Daniel & Tammy's Story: Balloon Sinuplasty

Daniel: I’m Daniel Smith. I work for the city of Birmingham. I’m a sergeant. Been with them for 20 years. I’ve had sinus problems probably for about 25 years. This is my wife, Tammy.

Tammy: I’m Tammy Smith. I work for the United States Postal Service. I’ve been there for 17½ years. As long as I can remember, I’ve always had sinus problems. I went through five years of allergy shots, still with chronic sinus problems.

Daniel: I would get sinus infections and I was having bad headaches, and when I was doing memos and just sitting there on my computer, my head would just pound right there, and I didn’t know what was going on. So I knew I had to come see Dr. Robertson.

Tammy: My problem was I was just constantly sick. I need to be there; I’m constantly dealing with customers on the front window. After my husband went through the surgery, he kept encouraging me that I needed to see what was going on with my sinuses. And at that point, Dr. Robertson did a wonderful job in finding out why I wasn’t getting any better after so many years of going to the doctor every week and having to take off work.

Mr. Smith had Nasal Septoplasty and Balloon Sinuplasty of six sinuses. Mrs. Smith had Nasal Septoplasty and Endoscopic Sinus Surgery of five sinuses.

Daniel: I supervise 14 people, and one of the ones that I supervise is one of Dr. Robertson’s patients. He went through the surgery. So he came up to my desk one day, and I was having a bad headache, and he goes, ‘You need to go see my doctor, Dr. Robertson.’ I said, ‘Well, can you get me an appointment?’ He called right away and got me an appointment.

Tammy: All my life, I’ve had friends that have gone through sinus surgery. I was always petrified because I heard just horrible stories about it, but I seen how well Daniel did so I decided, ‘Ok, maybe it will be worth it.’ So after I had seen Dr. Robertson, went through the x-rays and stuff, and he said that yes, definitely I needed sinus surgery, but I wasn’t the same candidate with the balloon surgery. I needed the Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

Daniel: I’ve never known that you could put the balloon in your sinuses so when Dr. Robertson mentioned that I could be a candidate, I said, ‘Ok, let’s go for it. Whatever you think is the best.” And when I woke up, I didn’t have no pain. They put that drainage pad on me. I didn’t have hardly no drainage. They told my wife how long it was going to take me, recovery-wise, and they were right on cue. They said, I mean, I had it on Tuesday, and by Friday they said was going to be my peak, and I was going to start getting better. I was back at work Monday.

Tammy: After the surgery, I figured out that when I had been sneezing so much before the surgery, that actually my sneezing had stopped. It was a whole lot better. It wasn’t every morning, twenty solid minutes, I couldn’t get ready for work. And I realized, all of a sudden, it was just normal. I would occasionally have a sneeze just like anyone else, not just constant to where you’re just trying to breathe, trying to get something done.

Daniel: Once I had my surgery and I was back at work that Monday, believe it or not, probably that next Thursday, I felt that good that I said, ‘I’m going to go out and run.’ I run at this park, and they had just got through cutting grass. There was grass on the track, and I said, ‘This might not be a good idea.’ But I ran, didn’t have no problems, didn’t have no headaches. I was able to breathe through my nose while I was running, and it was just a wonderful experience. I was just shocked that I could get out there and jog a week and a half after I had my surgery.

Tammy: I could breathe through my nose. Actually, I was more alert because I was sleeping better too, so I realized that I’m actually feeling better. I’m not having to constantly take medicine, go and just try to get through the day, and was better able to enjoy work. Even since my surgery people have asked me, ‘How did you do? Would you recommend it?’ I would recommend it. Even though mine was a different surgery from his, it is so much better, and I would definitely tell anyone that has been suffering from sinuses, that has constantly been on medication, definitely come see Dr. Robertson.

Daniel: Go to Dr. Robertson. Get the x-rays. See if you’re a candidate of the Sinuplasty, then go ahead and do that.