Huh, That's Interesting

Today I had to take the day off of work to go to an ENT appointment.  I have been having nose bleeds off and on for the last 8 months.  It started off as not a big deal, but the problem has grown to a more frequent problem. So, I decided that I'd finally had enough and went to the doctor.  The appointment went something like this...

Me: So, I've been having these nose bleeds for awhile.  (I proceed to give him a run down of the last 8 months).
Dr.: Okay.  Let's take a look.  Hm...Okay, here's what I'm seeing.  You have a slightly deviated septum (about 1.5mm).
Me: Wait, what?  I haven't broken my nose?
Dr.: Well, did you ever run into something and get a black eye?
Me: Um, yeah.  Most of one photo album of when I was little shows me with a black eye...constantly.
Dr.: Well, it's not really a big deal, yet.  But here's the real problem.  (He then goes into a long description of what he saw when he evaluated the issue).

We decide on cauterizing the blood vessels.  I decide to be completely honest with him, and explain that after having to watch my daughter have hers done at the tender age of 6, I am thoroughly traumatized.  He inquires as to how it was carried out, and promptly explains that it was done incorrectly.  I had to sit and watch a nurse hold my daughter down, while the doctor cauterized her blood vessels.  Not a good sight.  He is quite shocked, and lets me know that that was indeed the wrong way to do that.

As soon as he cauterizes the area my nose begins to bleed profusely.  As he is helping me try and stop it, he says, "Hm. That was unexpected."

Me: I'm sorry, what?

Dr: Well, that shouldn't have happened.

I'm slightly nervous at this point.  I mean, if he's never seen that happen, then was it a bad thing? The nurse brings in an ice pack, and I use it to get my nose to stop bleeding.  Soon the doctor is looking up that nostril once again, and I hear the doctor say, "Huh.  Just a second."  He then takes some tool, and starts poking around in my nose.  I feel this poke way up in the nasal passage, and sure enough, my nose starts bleeding again.  To which I hear, "There it is!"  At this point, it's getting comical to me about how excited this man is getting that my nose is presenting him with a challenge.

The doctor explains that I had another blood vessel on the edge of some ridge.  He then completes the cauterizing procedure on that vessel, and we're done.  I have an antibiotic due to a slight sinus infection, and a sore nose.  Hopefully, I won't have any more bloody noses, thought.   That's totally worth it.

I have to say, that was an interesting doctor's appointment.