More Good News

Met with Dr. Smith today. Highlights of the visit:

• The lower drainage tube was removed completely.
• The other two tubes were partially removed, and now only about an inch and half remain inside. These are draining anything around the main suture site.
• The sutures were removed from the lengthwise incision, so now I just have a ruddy scar.
• I can eat solid food! Dr. Smith cautioned me to start with soft foods, like pasta, and avoid anything crunchy and seeds until we're sure solid food doesn't irritate my throat.
• I can stop using the TPN later this week when I feel comfortable with food. I'm going to call Dr. Smith on Friday, let him know how I'm doing, and probably stop TPN use that day.
• I am officially a medical anomaly, on account of the weird way that my throat has healed. I hope to see myself written up in the New England Journal of Medicine in a few months.

Anyhow, I am very grateful to have had such a speedy recovery, and to basically be in as good shape as I was a month ago, despite having such an rare injury. I will be even more grateful when I have my next meal. Tonight, Page and I are going out for dinner - there's a little Italian place down the street that we like, and it has great tiramisu to boot. In the meantime, though - I might order some lunch. There's a good sushi takeaway place down the street...