Hi Stormy,
I had Gantz for my mid-fossa last Aug. For me...the first few days sucked. No way to make it sound any better. I think the worse thing I delt with was the nausea, but I have had that before with another surgery - just my reaction to ansethesia. The thing that helped the most (more than any of the meds they gave me) was peppermints. Once the nausea got better I felt much better all around and got up to walk around, etc.
My surgery was 5 hrs. I think the thing that creeped me out the most was having to hop onto the operating table and still be awake (my last surgery I got the happy cocktail as they called it before I went to the OR, and I don't remember a thing.) They were all very nice though and talked to me and kept my mind thinking about other things so it wasn't too scary. (I can be a big chicken.)
The first night was in ICU. Unfortunately I had to listen to another person who had been in a motorcycle accident and transfered there from another hospital. He was very loud and kind of out of it, so it wasn't the most pleasant experience. Once I got to my room (I remember what seemed a rather bumpy ride), I didn't want any noise - no tv, no talking, I just wanted quiet and sleep. That lasted for about a day. I transfered to a private room the next day (as they had one open up) and after that things got MUCH better.
![Smiley :)](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/smiley.gif)
The wrap on my head was tight but not really bothersome for me. As Sue said, several drs will come in every morning and change the "turbin" on your head. I did have to tell them once to do it a little better, as it was so low it was hard to see. It's a teaching hospital, and they redid it and all was well.
![Wink ;)](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/wink.gif)
I did have headaches that gradually got better after a few weeks, but took meds to deal with that. Never really had pain except for the headaches...unfortunately I'm allergic to morphine, and the tylenol 3 upset my already queezy stomach, so I stuck with just tylenol. I was never "spinning room dizzy", more of an off balance, kind of side to side (one side up, the other down) kind of thing which got better the more I got up and walked.
The nurses there were great - absolutely awesome. I didn't have an appitite at all, but I also think a lot of that had to do with the nausea. Once I started walking around (with help) things started getting better quickly. My surgery was on a Thurs morning and I went home the following Monday afternoon. I think I would have gotten out sooner had it not been for the upset stomach delaying everything for me. My taste was off for several months - gradually got better, but at first everything tasted awful. (After a while, sugar was the fist taste to come back to normal, and salt was the last.) LOL -- that helped with losing some unwanted lbs!
![Wink ;)](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/wink.gif)
I have to tell you -- I wasn't sure I really felt up to going home the day that I did..but I felt better almost immediately when I did, and was taking short walks outside (assisted) the very next day. On the drive home, I would concentrate on an object (like a stop sign or a traffic light) and as we passed that, I would focus on another object. That helped me a lot and I used that technique for the first several rides, but noticed rather quickly that riding didn't really bother me too much.
As Drs. Gantz and Woodson will tell you - walking is the best thing for getting better quicker, and they are both so nice (Woodson took me a bit more time to warm up to, but she ended up being pretty cool, too).
You will be fine. Honestly. The time went by quickly and in the beginning I saw such rapid recovery that it motivated me to keep up the walking, which I think helped so much. Don't be afraid to call the 24 hr number once you get home if you have questions. I did several times.
Girlfriend PM'd me and I did send her my phone number. More than happy to talk to you if you'd like. You live pretty close to Sue and I - pretty soon we're going to have enough to have a "get together", or maybe a support group in IA City area, since there is none right now.
![Sad :(](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/sad.gif)
Cathy