Re: Prepping for sinus surgery, Penny, Tony

[Guest guest]

Hi Marie, reading your post it looks like you covered a lot of

ground with the nurse and it " sounds " positive. My husband had had

numerous sinus and ear infections. He had 2 sinus and throat

surgeries, didn't do anything for the infections.

This last surgery may have been the one that worked. This doc is in

San Diego and came highly recommended. Seems in part the problem for

my husband may have been structural. Seems he has very tiny passages

all throughout his head. This last surgery was different then the

previous in that this time the doc changed the structure a bit. Not

a whole lot but I think it involved removing a little bit of bone or

cartiledge.

The way things were in his sinuses is that drainage was a problem.

So you get any kind of goo going on in there and it just sits there

like a toxic waste collector. What the doctor did was to make more

of a downward shoot, basically removing any barrier that prevented

the goo from draining.

It's been about 18 months since the surgery and the first cold that

came along was worrisome. Thankfully though there has been no new

infections in either his sinuses or his ears at least that are

obvious.

Point is, in his previous surgeries by 2 other doctors, no one ever

thought to do something like this. Knock on wood, it seems to have

worked. Might be something to ask your doctor before he actually

goes in.

>

> I left a message for my ENT doctors nurse

> had some questions for the Dr. before my surgery. Asked for a call

> back and/or schedule a consult appoint for me.

>

> The nurse called back and I told her I wanted to know exactly what

the

> Dr was planning as it wasn't clear when I talked to the Dr. and I

have

> some questions about the cultures. She said she would pass

questions

> on to Dr. and he would decide if I needed to talk to him directly.

>

> I told the nurse I wanted to make it very clear that I wanted a

> minimal amount of cutting and my main concern was clearing and

healing

> infection. She told me the Drs orders were to culture all

pathogens.

> Then I said that I had been reading and researching on the web and

I

> was concerned that they wouldn't grow the cultures long enough. She

> assured me they would let them grow and would be getting results in

> for a number of weeks after the surgery. Then I asked her about

> actinimosis ( I can't spell it ) She knew what I was talking

about. I

> told her I wanted to be tested for it as it can bore into the

bone. I

> told her that I have blisters in my palette that come and go and I

am

> concerned the infection may be in the bone. I told her I understood

> that a specimen for this must be handled immediately to get

accurate

> results. She knew what I was talking about and said that when they

> looked for this they have a pathologist in the surgery room to take

> the specimens immediately. I told to tell the Dr. I want that done

> because I have had infections for so long there is very likely to

be

> infection spread to the bone. She said she would pass my request

on to

> the Dr.

>

> I also asked for clarification of the proceedure. He is using an

> endoscope and is having a machine brought into the hospital for

> advanced imaging. It is a new proceedure which allows him to look

at a

> cat scan and know where he is in the sinuses at all times. That is

> reassuring because he is going into the ethmoid sinuses.

>

> I'm feeling pretty good about the conversation. I felt more

> comfortable talking to her then to the Dr. He seems to be a good

dr.

> but like most you feel like you are getting what I call a dx on

roller

> skates.

> Drs can move in and out of an exam room so fast you feel like the

> visit was just a blur.

> He may get my requests second hand but may be more likely to

listen to

> the nurse than to me.

>

> I may be a pain it the _ss but I don't care. I am really tired of

> fighting infections and spending $$$$$ with no results. Also not

fond

> at all of having any kind of surgery.

>

> Surgery is scheduled for July 10.

> Marie

>

[Guest guest]

This is excellent, Marie! This is one doc who sounds

on top of things. Just being aware of the actinomyces

and having the pathologist in the room and

transporting the culture immediately to the lab is

really awesome.

I have a friend who gives her doc a check list to sign

before he does surgery. She brings a copy for him on

the day of the surgery to remind him what he promised

to do. If you can get away with it, it wouldn't be a

bad idea, because like you say, these guys are

practically on skates and they forget things all the

time.

penny

p.s. email me privately with your ENT's name and your

location and I'll add it to a list of potentially good

docs for when someone inquires about one in your area.

--- msmabrry <msmabrry@...> wrote:

> I left a message for my ENT doctors nurse

> had some questions for the Dr. before my surgery.

> Asked for a call

> back and/or schedule a consult appoint for me.

