It was brutal getting awake intubation, 16 doctors, residents, nurses, and med students all in one crowded room. My ENT pulled rank with her status as senior teacher and former top hospital doc to insist on personally be there. Interventional radiology was miffed since their standard practice is to do a traech on patients like me with major trismus, plus swollen tongue and constricted airway. At one point 5 doctors were shouting over each other: no, too deep; watch out, move to the left;now right to the poor anesthesiologist while the ENT team is shouting to me: good job, you can do this, Breathe , almost there . Then a triumphant shout from all:we did it, knock him out now.
What a nice way to go under. 3 hours later, I wake up in recovery , minutes after being done. IR docs stunned I am already conscious and cognizant. (my past as a hippie leaves me active where others are comatose ) and I asked them to speak up in their briefing to the recovery nurse.
They had to embolize the entire superior thyroid artery (google it, great pix-)
It was leaking like a sieve. Big relief because the surgery to do this very dangerous and this arteroigram is very a safe. Still wired on adrenaline despite 3 morphine shots later but I should be able to sleep soon.
Bev is so relieved. Now to tackle the nausea and vomiting issues which have vanished with nothing to eat or drink in 2 full days but plagued me all month. I got my second wind when I saw that post where a chemo doc said to not follow the radiologist oncologist treatment plan.
Blessings
Charm