Enlarged Tonsils and Tonsillectomy with Maxicare and Philhealth

On August 26, 2014, after our vacation in Boracay together with my mine, Lorraine, we directly went home to have a good rest and sleep however it woke me up during a sudden gush of blood from my throat and a tinged of blood from my left ear. I'm not actually scared about what's happening since I'm a registered nurse by profession but I'm actually worried.

So I consulted a physician in Healthway in SM North EDSA and she told me to immediately get to an operation since my tonsils is already enlarged and bleeding. She said that it was a long time problem (yes it is!) and she's asking why I'm risking the pain and the risk of having sleep apnea. I told her that I dont feel any pain or not even any sorethroat for the past 2 years. She was actually shocked that I felt normal for the last 2 years (yes, 2 years or even more).

I discovered this when I started in Convergys also known as Stream North EDSA in 2011. I felt hoarseness of my voice and when I had my check up, it was an enlarged tonsils classified as Grade 1. Then okay, so my life moved on since I did not feel any symptoms such as pain or soreness of my throat. Then, this time 2014, when I had my routinary check up, our clinic physician was shocked, my tonsils are very large that it can even block my entire airway during my sleep (yes, it did at some point) and I have severe snoring problems. It was classified as Grade 4 (konti na lang graduate na sya. lol)

Well, moving on, it was aggravated when we had helmet diving in Boracay (I'm not recommending this to anyone due to the risk involved and it will not be explained clearly by the tourist guides/divers). There was too much pressure being pumped to our heads that my left ear and throat was not able to handle it and it made me realize that it is time for this to be removed. Good thing though that my ears was not affected though there was a tinged of blood but it was not severe that it can affect my balance or hearing.

Though I'm afraid of having an operation since I know what can happen in an OR table (being a nurse-cracks me 2x). Then I was never given a choice, it has to be REMOVED. Okay then, so I was confined in UST hospital on August 28, 2014, in a private surgical ward (max of 5 patients-fully air conditioned) since there was no single room available covered by Maxicare (daming patiente, anong meron? hehe).

Then the following day at 10 in the morning, I was brought to the Operating Room for my TONSILLECTOMY. It gives me goose bumps when we entered the room, it was so cold there and the last thing I remember was when a Scrub Nurse told me that she's going to sedate me then I suddenly fell asleep (I know that's gonna happen). Oh wait, due to the fact that I'm a nurse, I requested to wear my boxers instead of being naked with the hospital gown (baka tingnan nila ksi, lol).

When I woke up by 3PM, I'm already in the recovery room. That's my tonsils in the picture below, it's the size of a regular Longganisa (sorry for those who are eating). Operation only lasted for 45 minutes and I can hardly open my eyes and I felt a little dizzy since general anesthesia was wearing off. I was covered and wrapped in plastic and I was on Oxygen. It was really cool and the nurses were very accommodating. I was even offered an ice cream.

Speaking of ICE CREAM, my partner came in with my dessert, no, its my meal. Being on fasting (non per orem) will really make you crave. Then I was brought back to our room. The doctor came in that night and check me out, then she said I'm having a fast recovery then we can go home the following day. I ate a lot of Ice Cream and Mousse since that's the only food that I can eat temporarily.

The following day I can finally go home. Then, my doctor told me to be on 3 weeks SOFT DIET and NO HOT drinks or soups to prevent the scabs to peel off and make me bleed severely. Then that afternoon I was ready for discharge. I have medicines such as Co-amoxiclav (antibiotic) and pain relievers. My bill amounted to Php 45K plus. Thank God I have Maxicare and Philhealth which covered it all for me. Wait there is still 500 pesos for miscellaneous.

1 week past and I was feeling okay. No pain after operation (my doctor said I have high pain tolerance but I'm easily pained when a needle is inserted through my skin-both of them have soft tissues and nerve endings, right?). Anyway, still reminded of the soft diet on my second week and continuous antibiotic. Then on the start of my 3rd week of recovery, I started eating rice and other viands and I was okay.

I actually felt normal even without my tonsils. It was my first operation but it really made me feel great knowing that it fixes my snoring issues and risk of dying during my sleep. AND most of all I lost 5 kilos on my recovery since I cant hardly eat. From 66 kilos to 61 kilos. Achievement. Hehe

I hope this helps for those who are nervous of having this operation. That is just normal and I understand you, I know exactly what you feel, but you need to push through with it since that will save you from your health problems and risk.

Keep me posted. ;)