[Health] Septoplasty Blog

[Seiko]

Part 1 - SURPRISE ANXIETY

Today is the day of my septoplasty operation. Mostly I try to pretend that I am not an emotional man, that's what I tell myself. Then all sorts of worry and insecurities about the operation suddenly hit me. So I guess I do have emotions buried in there someplace. Interesting.

It's a small operation, routine, nothing unusual. They do hundreds. The doctors are well versed and practiced. They could do this with their eyes closed. I hope they don't.

Hello anxiety my old friend. We haven't met in a while. I guess you woke me up because I have to be at the hospital at 7:00 am. You know it's only 4:32? That tummy ache - why did you bring him along, I can do without his company thank you. I must remember to put my rakusu in my bag. I probably won't need any of the other things I packed.

There's 1 hour and 43 minutes before my alarm will wake me up. Hmm, I'm already awake.
Maybe a little reclining zazen while the house sleeps.

Gasshō, Seiko, stlah

[Kojitsu]

Hi Seiko, as someone that has medical procedures frequently, I can understand what you are experiencing, and it is completely expected, after all anesthesia is very dangerous regardless of the surgery. It may sound morbid, but consider what would happen if something were to go wrong, what would happen? Your family and friends would be devastated, for sure. But you? You just passed quietly away, no pain, just not there anymore… peaceful and serene.

Death only frightens us because we are afraid of the unknown, we all are. But I can tell you as someone that just died and was resuscitated two times to save my life, nothing happens, at least for me. Just glorious emptiness, which isn’t scary at all.

i hope this helps, and I apologize if it makes it worse for you.



I truly hope you have a good surgery and everything goes well, which I am sure it will.


kojitsu

[Seikan]

Best of luck to you today Seiko! Please keep us posted on your recovery.



Gassho,
Seikan

Sat/lah

[Roo]

I hope it goes well!

Gassho, Roo
satlah

[Seiko]

Part 2

06:23.
9th July

I am up. Showered. Dressed. I gave Connie the cat her pills. 1x bladder health supplement, 1x antibiotic, 1x gabapentin. My garden is bathed in dappled sunlight through the trees.

Gasshō, Seiko, stlah

[Jundo]

