TMI ALERT!!I’m taking stool softeners 3 times a day along with suppositories now and still can’t poop much. Ugh! Thinking that’s also why back is so sore. And,now….sore throat has developed and a slight cough when I lay down. Great! My head, however, feels pretty darn good. Go figure.
I received my very first Vermont Teddy Bear today in the mail from my family. Such beautifully constructed bears and sooo cute with the hospital gown and bracelet and bandage around left ear. My family sent it…as is our tradition. Love them all and it surely seems odd to not have a sister to chat with about everything. Going to take some more getting used to…not that I have much choice.
Trying to figure out what to do with my back pain. Waiting for return call from PA a Dr. Ecker’s office. Pain pills, heat, cold, rest or walking don’t seem to be helping.
So, I’m going to try more steroids, and a relaxant for my back/butt. I’ll try anything if it eases that pain. Who’da thunk after brain surgery it would be my butt that is giving me the most trouble!
Got a nice card in the mail from the Purchasing Department at Johnny’s today. Thanks so much! They bring a smile to my swollen face.
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!
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.
Heidi's Brain Blog 