Who Needs Medicine Anyway?

Sometimes I think it would be best just not to take medicine. I am allergic to Advil, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Zithromax, and who knows what else. But that's fine with me, because I hate taking medicine-- Tylenol or anything. I've never felt like it works. It's more of a pet peeve of mine... especially when people inhale it like air. So I stopped taking a lot medicine in high school. Of course, I do use it when I have strep throat or surgeries, but not even for the flu anymore.

I've had some pretty comical experiences with allergies to medicine. In 9th grade, I had strep and found out I was allergic to my prescription, Zithromax. So I took some Advil to help. Well, I soon found out that I was allergic to that, as well. Then I took some Benadryl. Thankfully, my only reaction to that was basically falling asleep at the piano during choir practice.

Then my spinal fusion. They couldn't give me the really good stuff, because I would have been allergic to something in it. But I'm still alive to tell about it.

This story still makes me laugh. A few months after my fusion, I had my four wisdom teeth out. Our high school play was coming up in a few days, in which I had a part-- a fairly small part, but I still worked hard during my spinal fusion recovery to memorize my lines. People were reasonably worried about my mouth not healing in time, so we moved it back about a week before the play. Everything went really well... until I got a bad stomach infection on the very morning of the play, and it lasted for 8 days. I felt so sick that I put my make-up on while lying on my bedroom floor that morning. But I had to go to school for play practice. Plus, I had to play the offertory that night. Well, a long story slightly shortened, I made it through the play (thanks to those in the audience who prayed the entire time that I wouldn't get sick on stage!). I decided to take some Tylenol while back stage. A helper in the back thought she had some with her, but the only problem was that it was pitch black behind the stage. So, unknowingly, I took some Advil. When I came out after the play, I was swelling up and getting a rash. That night was crazy. And not even because of my teeth.

I always get to be the rich jerk in plays because of my outstanding posture!

And here's my latest update. On day 2 of tonsillectomy recovery, my face turned bright red like a sunburn. But too bad I haven't been out in the sun. Then came the rash. I woke up and my face was a little puffy. Yep. I'm allergic to my pain medication. What's new? I think I'll just man up and skip the medication from now on.

IV= "Inevitable Vomiting"

Today I had a tonsillectomy. And I'm thankful that I am able to say that, for the most part, it was a piece of cake. Thanks to my spinal fusion, I don't even think twice about these other surgeries! I had my four wisdom teeth taken out a few months after my back surgery, and that felt like nothing more than a tooth ache.

This morning as I was getting ready to head to the hospital, I was reminded about what that was like for me almost two years ago, heading into one of the biggest surgeries a person could face. Cutting a couple tonsils out is no big deal.

For those of you who aren't familiar with anesthesia and heavy medication, it's great stuff. When I had my spinal fusion, I was so drugged up that I hardly talked at all. I acted absolutely ridiculous when I got my wisdom teeth out. I'm glad to say that I didn't make a fool of myself today (at least, not that I know of). With my back, they gave me some medicine to calm my nerves, and then they put me out before putting the IV in... thankfully. I don't even remember going into an unconscious state. That part was much easier than I was expecting. With my teeth, by the time I finished thinking about how funny it was that they were strapping me to the chair, I was out. However, today was a little different.

I never said I didn't look ridiculous. But I was loving that hair net. Besides, this was before the anesthesia.

The IV was first on the to-do list... unfortunately. I thought about it too much. Everything started going black, and I felt sick to my stomach. So there I was, once again, lying back in this chair with cold washcloths on my head and neck and a trash can to throw up in. That's why I'm glad that they don't let you eat before a certain time, because I had nothing to actually throw up. (I set my alarm for 2:00 am to eat a PopTart when I got my teeth out, but I slept through it this morning.) Anyway, we thought that I was going to be ok after that, but then it happened again. It's hard for me not to think about the needle sticking out of my skin, even though I had 8 for my spinal fusion, and it didn't even phase me. After that, I was off to the operating room.

I either don't remember it, or I was out before I even got to the OR for my spinal fusion, which really helped my nerves a lot. Today, I sat down on the bed, and because I was wearing a gown, all the nurses saw my scar and were going crazy over it. So, of course, I proudly showed them when they asked me to. Then came the medicine that I've never actually felt, even though this was my third surgery. My hand and arm burned like crazy, and then everything started spinning. It was so weird, and pretty cool at the same time. Later I woke up feeling so tired that I wanted to ask them just to let me go back to sleep, but I resisted the urge.

I don't even remember this picture being taken. That's my excuse for the stupid look on my face. : )

So here I am at home, feeling like I have nothing more than a really bad sore throat that is swollen. A piece of cake. Thank you, spinal fusion, for making a man out of me. I feel like I could go climb Mount Kilimanjaro or something right now... except the doctor told me to rest for two weeks. So I guess I'll have to wait.