I recall Shinji Shobogenzo Case 82 ... May your Septoplasty be truly enlightening ...

~~~

One day Master Hyakujo went with Master Baso Do-itsu for a walk. As they walked along they saw a group of wild ducks flying in the sky.

Master Baso said: What are they?

Master Hyakujo said: Wild ducks.

Master Baso said: Where are they going?

Master Hyakujo said: They have flown away.

Master Baso grasped Mater Hyakujo’s nose and twisted it. Master Hyakujo could not tolerate the pain and cried out: Aagh! Aagh!

Master Baso said: Although you said they have flown away, you are always at this place.

Master Hyakujo immediately broke out in a sweat, and just then he experienced a reflection of the truth.

...

The next day, Master Hyakujo said: Yesterday I was caught by the tip of my nose by the Master and it was very painful. ... Today the tip of my nose is not painful any more.

Master Baso said: Now you know the profound matter of this very moment.

Then Master Hyakujo prostrated himself and went out.



Gassho, J

stlah

[Seiko]

Part 3

I arrived here at the hospital at 7am as instructed. It is now 1pm. I had a few tests and measurements, met the anaesthetist, and the surgeon. I learned they will do a little more than the work on my septum as they need to remove some bone from the turbinals too.

The surgeon and anaesthetist are both Moslem.

I had a little chat with another patient who was feeling nervous. It helped me gain some perspective. My nerves/anxieties are not halfway as bad as hers. I hope our chat helped her too.

Apart from that, my task is to wait. I am getting quite good at it. A little waiting room zazen. A little walk up the corridor. Rest. Repeat.

It's like a hospital retreat.

Gasshō, Seiko

[Shinshi]

Hope all goes well Seiko. Thank you for sharing your retreat experience.

Gassho,

Shinshi

[Jundo]

Where do the docs enter for this procedure? The short way through the nostrils, or the long way through the rectum, Sei?

Make sure the doctors clarify that for you.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Seiko]

Where do the docs enter for this procedure? The short way through the nostrils, or the long way through the rectum, Sei?

Make sure the doctors clarify that for you.

Gassho, J
stlah

Haha!

Seiko

[Seiko]

Part 4.

I did remember to carry my rakusu in my bag. It stayed in the bag, I wore it invisibly.

I *may* still have some anaesthetic floating around in my body. I imagine this is what LSD is like. I will try to continue typing through the haze.

I am writing now, as *if* I experience an ME/CFS/Fibro flare up, these usually come a couple of days after an event or trigger, not straight away. Still hoping to avoid that, but if it descends I'll be absent here until it passes.

I was called from the "surgical waiting lounge" into "forward waiting" at 16:10. Basically a place to change into a nightdress that looks fine from the front, but resembles open curtains (drapes) from the back. It still seems odd having to wear this. They were working on my nose. It's best not to think too much about this anomally.

One of the anaesthetists and the surgeon were Moslem women. Fixing a Zen Unsui. You could kinda say those two Moslems were, in a small way, helping out Treeleaf.

I remember the two anaesthetists being lovely and reassuring, as they chatted to me whilst administering chemicals strong enough to poleaxe an elephant. After that I plummeted into a dreamless sleep. Truly unconscious for the biggest part of two hours. My heart didn't stop, it wasn't a case of being brought back from the jaws of death - nothing like that - I don't want to overdramatize this - yet with no functioning consciousness - also a little bit like death. The signs were up; "out to lunch".

The surgery took almost 1 hour 45 minutes, a bit longer than the published 69 minute average. I expect that's because they reduced the turbinals as well as straightening my previously banana-shaped septum.

Waking with a headache, still a little drugged-up. The nurse tried to wake me, asked me questions, I answered without really being fully in this world, then promptly went back to unconsciousness. Some time later my conscious self was trying to push through and before my eyes were open I became convinced thay would keep me in hospital overnight unless I got this thing under control. So I sat up and forced myself to wake up. That's probably why I still feel a little "drunk from the night before" now.

Back in a ward/cubicle: opposite me an elderly man is aggressively arguing with his wife/carer - he wants to go home; behind a screen I hear a man talking to his friend on a phone - complaining about the nurses - this is terribly rude and ungrateful - the nurses can hear, that screen isn't a sound proof barrier.

The nurse says I must be able to walk to the toilet without assistance and empty my bladder before they will consider sending me home. A jug of water is brought to me. Not one to turn down a challenge, I drink three jugs of water and float to the toilet on my own little cloud. I imagine I sound like the "independent" drunk, when I politely refuse assistance from the kind nurses.

The nurse then tells me they must complete three "obs" before releasing me back into the wild. It goes well.

My lovely and kind wife turns up at 8.45 pm and drives me home. The nurses emphasize that I must not be left alone, and must be supervised my a RESPONSIBLE ADULT for the next 48 hours. Hmm. Maybe my 'Sober act' wasn't convincing enough.

Reflections.
If Zen is being fully present. I have had a day full of it. From preparing to travel, to waiting, to meeting various medics, to unconsciousness, to waking up, to drinking water. Fully engaged and invested in one action at one time, moment by moment. Other days I will not be as focussed.

Every day is a good day.




Gasshō, Seiko, stlah

[Jundo]

Good to have you home.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Shinshi]

Thanks for the update Seiko. Sounds like quite the adventure. Hope you are feeling better, and breathing better, soon.

Gassho,

Shinshi

[Bion]

Glad it went well, Seiko.

Gassho
sat lah

[Seiko]

Part 5

Not feeling so good today. I expect the anaesthetic and thf hospital pain meds are wearing off.

Recovery Day 1.

The bad and thd good.

Blocked nose.
Headache.
Eye ache.
No sleep.

It'll be better when it's better.

On the plus side, I started on the second course of antibiotics for my foot today. And I dod buy a fabulous wedge pillow to proper me up in bed - very impressed with it.

Gasshō, Seiko, stlah