Surgery Side-effects & Aftermath

What feels like long ago, I had a bit of a mishap on a soccer pitch. It resulted in some extensive O.R. time (operation room) and a 3 year recovery and physical rehabilitation process. Needless to say, I feel like somewhat of an expert [at least a well-versed, experienced individual] on the inner hospital procedures, operations, and all the "maintenance" required after being sliced, diced, sewed, stiched, and stuck with needles filled with various drugs [some HEAVENLY, others...not so much], scalpels, and surgical scissors.

* I'm impressed I could actually write all those things, down... generally, I can withstand quite a bit of physical and mental pain, but when it comes to surgery/hospital/doctor related things, I'm a big wanny. Even hearing those words, [Surgical scissors....scalpels] makes me shudder and feel queezy. buuuh.

Well---as much as I would enjoy glorifying the battle scars I still bear, and recounting their epic tales of infliction, this post is for my brother. Being born with a cleft lip and palate his surgery stories, while in quantity and Total $$/"bills paid" probably out-sum my own, are not nearly as "cool" as mine. (My own list is comprised of horrific youth dog bite incidents, massive scrapes & scabs from high speed biking wipe-outs, black eyes and absurd bruises from sports injuries, and a pair of really really broken bones) But his are every bit as real and challenging to me as my own. He got home yesterday, after a 9 hour, consecutive-procedures stint in the O.R. @ Gunderson Lutheran LaCrosse. Will leave out the gory details and simply list: jaw plates, tooth, plastic surgeon, sewing.

Watching him sit on the couch all day in his pj's, wrapped up in bandages and dressings on his nose and lip, and dosing in and out from the precription drugs he's on---it's an excrutiatingly painful reminder of how annoying and how cruddy post surgery is.

Pain aside, there are 2 factors that really compound the frustrations of Post-Op-Life.
1.) Food & Diet (and this obviously is a huge deal to a foodie like myself. Not a big deal, a HUGE deal). You can't eat stuff....you slurp it. or drink it. You have no apetite. When meals come to you in deconstructed, blended form....they're not too appealing. And in Brandon's case, it's painful as well (oral surgeries make this normally enjoyable part of one's day, NOT enjoyable.) Think open mouth wounds ----> avoid salty acidic foods. The worst part, is that while your own diet takes a divebomb to the lowest levels of canned soup, applesauce, pudding, and "mush like concoctions", everyone around you continues to enjoy things like crispy, thin crust pizza, hamburgers (the big fat, hand formed kind that sit about 4" high on the plate), and the holy grail of munchers: Chips & Salsa. *Personally, I don't like giving up cereal....but I can't stand cereal when it's soggy.....and that is how one eats cereal when they've had oral surgery; Soggy. bleh.

2.) Bed rest. Surgery is physically draining. You lose weight. Lots. (Hooray, some people think.....NO.) I predict Brandon will be 10-15 pounds lighter in about 2 months...sad. He's already a skinny little boy. I mean, he's a tough cookie...he's just lean, and shaving 10-15 lbs. makes him look......peaked. *This partially due to the previous item, Food and Diet. The other crappy thing about Bed Rest, is that it takes about 2 or 3 days before it's better termed Bed-RestLESSNESS. Your back hurts in places you didn't know existed from uncomfortable, pillow elevating postures and sleeping positions. ie. Bran. currently has to sleep sitting up. Your eyes hurt (a consequence of too much tv/dvd's, books, and the sensitive effects of anesthesia finally wearing off). and Your social life takes the largest hit. Activity is limited and for guys like B & myself, becoming a spectator sucks.

sympathizing with Brandon, who's 18th Birthday is a week away. Poor kid. I'd make him some good soup, but it'd probably just piss him off...