I was pretty excited to intern for the 2017 Chicago Auto Show this week, but if there's anything I've learned, life never goes as planned. After a busy and successful day of checking out the show floor, preparing "The Media Center", and completing other typical intern tasks, I prepared for bed excited for another day of learning. Everything seemed to be going fine, except for my fatigue during the day and random and intense sore throat right before bed. 

Three weeks prior to that night, I unexpectedly ended up in the ER because of throat problems. I could barely eat, drink, swallow, or even breath. After seven long hours of waiting, I was told I would need a minor surgery on my throat due to an abscess growing on my tonsil. It was my first surgery ever, but after going through that and sticking to antibiotics for a week and a half I was feeling better. At least I thought I was.

Once again, I laid in my hotel bed restless and struggling to swallow or breath properly. I knew something wasn't right again, and at 3:30 A.M my dad left in the middle of the night (technically morning) to pick me up and bring me back home. I was extremely disappointed and felt awful for leaving my internship early, but it ended up being a really smart decision.

I scheduled an appointment with an "Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist" in the afternoon and hoped that someone could finally help me out and find a more permanent fix for my throat problems. This was my third doctors visit within the past month due to an infection, and I was tired of missing school  and work and feeling miserable. After a quick look at my swollen neck and face, he decided the best course of action was to get my tonsils removed. "Usually we plan these surgeries two weeks in advance, but with how swollen they are, it's better we admit you to the hospital now and do this surgery tomorrow."

Not exactly what I had planned! The idea of a more major surgery scared me, and needles make my skin crawl, but I was desperate to finally feel better and I was up for anything.

I was thankful for the fluids and drugs they gave me, I didn't get great sleep, but every little bit helped. I wasn't scheduled for my surgery until 5 PM, so the wait felt like forever and the longer I had to wait the more inflamed my throat became. The morning of my surgery, my throat was so swollen that I choked on liquid medicine and couldn't breathe. Liquid medicine! I burst out crying in front of the nurse and was completely terrified.

It finally hit 5 PM and I was in my cap and gown, dad and grandma by my side, and desperately craving a burger. Once I received the anesthesia, I completely blacked out until they woke up me up an hour after the procedure.

Everything went well and according to the surgeon, my throat was so swollen that my tonsils were touching each other. If I hadn't left the Chicago Auto Show that night and went to the hospital, I could have stopped breathing in my sleep. 

My throat is still sore and the medicine I'm on makes me tired all the time, but the way I feel now doesn't compare to how much it hurt before the surgery. It's unfortunate I have to miss two weeks of school and work, especially during my craziest semester, but it was a smart decision and I'm extremely happy I won't have to worry again!

It was a scary experience and a pretty sucky way to spend my birthday, but I always try to find the positive side of situations. I received a lot of support and love, and receiving a solution to better my health wasn't such a bad birthday present after all.