>

> The nurse called back and I told her I wanted to

> know exactly what the

> Dr was planning as it wasn't clear when I talked to

> the Dr. and I have

> some questions about the cultures. She said she

> would pass questions

> on to Dr. and he would decide if I needed to talk to

> him directly.

>

> I told the nurse I wanted to make it very clear that

> I wanted a

> minimal amount of cutting and my main concern was

> clearing and healing

> infection. She told me the Drs orders were to

> culture all pathogens.

> Then I said that I had been reading and researching

> on the web and I

> was concerned that they wouldn't grow the cultures

> long enough. She

> assured me they would let them grow and would be

> getting results in

> for a number of weeks after the surgery. Then I

> asked her about

> actinimosis ( I can't spell it ) She knew what I was

> talking about. I

> told her I wanted to be tested for it as it can bore

> into the bone. I

> told her that I have blisters in my palette that

> come and go and I am

> concerned the infection may be in the bone. I told

> her I understood

> that a specimen for this must be handled immediately

> to get accurate

> results. She knew what I was talking about and said

> that when they

> looked for this they have a pathologist in the

> surgery room to take

> the specimens immediately. I told to tell the Dr. I

> want that done

> because I have had infections for so long there is

> very likely to be

> infection spread to the bone. She said she would

> pass my request on to

> the Dr.

>

> I also asked for clarification of the proceedure. He

> is using an

> endoscope and is having a machine brought into the

> hospital for

> advanced imaging. It is a new proceedure which

> allows him to look at a

> cat scan and know where he is in the sinuses at all

> times. That is

> reassuring because he is going into the ethmoid

> sinuses.

>

> I'm feeling pretty good about the conversation. I

> felt more

> comfortable talking to her then to the Dr. He seems

> to be a good dr.

> but like most you feel like you are getting what I

> call a dx on roller

> skates.

> Drs can move in and out of an exam room so fast you

> feel like the

> visit was just a blur.

> He may get my requests second hand but may be more

> likely to listen to

> the nurse than to me.

>

> I may be a pain it the _ss but I don't care. I am

> really tired of

> fighting infections and spending $$$$$ with no

> results. Also not fond

> at all of having any kind of surgery.

>

> Surgery is scheduled for July 10.

> Marie

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I think your husband is very lucky if this technique

worked, because it's very risky.

penny

--- jellybelly92008 <herranenb@...> wrote:

> Hi Marie, reading your post it looks like you

> covered a lot of

> ground with the nurse and it " sounds " positive. My

> husband had had

> numerous sinus and ear infections. He had 2 sinus

> and throat

> surgeries, didn't do anything for the infections.

>

> This last surgery may have been the one that worked.

> This doc is in

> San Diego and came highly recommended. Seems in part

> the problem for

> my husband may have been structural. Seems he has

> very tiny passages

> all throughout his head. This last surgery was

> different then the

> previous in that this time the doc changed the

> structure a bit. Not

> a whole lot but I think it involved removing a

> little bit of bone or

> cartiledge.

>

> The way things were in his sinuses is that drainage

> was a problem.

> So you get any kind of goo going on in there and it

> just sits there

> like a toxic waste collector. What the doctor did

> was to make more

> of a downward shoot, basically removing any barrier

> that prevented

> the goo from draining.

>

> It's been about 18 months since the surgery and the

> first cold that

> came along was worrisome. Thankfully though there

> has been no new

> infections in either his sinuses or his ears at

> least that are

> obvious.

>

> Point is, in his previous surgeries by 2 other

> doctors, no one ever

> thought to do something like this. Knock on wood, it

> seems to have

> worked. Might be something to ask your doctor before

> he actually

> goes in.

>

>

>

> >

> > I left a message for my ENT doctors nurse

> > had some questions for the Dr. before my surgery.

> Asked for a call

> > back and/or schedule a consult appoint for me.

> >

> > The nurse called back and I told her I wanted to

> know exactly what

> the

> > Dr was planning as it wasn't clear when I talked

> to the Dr. and I

> have

> > some questions about the cultures. She said she

> would pass

> questions

> > on to Dr. and he would decide if I needed to talk

> to him directly.

> >

> > I told the nurse I wanted to make it very clear

> that I wanted a

> > minimal amount of cutting and my main concern was

> clearing and

> healing

> > infection. She told me the Drs orders were to

> culture all

> pathogens.

