Sunday, June 15, 2014

The Sunday before the surgery

It has been a lazy day so far of enjoying a brunch of homecooked french onion soup with slices of crisp toasted baguette (which I won't be able to enjoy in the next few months).

More than half the day has passed and I have been spending time just relaxing and enjoying a slow lazy day. I've been spending some time gathering together a list of things that I need to purchase pre-surgery and have texted my friends for some shopping-company in the coming week.

I'm about to embark on some springcleaning and "recovery space" preparation too. I almost feel like I'm in some sort of "nesting" phase... except it's for myself. :) It's a good thing that our home has a nice cozy living area that I will be able to call my own for the next couple of months.

These days, I've also begun posting my journey on FB and IG to kinda "rally" people into the journey with me so that they will be able to transition a little better with me if I come out looking really different. I suppose I should also write an FB note to explain why I'm getting the surgery done to minimize the possible negative social (see: judgmental) outcomes post-surgery. Perhaps it's the Asian culture, but there's just something really unacceptable to Asians about surgeries that don't have anything to do with cancer, tumours or something really life-threatening. If it's not life-threatening, you shouldn't have the surgery. If it changes how you look, or worse, makes you prettier, you're a fake plastic poser. Or something like that. But I guess I can imagine that that judgmental mindset could span other cultures too.

Right now, a week before the surgery, my heart and mind are preparing themselves and I'm really looking forward to the road ahead. I think (and read) that the journey would be unavoidably painful, numbing, and filled with days where I will not be thinking much beyond "I hate this drooling" and "I feel some sensations in this and that part of my lip/chin/neck" and "I think the swelling has gone down X%". But other than that, I forsee happy days ahead and perhaps, on some days, getting annoyed by people fussing too much over me - when I'd really rather fight for myself, and overcome knowing that I am stronger than I now imagine myself to be.

Gotta finish that shopping list of things to buy... so far this is as far as I got:
Nasal Cogestion Relief Spray
Long Cotton Swabs - to clean mouth and nose
Mouthwash (alcohol free)
Tissues
Vitamin A+D Gel/Ointment and B-Complex vitamins
Small Flashlight to check back of mouth
Airplane Pillow
Icepacks
Small Whiteboard
Lap tray
Mirror 
Facial Cleansing Towelettes
Baby Toohbrush / Wisp Brush
Food:
Chocolate Syrup, Ensure (or something else calciumy that is good for me but doesn't taste like milk. I hate milk. :(), Prune Juice

I think I might get a little hamster or something to keep me happy post-surgery too. :)

Okay, off to springcleaning and "pre-surgery nesting".

1 comment:

  1. Best of luck with the surgery! I had good results just telling everyone it was for medical reasons. Even if in your own head "medical" may be less than 100%, as long as it's above 0% then it can fairly be attributed! :-)

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