The first of my two sinus operations was to correct a deviated septum. The operation, or more precisely, the post-operative recovery period, was very painful. I had splints in my nose to help support it since the septum had been rebuilt, and my nose was "packed". This means that a large amount of gauze was pressed into the nose to stop bleeding.
Since no air can pass through the nostrils for the week or so that the packing is in place, things like eating became a challenge. You cannot eat and breathe at the same time, so small bites and lots of soups and other liquids are favored. The splints were awful. When I tried to lie down normally in bed, the pressure on either side was very painful, and I couldn't sleep normally. My doctor suggested I get a Lazy Boy chair which reclined somewhat and sleep on that. In fact I did this, but sleep was difficult, and it was a long week.
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