Pictures – CI Surgery Day

I finally have pictures to share.  They don’t start out graphic but there are photos of my incisions at the end here so if you are squeamish, run quickly!!  😀

This is the morning of surgery, just as we were getting ready to leave the house at about 4:15 am or so.  I am in all my glory with no makeup on and no contact lenses in — I’m wearing my glasses.  (Dave modified these while I was in surgery, so I hold them up to my face now.  I only use glasses first thing in the morning and right before bed — otherwise I have my contacts in):

Wendi & Dave, July 22 at 4:15 am

This is in the hospital, while I was waiting to be wheeled down to the anesthesia area.  They have the IV in at this point but nothing “good” is going through just yet.  😀

In the hospital, before anesthesia

I grabbed the camera and got a picture of Dave holding my purse, which is pretty much like asking him to wear a tutu and dance across the room for me.  He usually acts like touching my purse physically burns him…ha ha!  Here he is proudly doing his purse-holding duty for me:

In the pre-op area

This is after we got home — the same day I had the surgery.  The head bra was so tight that I looked like I was frowning — I’m trying my best to smile and raise my eyebrows here!  I’m still sleeping on the couch this way, because it’s the easiest way for me to keep my head elevated:

After Surgery on July 22, in the late afternoon

I’m wearing one of Dave’s old shirts in that picture, BTW.  I found that t-shirts were not even an option — the neckhole isn’t big enough.  But polo shirts work well because I can unbutton them enough to make a wide enough opening for my swollen head.  Luckily we have a lot of those, between the two of us!

Okay…warning!  Pictures of the stitches are coming up next.  This is your last chance to bail!!

My left ear (next two pictures).  This is just after we cut off the bandage.  My face was amazingly swollen this morning but I think it’s a little better now.  Anyway, left ear:

Left ear, after surgery

Left ear, right after we took off the bandage

Now here’s my right ear:

Right ear, a little hard to see in this photo

And another photo of the right ear:

Right ear, after CI surgery

I look forward to posting pictures when my face isn’t swollen a mile wide — hopefully next week things will be looking a little better.  🙂

I am feeling quite a lot better tonight — my head isn’t quite as heavy and numb.  I am still taking the Vicodin though and don’t plan to stop just yet.  Breaking them in half is working out pretty well.  It’s getting easier to walk around and sit up for periods of time without feeling totally exhausted.  The doctor wants me to take it easy for 2 weeks though, so I don’t plan to jump up and start doing too much just yet.  I’ll be happy if I can get some more computer time in over the weekend!

More tomorrow, I’m sure!!  😀