Bride of Frankenstein

I am the Bride of Frankenstein. I know this because I can feel the awkward drain running from just below the surgical wound to an enclosed receptacle tied to the side of the bed. On my left hand is a patent vein, immediate open access should the need arise. Everyday, I am poked, prodded and pricked for blood tests and for the piece-de-resistance, a 3 inch wound on my neck. 

The 3 days I was in the hospital after surgery were very trying ones. Swallowing was hard and the only thing that was a pleasure to eat was boiled oatmeal. No swallowing required! Nobody also told me that it would be the most boring three days. Sure, stacked on my bedside table were unread books, overhead was a TV and I could also ask Adam to bring me my computer. All well and good, except that when you are in pain, with hardly any appetite and no prospect of closure until after final biopsy results were in sometime after discharge... reading, writing or watching TV were the last things that you want to do. Visits by family and friends interrupted the boredom but one disadvantage of this was that being the Filipino that I am, I was too polite to shoo people away when I would get too tired or sleepy.

What I have found out is that if you are going to have thyroid surgery there is no need to pack a weekend bag. A couple of books, bottles of soda water (preferably cold), maybe lemon drops or any sour candy, toothbrush and toothpaste are probably the only things you really need to bring. Anything else is really just unnecessary baggage.

You will feel pain, there are now two ways about it. I was always proud of my high pain tolerance, but that was just it...pride and arrogance. Ask for pain reliever when you need it. There is no purpose in tiring your body. It will just make it harder for your body to heal itself.

You have to expect:

1. Difficulty in swallowing. Your neck area was manipulated during surgery and you will have some swelling.

2. Dryness in your nose and throat. Most likely from the nasogastric

tube that was inserted during surgery.

3. Pain and stiffness in your neck. Mostly from the surgical wound.

4. Bleeding. A closed drain will be placed just under you

r surgical wound. For those scared of blood, just keep the receptacle out of sight :-)

5. Hoarse voice. This usually disappears after a few days although some may have this whispery, hoarse voice after a couple of months.

Usually, those in for thyroid surgery are sent home the day after. In my case, I was held 3 days more because of bleeding and low calcium levels. As patients, we see this as an attempt at curtailing our freedom, however, there are post-thyroidectomy indications that warrant extending your hospital stay.

Most common complication is hypocalcemia. The parathyroid glands (which process calcium) are right under the thyroid and could be jarred or damaged during surgery. Signs of hypocalcemia include:

1. numbness and tingling in your extremities

2. cramps and spasm

Another complication is bleeding which can cause:

1. Light-headedness because of low oxygen delivery to the brain

2. Choking sensation, and

3. Intense pressure.

Inform your caregiver right away if you have any of these.

Recovery from thyroid surgery can be as easy as three days discomfort or can extend to months of cramps and emotional changes. I have been lucky not to have had any of more severe complications but with new developments it will all come to light.