feeling!) and I can turn my head both ways and look down!! I mean this is just huge! So keep your eye on the prize because better days are ahead my friend! Is your wife coming with? If so they did allow my husband to stay there it was NOT very comfy for him, but I was glad to have him there. Like most hospitals they are short staffed so it was good to have him there to help with ice run fill ups for the bilateral ice pack(tip ask for this ice pack in recovery!)It’s refillable so you just put in own ice. This thing is my best friend have used it non stop!! emptied it took through TSA at airport and we got it filled with ice as soon as we got over to the other side by a restaurant. Anyways the hospital imo was not the best is what I am getting at. I had to really advocate for myself to get any pain relief. Got conflicting info between the hospital Dr and Dr hackmans office so just something to be cognit about.
Please keep us posted as you can! Any questions please feel free to reach out!
So here you are one more day closer!! And like me soon you will be one day closer to the other side to recovery !!!
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Thank you Isaiah! I did end up putting the neck bra back on for an extra day. Think it definitely helps!
Made it home yesterday! I have been feeling feeling a little light headed (was worse before surgery ) but didn’t trust myself walking through the airport so I asked for wheel chair and they couldn’t have been more kind about it. This was difficult for me to do because I am stubborn and like to do things on my own lol. Anyways all and all everything went well and was fairly uneventful with the air travel did have some ear pressure as we were descending but my poor husband had it worse than me and he didn’t have surgery! 
So home and resting comfortably. Icing and alternating my ibro and Tylenol. I did get ahold of someone finally at the Drs office. She told me something different than the discharge nurse so I will just listen to her vs that nurse on the icing and taking more ibuprofen then Tylenol (both with food and lots of water ) they seem steadfast on no steroids. Idk whatever. But also another challenge with the office (just to give people the heads up of applicable) is that they are very slow with any FMLA paperwork and or disability paperwork so if you have these things to worry about. Please get it over to them ASAP. They had told me 10 days in advance, it probably should’ve been more like 3 weeks.
All in all doing okay still the same issues as yesterday with numbness, paralysis stiffness but man do I still feel better than I did! 
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So glad that you’re feeling a little better & home safely
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Ddmarie - I am thrilled to hear you are doing better, even with the nausea and other symptoms.
You have inspired me and I hope to follow in your footsteps in the coming days. I am debating on what to do about the pain since I can’t take traditional pain meds. I will continue to look on the forum for ideas and recommendations.
Thank you!
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@JPB - Many of our members have been able to control pain w/ just Extra Strength Tylenol post op as their pain levels weren’t excessively high. I hope that’s your case!
Using ice consistently as an anti-inflammatory aid along w/ head elevation when at rest/sleep will make a big difference in pain level as well.
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Thank you!! I have an elevated pillow that a friend of mine used for a nose procedure which should work well (not sure it is the most comfortable pillow :).
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