Well, my week post radical tonsilectomy was uneventful. Cold drinks, frozen stuff like smoothies were ok. Superblender makes great soups. Some things got caught on wounds and Hurt! Back to ice water. However, just like the text book tells the doctor, on/about day 6, the scabs on the rescission are going to want to come off. You know how it goes, scab comes off, more healing occurs. Well didn't know scabs would be life-threatening. Started out at bedtime, felt something strange in back of throat. As if I could detect strange from normal, but what was weird. Thought I had spit or mucus in throat. Spit up and Whoa! Blood! Spitting up was. Very painful, so swallowing was easier. Began to swallow, a great deal. Thought it would stop. After about an hour and a half, thought it did, them Here It Comes!! Belly did not like all that blood. I really had no idea I was swallowing much blood.

We rushed to ER. Doctor release notes were if you start bleeding or vomiting blood, go to ER.

Anyway, I vomited coagulated blood. About two of those vomit bags full (2000ml??).

ER at Potomac was great. They did all they could. Gave me nausea drugs and TLC-Thanks!

Bleeding slowed over time and stopped after about 4-5 hours. Not sure when it stopped. Hard to tell I was bleeding since it goes right down the throat from the tonsil incision point.

Threw up a lot of chunky coagulated blood. Not sure when it formed the clots but they were big. This was completely unexpected to me and quite an experience. I don't want to gross anyone out, I want to warn you this may come if your incisions bleed. My BP (that's blood pressure, not Baden Powell for you Scouters) was quite low and my hemoglobins were also, very very low.

I lost a lot of blood. My doc ordered a transfusion and I took two pints over about a 10 hour period. Goes in much slower than saline. He said if my hemoglobins don't go up we need surgery to repair bleeders.

I was very weak. And I could not eat ot drink! I tried to rest.

My BP and hemoglobins went up. Not a lot, but I was discharged 48 hours later. I went home rested. The next day I had a follow-up with Doc. All looked ok. No bleeding, etc. Next appointment is five days with DO.
Thursday, time to rest.

Overnight Thursday, I had the worst pain ever in my tongue!! Dear wife got me some ice chips and at 0230 I am sucking on ice. I dozed off...and about 0430, I woke up to a familiar feeling: I was bleeding from my tonsil rescission wounds, again.

I did not hesitate this time and we rushed to ER. We got there in less the 10 minutes (only time there is no traffic in the DC/Northern Virginia area).

Met new great staff at Potomac ER who took great care of me. Anti-nausa meds worked better, bleeding slowed faster, and I was going to the OR.

Surgery was flawless, post-op was pleasant (Thanks!!) and today I am recovering.

I did not lose as much blood which is a good thing.

I hope I don't have to experience this again, at least for a few weeks so I can produce more blood, get rehydrated.

Recommend, like out other dear friends have, drink at least a cup/ 8 oz an hour or 48-64-144 oz's a day. It will help when you need it like I did.

P.S

During first bleed-out, doc got prelim results of PET taken and looks like there may be some more SCC in the L lymph nods, and may be a little more on the right side. Doc says some could be from post-tonsil rescission after effects. I got the PET 2 days after surgery.

So, next week get to meet the team at Walter Reed Bethesda National Navy medical center who are going to help me fight this cancer. Wish me luck!!