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MORE THAN ICE CREAM AND BED REST 3 QUESTIONS TO HELP RECOVER FROM YOUR TONSILLECTOMY
“What am I allowed to eat?” Stick to a diet you can eat safely after your tonsillectomy. For two weeks following your surgery, eat only soft foods like mashed potatoes, pudding, or ice cream. If you have to chew something up before you swallow it, don’t eat it. Stay far away from potato chips, pizza, or sandwiches. Even if you start to feel a lot better, stick to eating soft foods for the full two weeks following your surgery or until you are fully healed. “Will I bleed a lot?” While it’s normal to notice a little bit of blood mixed in with your saliva a day or two after surgery, bleeding after a tonsillectomy is relatively uncommon. If you do experience bleeding, gargle with ice water. The cold will constrict the blood vessels and quickly stop the bleeding. If you gargle with ice water for several minutes and the bleeding hasn’t stopped, call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away. Tonsillectomies are unpleasant surgeries to recover from. The good news is that once you’re healed, you’ll no longer be plagued with a sore throat, snoring, or whatever else made your tonsillectomy necessary in the first place.
At one point in time, getting your tonsils removed was a rite of passage in childhood. In the 1970s and 1980s, almost every kid had a friend who had gotten their tonsils taken out. Today, tonsillectomies (surgeries to remove tonsils) are far less common. Most doctors will consider other possible options before recommending a tonsillectomy. While not a dangerous surgery, recovering from a tonsillectomy is a painful process. If you need to have your tonsils removed due to chronic tonsillitis, obstructive sleep apnea, or another problem, here are the answers to three questions you may be asking. “How can I prevent the pain?” Pain is a common outcome of any surgery. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to prevent all the pain following a tonsillectomy, but you can manage that pain. The strategies your doctor recommends will depend on your age. • Children (6 or younger) — With younger children, it’s recommended to trade off between Tylenol and Ibuprofen every three hours. • Children (7 and up) — For kids and teenagers, a regiment of Tylenol and Ibuprofen are usually enough to manage the pain. If your child is experiencing a lot of pain, your doctor may prescribe a stronger pain medication to take temporarily. • Adults — Your doctor may prescribe a pain medication in liquid form, usually hydrocodone, provided you don’t have any allergies to the medication.
How to Make Your Own SAUERKRAUT Inspired by NourishedKitchen.com
HAVE A LAUGH
Ingredients
Equipment
• 2 lbs cabbage • 4 tsp fine sea salt
• Jar • Lid with airlock • Something to weigh down cabbage, ideally made of a nonreactive material like glass
Directions
1. Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Slice very thinly. 2. In a large bowl, combine cabbage and salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. 3. Squeeze cabbage to release juices. Let the cabbage continue to soak and release juices for another 20 minutes. 4. Transfer to a jar and press down cabbage until completely submerged in its juices. Weigh down cabbage. 5. Seal jar with airlock. Let cabbage sit at room temperature and away from sunlight for one month. Once fermented, transfer to the fridge. Sauerkraut will keep for six months to one year.
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