My Sniffer

At the beginning of next month I have a somewhat big event. I'm having surgery to repair my sniffer. When I moved to NYC I started being more aware of the fact that my nose runs pretty much constantly when outside, at the gym, etc. and that I do not enjoy this. Whenever I go to spinning I take a wad of Kleenex to blow my nose throughout the class, regardless of whether I have a cold. This bothers me. Additionally, I'm always sick which I attributed to riding on public transport but apparently could be related to other issues.

I went to an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat doctor) in November to talk to him about my nose issues and what I assumed to be a deviated septum. While we chatted he talked about a variety of health problems related to my throat (adenoids and tonsils - removed), ears (tubes when a kid and constant itching) and nose (constant draining). I've never checked off more boxes in my life. Snoring...check. Breathing through nose issues...check. Ear issues...check.

Anyway, he said, let's get a CT scan to see how bad your nose is, and a sleep study to see how bad your snoring is. He also shoved an incredibly long instrument up my nose which I can only assume was to have an up close and personal talk with my sinuses. Basically the CT scan found that I have a severely deviated septum which is likely to blame for my faucet nose and breathing issues and the sleep study found that I do NOT have sleep apnea like my dad. No Darth Vader mask for me. Woot! (FYI - it sounds more like Darth than looks) However, we did have this conversation:

Dr. Cohen: Did we discuss your snoring last visit?
Roxie: Not really, I told you I snored. You asked how bad it was and I said, people tell me it's loud.
Dr. Cohen: Well, I didn't realize how loud it was. Most people are +2 decibels above their baseline read, you are a +12 decibels. You snore impressively loud for such a small woman. I'd expect that reading for a very large man who is a hundred pounds overweight.

Did you hear that Internet? I snore like a lumberjack. Awesome.

Net-net, I'm having surgery in a couple weeks. There are two objectives. One, repair my sniffer. He'll basically cut out the cartilage that is blocking me from breathing and put in splints to ensure that it stays straight while it's healing. Two, he'll insert some implants into my soft palate that'll toughen it up and make it vibrate less while I'm sleeping (decrease snoring). The second part is elective but I figure if I'm going to get surgery to correct my snoring someday, I might as well do it while I'm under general anaesthesia. All surgery that is done under local anaesthetic freaks me out. "Roxie, open your tiny mouth really wide so I can shove some matchsticks into your soft palate, you won't feel a thing." Yeah, no.

So, basically, that's what's going on in my life in the next month or so! I'm really hoping that it has an effect on my breathing, etc. I've heard from a lot of people that it will completely change my life and be incredibly painful for a week. Come on pain pills!

If I'm not feeling self conscious I'll post post-op pictures of me with puffy face and bruised eyes but there is definitely a possibility that I'll be a touch self-conscious about looking like someone from the Goonies and will keep those under wraps.

Send out good wishes to me February 3rd!

It's hot in heeerrrrrrr

Ask my family, I'm SUCH a baby when it comes to being cold. At all winter holidays I walk around wrapped in blankets or my favorite poncho and the space heater in my room is always set at high. It's in particular contrast because my family members are mammalian and can withstand a normal range of temperature without complaining.

This past weekend I rearranged my room (there are two possible arrangements, I went back to the original) and when doing so, decided to take my air conditioner out of my window. It has been there since summer '07 and I just dealt with the draft from Winter '07/'08 by sealing it with a blanket and some packing tape. Well, it's been particularly cold in my room in the mornings lately (approximately 60-65 degrees F) and basically I WANT TO DIE.

So, now that the A/C is out of the window I'm experiencing something I call, "Tropics in January". For example, when I took the A/C out of my window my room was a comfortable 73 degrees (from a space heater...ahem, I'm a baby). Now that the A/C is not letting in a draft, my bedroom is approximately 83 degrees. My window has been open for approximately 1 hour (at 32.2 degrees) and it's still 83.3 degrees. I'm not sure that removing my A/C was such a great move. I mean, I like being warm, but this is no blankets, tank top and shorts warm.

I'll keep you posted on my baking while sleeping status and maybe be a better blogger. No promises.