It’s been a weird couple of days.  This is not really at all what I was expecting.  I guess I was expecting a headache or more of a jawache or something.  What I’m getting is this weird general uncomfortableness and numbness.  Occasional pain in the ear (especially if I accidentally lay on it or lay flat or sneeze) that is like a really bad ear infection – like being stabbed inside your head with an ice pick or something.  But that goes away pretty fast.  The pain pills do help with the weirdness.  I’m sure it’s that the nerves for the ear were cut and they are just vaguely starting to come back.  I’ve heard anywhere from a couple of weeks to months to never on when the ear starts feeling normal again.  In the meantime, it’s just kind of annoying, and it makes sleeping without drugs very difficult.  Just getting comfortable without being able to sleep on either just one pillow or on the right side is really difficult still.  I can at least sleep on the left now if I can manage to keep my head high enough.

I’m really run-down, which has me a little concerned now that I’m almost a week out.  I was hoping to return to work today, and definitely tried, but wasn’t able to do it.  Work is a large source of anxiety for me right now, and I’ve dropped a lot of balls in the last couple of months, so I definitely was in need of a “vacation”.  Time away has definitely helped, so I’m hoping to return and be at the top of my game.  I didn’t feel like I wanted the “brain fog” of pain pills, so I attempted to cut back – I seem to be okay without them during the day, but for sleeping I apparently really still need them.  So I didn’t end up sleeping last night because I was so uncomfortable and then gave in and took one (and a long nap) at noon today.  Now I know and will try differently for tomorrow.

Also have a very very minor fever.  Nothing like after my previous surgeries, so I’m not worried about it.  I’m also due for my Remicade treatment this week, so it could simply be because of that (I have put this off until next week, because I am still on antibiotics from the surgery and you can’t get Remicade while on antibiotics).

The incision itself seems to be doing okay.  There is one little spot I’m concerned with and will have Ed take a look tomorrow (I can’t see it myself) to be sure.  There just seems to be a little bit of a sticky spot on my hair, so I’m hoping it’s not drainage.  I should be able to shampoo tomorrow for the first time, which will be nice – but again weird because of the numbness.

I unfortunately did not get as much accomplished during recovery as I’d hoped.  I only read one book and didn’t do much binge-watching.  I continued a previous binge-watch of “Nashville”, which I’d already seen when it aired, and I read “Paper and Fire” by Rachel Caine, which is technically a young adult book.  So I guess I needed brainless.

I am starting to go a little stir crazy.  I haven’t left the house since surgery, and I’m not allowed to drive until after I get evaluated at my post-surgery appointment, which is not until Aug 17.  There are other things in my life that I have decided to put on hold for a month – such as the nonprofit organization and my baking hobby.  I’m hoping to spend all of my non-work time completely as true down time.  Hopefully that will speed the rest of recovery.