Mach_9 Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Ahh... the NHL trade deadline had me excited this year. I was really looking forward to all of the activity and followed the day's comings and goings by the minute. I was pretty impressed with some of the moves and overall loved the excitement of a day where the whole hockey world is active. It was a good day - I thought. That was until I was rushed to the emergency room, suffocating on tonsils swollen to nearly the size of clementines. Last night I was injected with steroids, given an IV of antibiotics, about 8 milligrams of morphine, and god knows how many vicodan. Then they took several large, hollow needles and punctured my tonsils in about 8 places to drain whatever was causing the swelling. We had to stop every 30 seconds or so to allow me to swallow the blood to keep from gagging on it. When they'd finished butchering my tonsils, they drew blood in a more normal fashion, to run some tests. Apparently I have some kind of insane viral infection in my throat. Between the blood loss from draining the tonsils, the blood loss from the actual blood work done, the drugs, the pain and the overall stress of the ordeal, I'm feeling exhausted and beaten down. I was admitted to the hospital and made to stay over night. Now that I'm free, I'm supposed to return in a day to have my throat looked at again, and possibly repeat the drainage procedure (most painful thing I've ever endured in my life, despite the pain medications). I was given 5 prescriptions - one for pain, two to decrease the swelling and two to fight the infection. Supposedly, when the swelling has subsided, I should have my tonsils removed - a procedure which is apparently a bit painful and trying for an adult to undergo. Our chances of complication during the healing process are significantly greater as well. I'm all stoned on morphine and vicodan as I type this, and I'm not exactly sure why I began it, but I guess I figured I'd vent since this is the first I've gotten a hold of a computer since the ordeal. I could not be less happy with the last 24 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CryWolf Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Ahh... the NHL trade deadline had me excited this year. I was really looking forward to all of the activity and followed the day's comings and goings by the minute. I was pretty impressed with some of the moves and overall loved the excitement of a day where the whole hockey world is active. It was a good day - I thought. That was until I was rushed to the emergency room, suffocating on tonsils swollen to nearly the size of clementines. Last night I was injected with steroids, given an IV of antibiotics, about 8 milligrams of morphine, and god knows how many vicodan. Then they took several large, hollow needles and punctured my tonsils in about 8 places to drain whatever was causing the swelling. We had to stop every 30 seconds or so to allow me to swallow the blood to keep from gagging on it. When they'd finished butchering my tonsils, they drew blood in a more normal fashion, to run some tests. Apparently I have some kind of insane viral infection in my throat. Between the blood loss from draining the tonsils, the blood loss from the actual blood work done, the drugs, the pain and the overall stress of the ordeal, I'm feeling exhausted and beaten down. I was admitted to the hospital and made to stay over night. Now that I'm free, I'm supposed to return in a day to have my throat looked at again, and possibly repeat the drainage procedure (most painful thing I've ever endured in my life, despite the pain medications). I was given 5 prescriptions - one for pain, two to decrease the swelling and two to fight the infection. Supposedly, when the swelling has subsided, I should have my tonsils removed - a procedure which is apparently a bit painful and trying for an adult to undergo. Our chances of complication during the healing process are significantly greater as well. I'm all stoned on morphine and vicodan as I type this, and I'm not exactly sure why I began it, but I guess I figured I'd vent since this is the first I've gotten a hold of a computer since the ordeal. I could not be less happy with the last 24 hours. That sounds like an awful ordeal. I wish you all the best for a fast and painless recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted March 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 That sounds like an awful ordeal. I wish you all the best for a fast and painless recovery. Thanks wolf... it's been a miserable 24 hours. I don't know what hurt worse, the pressure from the swelling, the actual drainage procedure, or the large puncture wounds left behind by it afterwards. Or the hole it's putting in my wallet. Insurance is covering a lot, but test results might leave me liable for some of it depending on what comes back. The prescriptions alone cost almost a new jersey today. I'm pretty out of it and pretty stunned by the whole thing - came out of nowhere. I won't be able to play hockey for about a month and a half, and I'll be pretty much drugged and dazed for 3-4 weeks straight with getting the drainage/swelling down, having the surgery, and recovering from it. I thought I'd been particularly healthy lately - this has been a real shock to the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStanley1893 Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Wow that's terrible Mach.I haven't ever heard of anything like this before. It's one of those things that happens when you least expect it and at an inopportune time. You get well soon. PS: How far were you into your hockey season is there any way you can recover any of the money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomZoom18 Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Wow man, sorry to hear Mach that sounds terribly painful. I wish you a speedy recovery! You'll be in my thoughts and prayers bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Man, that sounds both painful and expensive. Hopefully the latter can be avoided in your case. Sorry to hear this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRat Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Thanks for sharing the details of that angst with us, Mach. Why didn't they provide an anesthetic or was that not an option? I hope you recover quickly and as painlessly as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SabreFaninNYC Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Mach- sorry to hear about the recent illness. I wish you a quick recovery. It sounds like you have some good drugs at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted March 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Thanks for sharing the details of that angst with us, Mach. Why didn't they provide an anesthetic or was that not an option? I hope you recover quickly and as painlessly as possible. I think that the first needles to go in the tonsils were actually local novacaine, but those injections alone hurt quite a bit, and they didn't seem to numb the entire area they were working with, because the larger hollow needles that came next had my toes and fingers curling in pain. I think the emergency called for immediate action and they didn't really wait for the novacaine to take effect, nor care to make sure they'd sufficiently numbed the area - it seemed like they really just wanted (with good reason) to get the airway unobstructed. I couldn't be put under for the procedure as it was so sudden and they prefer not to use anesthesia on patients with a full stomach and such. I'm returning to the ear and throat specialist today for another look... possibly another drainage. Could have been going to Smyth's debut with the Isles ::grumble:: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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