Month: January 2014

Day Two: Post-Clipping

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Saturday arrived with an actually quiet 608 ward….at least at 1 a.m. The lady next door soon started her crying jags and feeling like people were leaving her there to day and called the head nurse a witch. Although I understand how the mental issues can effect you because I had that in 2006, it was entertaining and annoying this time when I really needed some sleep. It went on for hours.

I did get some sleep…some more pills…some more ice packs for my face, but was feeling stronger. On one of my trips to the bathroom, I sat in the chair looking out at the night lights of the Portland skyline and started working on the blog. Takes awhile to get it all out, but it’s important for me to record it and to let other’s now how the procedure went for me anyway.

Dave went home last night and called in early this morning, but the shift change had just happened and the new nurse hadn’t even had a chance to introduce herself to me yet.

I ordered a little bit more for breakfast, but OH, was it lousy. LOL Egg omelet was like two sheets of egg with some kind of cheese in it and I had one slice of toast, but kind of forgot about my jaw and had a hell of a time eating it. Fruit cup helped…and of course all of the pills.

Thankfully when Dave came he got me some good tea from the cafeteria and a chewy chocolate chip cookie. Ahhhh….

One of the neuro team visited me this morning and ran some neuro tests. Said the swelling in my face and eyes looked “great” and that it’s very normal for them to see. So I guess that’s good. He did indicate I needed to walk more. So as soon as I drank my tea, Dave and I set out for a walk again and did 7 laps. While doing the walking, the neuro dr. was also still on that floor so he was able to see me and how stable I was….even with the walker.

As we were waiting to see if I was going to order lunch, one of the PA’s from Dr. Ecker’s office visited and asked if I wanted to go home today? Well….ummm…yes, please!!! Really??? Yes! It was right around noon and I thought for sure it would take hours to get the discharge papers and everything together, but it probably took less than a half an hour.

They gave me discharge papers and scripts for the drugs I needed. I had the IV ports removed and was ready to go! Changed into my clothes (goody hospital gown!) and realized both of my feet were very swollen. I looked like crap, but my Scotland hat fit nicely over the incision at an angel and loosened up significantly.

It was also snowing significantly! Goody. We said good bye and I was wheeled out into the hallway for “pick up” to go down to the lobby. Dave went to get the car and I got shuttled down to lobby and into the car. We stopped at McDonalds for a big, fat strawberry milkshake that hit the spot perfectly and headed on our way home.

I was extremely tired by the time we got home and my face and head were burning. The nurse at hospital let me bring home my dirty ice bag, so Dave filled that up, I immediately change into my comfy thermal jammies, climbed into bed, called my mom and probably took a nice, long, much-needed four-hour nap!! Felt great. Can’t wait until I can shower on Monday.

Dave cooked me some scrambled eggs for dinner and I took my pills. So glad, and so lucky to be home. Now I just need to take care of myself and listen to my sore, aching face, head, and body. Let the recovery begin!

 

Clipping a Brain Aneurysm

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Dave and I both admitted to each other on the drive to Portland that we were both scared last night. We were scared something would go wrong during surgery and I would not be the same afterwards. As a result I would regret making the decision. Well…as it turns out it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

We also both admitted our fears were completely resolved when Dr. Ecker walked into to the pre-op prep room and explained the procedure again. He just oozes confidence. Hower, he mentioned the size and location of the incision and THAT was news. He told us in September the size of the location he opened the skull, but not the size of the skin incision. THAT was much larger and something Dave and I should have though about but never did.

They quickly put me under when I got into operating room, so I didn’t get much of a chance to see either doctor or explore this operating theatre. Previously I had only been in radiology.

The actual procedure only took about and hour and a half instead of the 4-5 hours we were warned about.

I woke up to Dave standing over me and I was already correcting him and Dr. Ecker told me it was a huge success and they he able to place the clip in a perfect spot. He also informed me that the top of the aneurysm was very thin walled…we may have dodged a bullet with this one.

I was taken to the lovely 6o8 neuro ward. The staff is great…the atmosphere is not. I got no sleep and then became very nauseous over night as well. Twas a long night.

My head was hurting pretty bad and my jaw was quite painful. I learned the next morning they had to cut my jaw muscle. Goody!

I also got the first look at my incision. Wow! It’s big and ugly with 53 stitches in the outer skin.

Clipping Day has Arrived!

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So, here I am at 5 a.m. ready to head down to the hospital for my brain aneurysm clipping today. I have my Care Bear (part of my “Get-Better-Bear” collection) who is wearing the angel necklace made and given to me by Kim.

I know there are two (Kim & Dori), now three (Rhonda), very special angels watching over me today. Wish me luck! And hopefully I’ll be posting more blog entries soon.

The More You Know

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This is a public service announcement for those who are interested in the brain procedure I’m having done this week.

Many people still don’t quite understand the previous three procedures I had done were not open brain surgery, but were done endovascularly via the main artery, which means the surgeon entered the brain through my groin. I know….strange, huh?

When my larger brain aneurysm ruptured in 2006, they inserted 16 very tiny platinum coils into the aneurysm to fill it and then the blood clots around the coils and basically seals up the aneurysm. The size and shape of the aneurysm lent itself to the less invasive procedure because it’s actually sitting ON my optical nerve and clipping at that time did not seem like a life-saving option.

However, five years later, it was discovered those 16 coils had started to compact and blood was once again starting to enter the aneurysm. As a result, 4 more coils were inserted and a stent was placed at the base of the aneurysm to keep blood flowing past the bottom of the aneurysm and keep the coils in place. So far so good on that one, but all three procedures were done via the groin.

My second, smaller brain aneurysm has grown and it has an odd shape in that it’s more rectangular and coiling didn’t seem to be the more durable option this time. A small titanium clip will be placed across the neck of the aneurysm. Then the aneurysm will be popped and should simply disappear, but it requires opening up the skull, going into the brain, adding the clip and closing my skull back up. A little more involved than the coiling and will require a little longer recovery period.

I found this great website that describes the clipping procedure in a no-nonsense type of way. I think this will really explain the procedure for those who are still confused. ANEURYSM CLIPPING

Then I found this terrific blog post written by a neuro-nurse on what to expect after a craniotomy. This gave me a better sense of what to expect afterwards in the hosptial and she injected some humor, which always helps. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING A CRANIOTOMY

I will try to keep people updated on my progress and recovery on this blog.