> > Then I said that I had been reading and

> researching on the web and

> I

> > was concerned that they wouldn't grow the cultures

> long enough. She

> > assured me they would let them grow and would be

> getting results in

> > for a number of weeks after the surgery. Then I

> asked her about

> > actinimosis ( I can't spell it ) She knew what I

> was talking

> about. I

> > told her I wanted to be tested for it as it can

> bore into the

> bone. I

> > told her that I have blisters in my palette that

> come and go and I

> am

> > concerned the infection may be in the bone. I told

> her I understood

> > that a specimen for this must be handled

> immediately to get

> accurate

> > results. She knew what I was talking about and

> said that when they

> > looked for this they have a pathologist in the

> surgery room to take

> > the specimens immediately. I told to tell the Dr.

> I want that done

> > because I have had infections for so long there is

> very likely to

> be

> > infection spread to the bone. She said she would

> pass my request

> on to

> > the Dr.

> >

> > I also asked for clarification of the proceedure.

> He is using an

> > endoscope and is having a machine brought into the

> hospital for

> > advanced imaging. It is a new proceedure which

> allows him to look

> at a

> > cat scan and know where he is in the sinuses at

> all times. That is

> > reassuring because he is going into the ethmoid

> sinuses.

> >

> > I'm feeling pretty good about the conversation. I

> felt more

> > comfortable talking to her then to the Dr. He

> seems to be a good

> dr.

> > but like most you feel like you are getting what I

> call a dx on

> roller

> > skates.

> > Drs can move in and out of an exam room so fast

> you feel like the

> > visit was just a blur.

> > He may get my requests second hand but may be more

> likely to

> listen to

> > the nurse than to me.

> >

> > I may be a pain it the _ss but I don't care. I am

> really tired of

> > fighting infections and spending $$$$$ with no

> results. Also not

> fond

> > at all of having any kind of surgery.

> >

> > Surgery is scheduled for July 10.

> > Marie

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Risky is also having an infection that close to your brain that they

can't get rid of. ABX carry a measure of risk too, but you have to

decide for yourself which is the " lessor of 2 evils " . Stinks that we

are reduced to those options.

I'm glad it worked, surgery is never first thing on our lists.

> > >

> > > I left a message for my ENT doctors nurse

> > > had some questions for the Dr. before my surgery.

> > Asked for a call

> > > back and/or schedule a consult appoint for me.

> > >

> > > The nurse called back and I told her I wanted to

> > know exactly what

> > the

> > > Dr was planning as it wasn't clear when I talked

> > to the Dr. and I

> > have

> > > some questions about the cultures. She said she

> > would pass

> > questions

> > > on to Dr. and he would decide if I needed to talk

> > to him directly.

> > >

> > > I told the nurse I wanted to make it very clear

> > that I wanted a

> > > minimal amount of cutting and my main concern was

> > clearing and

> > healing

> > > infection. She told me the Drs orders were to

> > culture all

> > pathogens.

> > > Then I said that I had been reading and

> > researching on the web and

> > I

> > > was concerned that they wouldn't grow the cultures

> > long enough. She

> > > assured me they would let them grow and would be

> > getting results in

> > > for a number of weeks after the surgery. Then I

> > asked her about

> > > actinimosis ( I can't spell it ) She knew what I

> > was talking

> > about. I

> > > told her I wanted to be tested for it as it can

> > bore into the

> > bone. I

> > > told her that I have blisters in my palette that

> > come and go and I

> > am

> > > concerned the infection may be in the bone. I told

> > her I understood

> > > that a specimen for this must be handled

> > immediately to get

> > accurate

> > > results. She knew what I was talking about and

> > said that when they

> > > looked for this they have a pathologist in the

> > surgery room to take

> > > the specimens immediately. I told to tell the Dr.

> > I want that done

> > > because I have had infections for so long there is

> > very likely to

> > be

> > > infection spread to the bone. She said she would

> > pass my request

> > on to

> > > the Dr.

> > >

> > > I also asked for clarification of the proceedure.

> > He is using an

> > > endoscope and is having a machine brought into the

> > hospital for

> > > advanced imaging. It is a new proceedure which

> > allows him to look

> > at a

> > > cat scan and know where he is in the sinuses at

> > all times. That is

> > > reassuring because he is going into the ethmoid

> > sinuses.

