Okay, so earlier this week I developed a huge lump in my throat...you know?, the kind you get when you are about to cry? Only it didn't go away. My throat had been really sore for about 2-3 days which I wasn't too worried about after having a bad sinus infection which turned into reactive airway and being on various antibiotics and steroids all month along w/inhalers, etc. Then on Monday I ate a bite of a quesadilla...it didn't seem hot at all when I bit into it, just warm as it sat on my tongue...then I swallowed and it felt intensely painful in my throat. It hurt a minute or so but felt better after a few sips of cold water. I didn't really think much about it afterward.
So, the next evening, I am trying to eat supper and feel as though the food is barely able to slip down my throat. It hurt like hell. I really only briefly thought of the "quesadilla incident" from the day before. I palpate my throat...I feel a lump, it is painful to touch, it hurts to cough, it hurts to move my neck/head. Think about how painful a case of strep throat is, right? Well, take that and multiply it by at least 5 on the intensity scale and you've got what I was feeling. It was absolutely horrendous...I actually cried about it after putting Mia to bed...I even had to take 2 XS Ibuprofen.
I looked on the internet (I know, big mistake, huge...). I either have a muscle spasm in my throat or I am dying of thyroid cancer which mysteriously manifested overnight. Whatever it is, it sucks.
I called my ENT the next day...no appointments available. I suck it up and resolve to see what happens. I go about my merry life but am barely eating because anything (and I do mean ANYthing, including liquids) hurts like a knife slicing my throat open. In fact, I wonder if I ask McDonald's to take a rolling pin and flatten my tiny hamburger into a more pancake-like state if they will think I am weird! On Thursday I call the ENT back and see if they have any cancellations...they did, for Friday. I can wait another day.
By Friday, the lump sensation was gone but the throat was still intensely painful. I go to the ENT (who is awesome, btw). She does the usual scope but this time passes it all the way through and down into my throat. She said it looks like I burned/seared my larynx. She said the food probably wasn't that hot...that if I had eaten it three months ago when my larynx wasn't already irritated and inflamed from being sick for a month it wouldn't have done anything at all but my larynx was primed for injury. The bad news...there's nothing to be done about it. The good news...despite the excrutiating pain the burn is not severe and it will heal on it's own...in a month or so.
So, I am relieved. Tonight it still hurts but each day is a little better and what other more fantastic excuse could I have for having a daily milkshake (something I never ever treat myself to)?? I have had 2 in the past two days and it has been like a little treasure! That's got to be the silver lining in all this! :D
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment