Gearing up for my ‘Oil Change’: My Journey to Clear Sinuses!

For people with cystic fibrosis and chronic sinusitis there is one surgery that can be very important, sinus surgery. This is because the sinus cavities become compacted with mucus due to one’s body over producing mucus. This overproduction causes a backup and the cavities not being able to drain out all the mucus. This mucus then sits around building up and collecting every germ you inhale. Before you know it all the germs are having a college party in your head and you have a full on infection. The only way to help clear things out when it gets this backed up is having a sinus surgery where they can go in and suck it all out. What I like to consider my “oil change”. Having cystic fibrosis myself I occasionally need an oil change to clean it all out. When I say occasionally I mean pretty much every 5 years. Let me tell you it is not a fun joyous occasion but the results are amazing.

Thinking back on it all my very first sinus surgery was probably the worst surgery I have ever had. That is counting the double lung transplant too. Why? Because the amount of pain after was so tremendous it felt like a herd of wild rabid moles were burrowing all over in my head. To top it all off the doctor at the time had shoved I swear like 100 gauze pads in my nasal cavities after the surgery. So here I am waiting around for over a week but it sure felt like a year with gauze pads all in my head. Then I go back to his office where he yanks out the gauze like a mummy having it’s brains yanked out of it’s head. The experience was no trip at Disneyland. At least the mummy is dead but for myself I just felt this wave of pain and nasty blood gush all over. Not my idea of a good time.

Moving on to my second sinus surgery and after that lovely experience with the first I began to see a new ear, nose, and throat doctor. This time he had to fix my deviated septum, the wall area between your nostrils. Basically without getting into the surgery because I am definitely not a surgeon he broke my nose and then straightened it out. This time I didn’t have to relive the gauze experience again thankfully and ever since those two surgeries things have been better.

Now fast forward to my upcoming fifth sinus surgery!! I have to say that I am pumped for it!

To all my friends out there who have experienced this I believe you will agree about how you feel afterwards. Fresh and clean like having your oil changed! Out with the old!

Say goodbye to headaches, vision issues, no more snot building up everywhere draining down your throat, and no more infections ,well at least for awhile. These are just a few wonderful things you can look forward to after your “oil change”!

But the biggest bonus that happens after is your sense of smell comes back!!

After my first sinus surgery I was at the gas station and couldn’t believe that you actually smelled the gasoline. It was so strong! Isn’t that just wild?!?! I could smell it but just barely before the surgery. Not only does your smell return but with it your taste is better too. I can actually indulge on my favorite foods and be able to taste them.

That is another thing that is very odd especially for myself. The loss of your taste slowly happens over time so you kinda forget about it. I feel like right now since I can’t really smell at all when I eat or see food I almost am imagining how it tastes or used to taste to me. It is like your mind tricks your body to it. Only when something new is presented to you like your son shoving a dirty pair of underwear at you that you realize you can’t smell it. Which in that case is actually a good thing. There can be some benefits to not being able to smell.

So you may ask am I scared about it or nervous? Well yes and no. There is always a risk of things taking a nose dive down the road you don’t want to be on. You are going under general anesthesia so there are risks with that. But then you also have to decide how you want to live your life. If this will help fix all the issues I am having and prevent serious problems from happening then it is worth it.

Plus I’d love to be able to smell and taste my Taco Bell again!