Surviving a Tonsillectomy

Where am I? What just happened? These were all questions running through my mind after waking up, still drowsy due to the anesthesia. Time passed and I realized that my tonsils were gone, the surgery went well, and I was in the hospital room waiting to feel like myself again. Having been there for only 30 minutes, I already wanted everything to be over; foolish of me thinking it was going to end soon…

My tonsillectomy was finally over. It took 40 minutes, and almost no bleeding from my part. Such an easy procedure, but an amazingly chaotic recovery. It’s a funny thing, time. Time and time again we wonder how much time will things take, how much time is left, and when it’s time to say enough. This recovery made me realize the power of the hour, and how it can make someone go ballistic in a matter of seconds. But, is it all worth it?

Knowing your diagnose and the pertinence of a surgery is the first step to get a tonsillectomy. Many people suffer from chronic tonsillitis without even knowing, so pay attention to the following facts.

“Reasons to have a tonsillectomy done include: tonsils being bigger than normal, causing snoring or sleep apnea; Cryptic tonsils, or tonsils with “Wrinkles” that normally trap food or mucus, and/or 4 to 5 cases of tonsillitis in one year.” Dr. Saveria Sangiovanni said.

If you suffer from any of these particular cases, the best option is to find an otorhinolaryngologist.

Just thinking about your tonsils being cut and removed causes a huge gag reflex, so it’s better to be 100% sure you need the surgery and are ready to take on a tough week or two of recovery. The day before the surgery is frightful, sleeping is almost impossible, and no food can be ingested from 10-12 hours before the surgery, not even water; having a full stomach will mess with the anesthesia and the whole process can be deadly. The best thing to do is trying to relax, as it will allow you to be calmer when the nurse asks you to change your clothes and the real deal starts.

“Being anxious and scared is normal, but the best thing to do is keeping your cool and getting mentally prepared for the surgery, as it will make it a lot easier for you and the process will be less stressful.” Dr. Sangiovanni stated.

The hardest part of the surgery is the recovery that follows it. There’s no way to describe it, other than horrible. The duration of the recovering process varies, as the wound left after the removal of the tonsils heals much faster when you’re young. Also, it depends heavily on the individual, meaning how long their bodies take to heal, how they manage pain, emotional and mental stability, etc.

“My experience was terrible, it hurt a lot, I couldn’t eat anything and I had to stay home for about a week…” Alejandro Gomez said.

The diet after a tonsillectomy recovery consists mostly of bland foods and liquids, like soup, gelatine, and ice cream. These types of food will not be as difficult to swallow, and also will minimize the risk of bleeding and hemorrhage. One of the most important things to do is trying to ingest as much protein as possible, now that patients will eat a lot less, thus, losing weight in the process. This is not an easy thing to do, as the majority of proteins are hard to swallow in this conditions, doctors often recommend eating canned tuna, eggs, yogurt, among others.

“Even though I was young, I still remember how badly it hurt and that it was terrible, I only ate ice cream and gelatin for a week. It was horrible.” Tatiana Botero, Said.

Moreover, a tonsillectomy recovery is very unpredictable. In my case, the odd discomfort escalated into an unimaginable pain in a matter of hours. The first few days (2-3) are bearable, your throat will feel weird, your energies will be down, and the pain is not that bad. The next couple of days (4-6) are much harder, the pain is almost unbearable, not only your throat hurts but your ears too. The last days are also really bad, doctors say those are the worst days now that the white scabs that formed around the wound start to fall, and eating is a lot harder.

The real question here is, is it worth it? Is the tonsillectomy worth all the pain? Well, This greatly depends on the person your asking, many people hate the process so much that never having tonsillitis again doesn’t really matter. Others saw a huge benefit, now that they don’t get sick as often and throat aches are not that bad.

“I think it was beneficial, thankfully I didn’t have the experience of dealing with any illness related with them [tonsils] because I had them removed at a very young age, but I’m sure it was very beneficial” Alejandro Gomez, said.

All in all a tonsillectomy affects every person differently. In my own personal case, I think it was very beneficial and my health has seen improvements since I got the surgery done. People that will have the surgery done or are thinking about it need to know it’s a hard recovery, full of pain, discomfort, stress, hunger, and a stinky breath.  

“The surgery will improve someone’s quality of life if their dealing with tonsil illnesses, now that they will not suffer from tonsillitis anymore, and if they had problems related with breathing, things will be a lot better without them. Dr. Saveria Sangiovanni said.