> > >

> > > I'm feeling pretty good about the conversation. I

> > felt more

> > > comfortable talking to her then to the Dr. He

> > seems to be a good

> > dr.

> > > but like most you feel like you are getting what I

> > call a dx on

> > roller

> > > skates.

> > > Drs can move in and out of an exam room so fast

> > you feel like the

> > > visit was just a blur.

> > > He may get my requests second hand but may be more

> > likely to

> > listen to

> > > the nurse than to me.

> > >

> > > I may be a pain it the _ss but I don't care. I am

> > really tired of

> > > fighting infections and spending $$$$$ with no

> > results. Also not

> > fond

> > > at all of having any kind of surgery.

> > >

> > > Surgery is scheduled for July 10.

> > > Marie

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I would be happy to email you the Docs name but maybe

we should wait and see if he delivers and also if I

actually respond to treatment.

Marie

--- Penny Houle <pennyhoule@...> wrote:

> This is excellent, Marie! This is one doc who sounds

> on top of things. Just being aware of the

> actinomyces

> and having the pathologist in the room and

> transporting the culture immediately to the lab is

> really awesome.

>

> I have a friend who gives her doc a check list to

> sign

> before he does surgery. She brings a copy for him on

> the day of the surgery to remind him what he

> promised

> to do. If you can get away with it, it wouldn't be a

> bad idea, because like you say, these guys are

> practically on skates and they forget things all the

> time.

>

> penny

>

> p.s. email me privately with your ENT's name and

> your

> location and I'll add it to a list of potentially

> good

> docs for when someone inquires about one in your

> area.

>

>

>

> --- msmabrry <msmabrry@...> wrote:

>

> > I left a message for my ENT doctors nurse

> > had some questions for the Dr. before my surgery.

> > Asked for a call

> > back and/or schedule a consult appoint for me.

> >

> > The nurse called back and I told her I wanted to

> > know exactly what the

> > Dr was planning as it wasn't clear when I talked

> to

> > the Dr. and I have

> > some questions about the cultures. She said she

> > would pass questions

> > on to Dr. and he would decide if I needed to talk

> to

> > him directly.

> >

> > I told the nurse I wanted to make it very clear

> that

> > I wanted a

> > minimal amount of cutting and my main concern was

> > clearing and healing

> > infection. She told me the Drs orders were to

> > culture all pathogens.

> > Then I said that I had been reading and

> researching

> > on the web and I

> > was concerned that they wouldn't grow the cultures

> > long enough. She

> > assured me they would let them grow and would be

> > getting results in

> > for a number of weeks after the surgery. Then I

> > asked her about

> > actinimosis ( I can't spell it ) She knew what I

> was

> > talking about. I

> > told her I wanted to be tested for it as it can

> bore

> > into the bone. I

> > told her that I have blisters in my palette that

> > come and go and I am

> > concerned the infection may be in the bone. I told

> > her I understood

> > that a specimen for this must be handled

> immediately

> > to get accurate

> > results. She knew what I was talking about and

> said

> > that when they

> > looked for this they have a pathologist in the

> > surgery room to take

> > the specimens immediately. I told to tell the Dr.

> I

> > want that done

> > because I have had infections for so long there is

> > very likely to be

> > infection spread to the bone. She said she would

> > pass my request on to

> > the Dr.

> >

> > I also asked for clarification of the proceedure.

> He

> > is using an

> > endoscope and is having a machine brought into the

> > hospital for

> > advanced imaging. It is a new proceedure which

> > allows him to look at a

> > cat scan and know where he is in the sinuses at

> all

> > times. That is

> > reassuring because he is going into the ethmoid

> > sinuses.

> >

> > I'm feeling pretty good about the conversation. I

> > felt more

> > comfortable talking to her then to the Dr. He

> seems

> > to be a good dr.

> > but like most you feel like you are getting what I

> > call a dx on roller

> > skates.

> > Drs can move in and out of an exam room so fast

> you

> > feel like the

> > visit was just a blur.

> > He may get my requests second hand but may be more

> > likely to listen to

> > the nurse than to me.

> >

> > I may be a pain it the _ss but I don't care. I am

> > really tired of

> > fighting infections and spending $$$$$ with no

> > results. Also not fond

> > at all of having any kind of surgery.

> >

> > Surgery is scheduled for July 10.

> > Marie

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

__________________________________________________