I had a Septoplasty

Hello once again,

This is like my 3rd time asking questions about different medical stuff about me.

Well this time it's about my nose.
I've had deviated septum ever since I was 11 years old.  I remember very well on how it became deviated.  Trauma due to someones arm that accidentally swung at my nose. Right at that moment, my breathing changed forever.

So now I am 21 and I feel that I really need to do something about it because it has become really troublesome every morning.  Therefore I've went to an E.N.T. specially months booked me an O.R. and had my surgery done on May 20th, 2010. The procedure that was done is a Septoplasty, Bilateral Turbinate Reduction.  

First 3 days after surgery.  It was literally hell, I could not eat, sleep, concentrate or do anything because of the lack of energy and a terrible headaches/sinus pressure.  But after that, things began to look up and I a lot felt better.

6 days later,  which is today, May 26, 2010 I had an appointment with my E.N.T. to remove the packing the placed in my nose after surgery.  My E.N.T. chose to use 5 ft. long gauzes in both nostrils.  To my surprise and dismay, he only removed one side today and left the other one alone and told me to come back next Tuesday to remove the other one.  I left disappointed, because I still have that gauze in one side of my nose and I still couldn't breath out of nostril where the E.N.T. removed the gauze/packing at.

Now then, hopefully that paints the imagine of my current situation.
I would like to ask some questions to get some concerns off my back. :)

1.) Could I do anything post-care?  Doctor told me nothing much really.

2.) Is it standard practice for an E.N.T. just to remove the gauze from 1 side only and leave the other side for next week? ( I've read online that E.N.T.'s usually prefer to remove both at the same time and introduce their patients with the irrigation regiment right away. )

3.) Randomly today, 2-3 times, I've been able to breath through that nostril just a tiny bit, like a straw in an orange, but right away, it closes up again.  What does that mean?

4.) Recovery time, how long usually so I could breath through both nostrils and enjoy life again?


I believe I hit the key questions, Thank you for taking your time to answer my concerns.
Much appreciation, bless you.  :)


Yours Sincerely,

~Michael