Tarryn's questions

[Guest guest]

First of all, not to invoke a buzzword here, but you gotta be more

assertive. When the doc sez, " Continue with the .... " and you have

no clue what he's talking about, stop him (or her).

" WHAT'S THAT??? I don't know anything about that, and nobody's

mentioned it to me. How am I supposed to be using them? As a gargle?

As a nasal spray? Why didn't anybody tell me this, if I've been

supposed to be doing it, or if they would help me? "

That's totally legit. A good doc will be concerned, and will want to

know that other patients need specific info you didn't get. Believe

me, I've played on these fields with life-threatening situations,

(which this isn't) and found that docs don't always know what their

staffs/colleagues are and aren't doing to keep you informed.

I do know that you can get a nasal saline spray (the brand sold here

is Ayr, but there may be no-brand ones that are just as good). I

don't think it will hurt, and it may help loosen some of the gunk in

there. But ask your surgeon's office!

I'm guessing that what your doc meant was a mix of warm water with a

bit of salt and a bit of bicarbonate of soda, to be gargled and or

rinsed, but someone in the office should be able to explain that

definitively to you. Call 'em. You're paying -- or your insurance

company is -- for their expertise.

Be sweet, and be careful. It won't make you friends, unless you're

cautious about how you go at it, and you will continue to need these

folks for a while. But you're entitled to some answers.

And ask him about those bits of metal, if you want to know. Or ask

his office staff. It's my own belief that docs should welcome

patients' inquiries -- all mine have. You may have to hit 'em over

the head with the proverbial, and not literal, 2x4 to get their

attention, but once they understand that you're not complaining,

just interested, they should be helpful to you.

C.

> Ah, it wasn't that bad, as someone else rightly pointed out My

> word - if someone had touched my sinuses like that I would have

died!

> Today at the surgeon we spent another 45 minutes in the waiting

> room, but what can you do?? About the bands, he said that the

ortho

> usually rearranges them, so it was ok. He prescribed more

> painkillers and another nasal spray - I slept on my back for the

> first time last night, and it was blissfully comfortable, but this

> morning my sinuses were totally blocked. I cannot win, I tell you!

> He also said I must continue with the hydrogen peroxide, " and " , he

> says, " the warm salt and bicarb. " My mom and I just look at each

> other. No one, not pre-op, not in the hospital, not at last week's

> check-up had mentioned anything about warm salt and bicarb! Am I

> supposed to sniff these things out the air?? So.

> Next week he says he'll take some x-rays. I also asked him about

the

> odd bits of wire and metal in my gums, and he said he would take

> that out sometime (I'm not sure when.) I think you also have this?

> He didn't say anything about it to me pre-op, so when I got home I

> was like, " hey, that's new! " Haha. At least it's not permanent.

> Well, that's all I have to share today.

> How are you doing, 2 weeks post-op?

> Have a lovely day

> Tarryn

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your concern. My friends are always telling me to be more

pro-active! But it's true what you say - we are paying for it, so we

need to know this stuff.

Have a good day,

Tarryn

> > Ah, it wasn't that bad, as someone else rightly pointed out

My

> > word - if someone had touched my sinuses like that I would have

> died!

> > Today at the surgeon we spent another 45 minutes in the waiting

> > room, but what can you do?? About the bands, he said that the

> ortho

> > usually rearranges them, so it was ok. He prescribed more

> > painkillers and another nasal spray - I slept on my back for the

> > first time last night, and it was blissfully comfortable, but

this

> > morning my sinuses were totally blocked. I cannot win, I tell

you!

> > He also said I must continue with the hydrogen peroxide, " and " ,

he

> > says, " the warm salt and bicarb. " My mom and I just look at each

> > other. No one, not pre-op, not in the hospital, not at last

week's

> > check-up had mentioned anything about warm salt and bicarb! Am I

> > supposed to sniff these things out the air?? So.

> > Next week he says he'll take some x-rays. I also asked him about

> the

> > odd bits of wire and metal in my gums, and he said he would take

> > that out sometime (I'm not sure when.) I think you also have

this?

> > He didn't say anything about it to me pre-op, so when I got home

I

> > was like, " hey, that's new! " Haha. At least it's not permanent.

> > Well, that's all I have to share today.

> > How are you doing, 2 weeks post-op?

> > Have a lovely day

> > Tarryn