ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: skamper on April 13, 2010, 10:29:20 pm
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::)
Thanks everyone for all your thoughts and prayers this last week. It helped my family and I very much~~
So, I'm 11 days post sugery, I'm feeling pretty good!! I had surgery on April 2nd and went home on Tuesday the 6th. I was very greatful to get home to my own bed and not be awoken every hour! The doctors, nurses, and the hospital did awesome, no complaints on anything!
Bill said my surgery was about 6 hours. They left about 5% of the tumor in there as to not damage bu facial muscle. They killed the blood supply or however that works so they are thinking it won't regrow. They did MRI the next day after surgery and said it all looked great. I have very slight droopiness on my right lip right now but they think that will come back. My eye shuts all the way but I still need drops to keep it from drying out. My head and incision sites hurt like a d***ens. They used glue, no staples or sticthes.
I'm having a horrible time trying to type right now, everything I'm typing is coming up wrong. Is this normal? It's like a can't spell all of a sudden, I'm very frustrated at the moment~ Sorry~
I will post more when I can, thanks again for the prayers and well wishes.
I'm A Postie~
Susan
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I'm having a horrible time trying to type right now, everything I'm typing is coming up wrong. Is this normal? It's like a can't spell all of a sudden, I'm very frustrated at the moment~
This is very common.
Congratulations on your postie status!
Sorry to hear about the headaches - some get them post op, some don't - hope you find relief very soon.
Get some rest,
Jan
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Congrats on becoming a posite
JO
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Welcome aboard, postie! I know you are glad to be home and are anxious to have things back to whatever passes for normal. :D
Things may not "feel" normal for a bit, so give yourself time to adjust to your body's healing rate. It is a little bit different for each of us, but it sounds like you are on the right path. The headaches usually ease up, but again, that varies among posties. I went through a headachey phase that gradually went away, but I still get visited by some doozies every once in a while, depending on barometric pressures.
Priscilla
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Yay!! Good for you! If you got the fat graft, you can claim Postie-Fatty status, too! The jumbled words is pretty common and should go away fairly soon.
Debbi (fellow postie-fatty)
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This is definitely something to celebrate! Things will all come back with time! In just a short time you will be able to enjoy this down time! A
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Being a postie is not so bad. Actually, it is something to celebrate ;D
I wish you the best.
Kenneth
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Susan,
I have been looking forward to your posting knowing you were having surgery right after mine. It is really great to know you did so well. It took me about two weeks to really get my feet back under me. I never had any headaches, and my incision never hurt, but my ear felt full all the time, and I had some unusual tinnitus. As the swelling went down, the fulness reduced by quite a bit, and the tinnitus went back to its normal cricket sound. I had a REALLY hard time typing what I was thinking, so I think you are still under the influence of some steroids, etc. One strange thing happened to me. I am no cry baby, but for about a week after surgery, I would just start crying...no reason...and it really felt good. Don't worry about how you feel right now. Every day you will notice some changes, some small, some big, but you are well on your way to a full recovery. I am really happy for you and Bill.
James
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Hi, Postie Susan ~
Congratulations! You seem to be recovering at a normal pace and your issues are not at all uncommon and should prove to be transitory. I had a fabulous recovery but it took me well over a week to begin to feel anything close to normal. I was typing messages on these forums within a day of my release from the hospital but had a lot of typos, which are rare for me, now. As everyone stated: it passes. Just relax, let your body heal and recover and before you realize it, you'll be venturing back into your normal lifestyle - with aplomb, no doubt. :)
Jim
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This is a very common theme with all of us posties...impatience! :) There's just so much stimuli out there that our poor brains are trying to comprehend that these things will happen, and do! So try not to overdo things and let yourself heal! Take care!
Jay
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Hi Susan,
Congrats on making it to the other side. You are doing fabulous for 11 days post surgery. And the part about
They used glue, no staples or sticthes.
Well that's a new one! Crazy glue sure does come in handy in the OR (or whatever it was they used).
Take it slow and steady. You'll do great. At least 6 weeks to get back to a "new normal" but it did take me longer.
Rests, naps, walks. Enjoy being pampered while you can!
Cheers,
Maureen
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Hi Susan,
Keep up the good recovery. Sounds like you had a successful surgery and you will get better day by day.
Vivian
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Welcome to the other side, its great to be a postie!
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I can't believe it's been two weeks down already! I'm just glad it's over and done with. I know I have a lot of time to heal and get back to what ever my "new normal" will be, which I look forward too.
The doctor's say they left 5% of the tumor in there as to not damage my facial nerve, they cut off the blood supply to it in hopes of no new growth.
My right eye seems to be shutting just fine, I can't squeeze it all the way shut, but if can at least shut. I have to use fake tears during the day and ointment in it at night.
I have very little if any paralyse to my face. The right side of my smile it a little droopy but doctors are hoping it will come back with time. My tongue is still a little numb and I still have problems when eating. I just hope all that will get better, there's only so much jello and fruit I can eat!
