Updates about surgery

While I created this blog, mostly for myself as notes and progress for Phil's medical appointments. I also want to share this once in a while because I feel the need to keep family and friends in the loop. While we don't mean push everyone away, Phil doesn't want anyone to see him the way he is.

If everyone knows Phil, at least the Phil that I knew 2 years ago, he was a go getter. Always moving, always trying something new, moving what seemed like 24/7. While Phil liked video games he liked tinkering with things a whole lot more whether it was model airplanes, RC airplanes, RC cars, fixing anyone and everyone's computer, he was always doing something.

In the past two years. Phil has worn out our couch from sitting/sleeping on it so often! This is not the Phil I knew, but this is the Phil that I still love. :) He doesn't want people to see him when he is not well and not himself.

Yesterday we got a call from the Ear Nose and Throat Dr. They called and asked if we would come in to review the scans from last week. Phil got a little excited and thought that since the swelling in his nose went down they weren't able to find anything on the scans! We were both a little hopeful. Almost immediately after the appointment, Phil's nasal polyps went down. He could talk almost normal and for the first time in a year (or two) he could smell!!!

So this morning we went in for the appointment, we got there 45 minutes early. They took us right in!
The doctor came in, and said, "Wow, I don't know how you are breathing!"
Immediately you can guess that our hope for no surgery just went out the window.
We got to see pictures of Phil's head.
The doctor then began saying "All those white spots (big lines, like the outline of the skull) are supposed to be black. It looks like right now, there is no way for any air to get through at all."

Oh.

So not only will Phil be having surgery next week, they are going to do as much as they can through the nose but they will probably be cutting through the forehead and muscle to fix ALL the sinus cavity. While the polyps WILL come back. The doctor wants to work with Phil and get him some treatment plans with the allergist and everyday care for his nose (neti pot and nasal sprays) so that maybe the polyps won't come back for 10, 15 or 20 years. The doctors hope is that he will only have this surgery 2 more times. But this means more appointments to keep his nose healthy and allergy free.

And again, while we were excited not to have any doctors appointments this week, it looks like we had one anyways.
But we are still hopeful and we are glad the scans came back and that this time they are removing ALL of the polyps and this time there is a treatment plan to keep them from coming back as quickly.

Phil still won't allow pictures, so I can't post any pictures yet.