I'm pretty sure the surgery took most if not all my hearing. That has been the hardest adjustment so far. If I lay on my left side, I don't hear much of anything around the house. If there's too much noise around me, I start to go in a panic mode and need to get away. They say I will get used to it, but right now, it's really tough. I'm hoping they will do another hearing test at my first check up to see what I actually lost. Say to think I lost, but I'm just glad I'm doing well.
I haven't really looked at incision at all and I can't stand touching it. When I shampoo my hair, I feel like a could puke. It just grosses me out. They shaved a little more than I thought, I might need to get a new haircut to straighten it out. Still so strange that I have no stitches or staples, just glue. I do a one stitch in my back from the lumbar drain. Even that grosses me out when I accidently touch it. I'm such a wuss.
Well, I better get ready for bed, Ali has her last dance competition in the morning. Wish I could go but I know I just don't have the energy to make it. Maybe after a few laps around the block and I can start to get my strength back.
Thanks again to everyone for all the thoughts and prayers. All the support and help from you all has been awesome.
Susan
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Susan, Sounds like you are having the usual recovery and doing well but I know that first 2 weeks makes one wonder when I am going to get doing better. There can be alot of weird feelings which do in time go away or lessen for most of us so we do adjust! Hopefully your facial issues will improve too but one never knows how long it will take.
Having the glue for the incision has to feel weird. Not sure if we have had another one here who has had it.
Hope you conintue to do well and enjoy that we are finally having spring here in the midwest. Cheryl R
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Susan,
Congratulations on being a postie! It sounds like your recovery is pretty normal and I know you're happy to be home. The hospital is not a good place for resting and relaxing, which is what you need most right now. Take it easy and let what your body tells you it needs be your guide. Keep us posted on now you're doing.
Wendy
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Thanks everyone for the well wishes! ;)
Things are getting a little easier this week. Still get exhausted from the simplest things. Take a bath and have to lay down as soon as I'm done. I always get so lightheaded. I'm sure that will get better with the more things I do. I emptied the dishwasher today. Not so good with the up and down motion, maybe wonky headed. But hey, I did it.
Okay, so I have a question for all of you out there. I have not been out in the real world yet to test how I will do with the loss of my hearing. I'm not sure how much I loss, I think quite a bit, if not all of it. I know when we've had a few people over, the noise level can really get to me. I can't seem to stand the volume of just the people talk. This weekend is my daughter's dance recital and I would really like to try and go. I'm so nervous about the music being too loud or just all the people talking. Any suggestions? Earplugs? Has anyone had this fear or does the same things bother them? If earplugs work, what kind are the best?
Also, does anyone know how long it is before you can drive again? I never heard the doctor say anything and at the time of discharge, it was the furtherest thing on my mind. Now I'm just curious. My appt is Monday with the neurosurgeon. Wish me luck.
Thanks for all the help again,
Susan
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The driving has varied among us. The biggest thing is when you feel you safely can and bend the head around easily to pay attention. Also what kind of driving you do. Busy streets or rural roads or big city freeways. Some drs give a time and others say when you feel like you can.
Adjusting to the noise level is not easy at first but helps when you feel better in time. Might be such to just go and try it and know you might only be there a short time if it bothers you too much. I never tried a ear plug but many have and am sure will add to this.
The funny head feel is not fun and one just needs to keep at activity so the brain adjusts in time. Same with how one gets tired from doing so little. It does get better but not fast enough as we would like!
Good luck with your recovery! Cheryl R
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Susan,
LUCK! ;D
I wished you luck
You are recovering nicely, sounds like. Let someone else empty the dishwasher though! I wouldn't chance the bending over but see what your doc says.
Limited to no duty for at least 4 weeks if possible. Lots of walking to your best ability and resting/napping/. Don't rush things. You have the rest of your life to do dishes. I know it's hard.....
The ear plugs are worth trying. The nice foamy orange ones. Press it down, curl with your fingers, lift up the ear lobe and put the plug in. You'll feel it expand in your ear.Put in the good ear, not the AN ear.
It will help muffle all that background chaos noise.
Going into a noisy crowd may be tortuous for you, maybe not. Just be prepared. Like Cheryl said, you can always leave, or rest outside and go in for your daughter's part of the recital. I still fear going into noisy crowds! I have severe tinnitus and SSD, so it is nightmarish. :o
Enjoy your outing. You can do it!
Maureen
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Susan,
Sounds like you are doing great. I have to agree with Maureen...no bending. I know the Dr's were adamant about that one...not that I really could anyway. The ear plug sounds like a great idea. Give it a shot.
Driving can be tricky, I first started with short trips back and forth to the grocery store or what have you. Things seem to move faster with the wonkyness so it can be a little intimidating at first and I had trouble turning my head. Just make sure to have someone with you the first couple times. And for the recital, you should go, just make sure you can get away if need be. Go sit in the car or somewhere quiet, also be careful walking in the dark theater. Enjoy yourself, just make sure you have someone with you.
Let us know how it goes!
Liz