The Deed is Done

[Richey]

Had the addition to my head today for the baha, the actual procedure took around two hours including my time in recovery. So far the pain is not too bad, I'm sticking with tylenol unless it gets worse. The bandage makes me look like I belong to a middle east tribe but Margaret can peel off the top layer on Saturday.

Now to heal and wait

Pam, Lori I've already been in the chocolate but only a few, Margaret had a few too, that's one of the rewards that our 2 yr. old grand son gets for potty success.

Maybe I'll be up for questions in the next day or two.

Rich

[Sefra22]

Congratulations, and take it easy, Rich. The hard part is over!
I, too was fine with just an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Lisa

[leapyrtwins]

Pam, Lori I've already been in the chocolate but only a few

Wait, am I now Pam?  Well, I've been called much worse   

Richey -

glad things went well.  I just knew they would.  Did you have local or general?  Just curious.

I took an Extra-Strength Tylenol or two the day of the surgery, but I think that was about it.  Most don't have pain for long.

The thing that will probably drive you the craziest is the itching - (means you're healing) - which if I remember correctly will start about one week post op.  I thought I was going to claw my abutment right out of my head 

Now the countdown starts to BAHA Gotcha Day!

Jan

[Richey]

I had general sedation and it's the first time since 1968 when I was in the Air Force, much better experience this time. I guess they have learned a few things over the years to help with nausea, did not have that this time thankfully.

[lori67]

Yes, anasthesia has gotten much better over the years!   

Glad you are one step closer to becoming a BAHA-er.

Lori
p.s.  Jan, we all know - Jan is the evil twin, and Pam is the nice one.

[tenai98]

Rich
When is your doc removing the packing?  Mine is waiting a month...I"m almost afraid to go....I'm sure the flesh as bonded to the packing and its gonna hurt!!!! The visiting nurse(she comes every mon, wed and frid. to change my dressinng) said the doc will wet it to loosen it up.  Jan, Lori, and others when was ur packing removed?
JO

[Richey]

JO,

I go back to the Doc on the 20th for the first dressing redo and then will get further instructions I suppose.

[lori67]

I had no packing.  I had the healing cap for 2 weeks and a small bandage over that for about 4 or 5 days, during which time I was allowed to shower and wash my hair.  I didn't even have a bandage on for a month after my AN surgery, so I can't imagine why you need it on there for that long, but I suppose all docs have their own way of doing things.

Lori

[JerseyGirl2]

My healing cap and the accompanying small bandage were removed a few days after my Translab/BAHA surgery -- and I never had any packing. The variations in doctors' techniques are really amazing!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[leapyrtwins]

Jo -

I had no packing either - think that's unique to Canada and/or your doctor.  I had a "hat" that I wore for 24 hours - kind of a plastic cup that covered my BAHA site that was filled with gauze.  It was all held together with velcro straps - there's a picture somewhere on the Forum.  Under the hat was a bandage held on by the plastic healing cap that Lori and Catherine mentioned.  My healing cap was removed 1 week post op by the doc.

Jan aka Pam 

[Richey]

I know that the healing cap is in place and the doctor told my wife that it just snaps on and that if it were to come off when she takes this wrapping off with the padding to just snap it on. I'm not clear on the washing of hair with the cap on but I will call on Monday and get that cleared up. I don't have much hair but it still feels bad when you don't wash it . Don't know why the time period 12 days before going back to the doctor but it just may be case load and schedule. Anyway, we will remove this outer wrapping today and get a look at this healing cap that several of you have talked about.
I've had very little pain and for that I'm thankful.

[leapyrtwins]

Richey -

my doc allowed me to wash my hair once my "hat" was removed (24 hours post op) but said I had to hold a styrofoam cup over the site so it didn't get wet.  Not having any stryofoam cups in the house, I used a plastic one, and that's how one ended up in the Official BAHA Recovery Kit.  It's kind of awkward to hold a cup on your head while you shampoo, but well worth it.  I personally hate dirty hair - gives me the creeps (the 9 days I had to wait after my AN surgery were horrible)   

As we always say, docs have different rules, so you are right to check with yours before shampooing even with the cup.

The Dawn is for the hair washing also.  Once you start putting bacitracin or neosporin on your site, your hair gets gunked up very quickly.  The Dawn cuts the grease - a tip we got from Lori.  She's a nurse in real life so to my knowledge this isn't a dangerous practice.

Glad the pain is minimal; it typically is.

Jan

[lori67]

OOPS ---  I forgot the cup in the BAHA kit!  Sorry, Richey, you'll have to provide your own.  I didn't have to keep my site dry, so I never used the cup - probably why I keep forgetting about it.

And I always try to get the antibacterial Dawn - the 2 birds with one stone theory! 

Lori

[tenai98]

I still have my healing cap on. It comes off Oct 21, basically a month after the surgery....I'm somewhat afraid to have to have the packing removed as I'm sure some tisuue had grown into the packing.....ouch ouchie....I have a visiting home nurse come in three times a week to change the bandage.....I also do it myslef but nurse makes sure its not infected....last visit, nurse said its scabbing over and looks great......Heck I"m even sleeping on it.  It is all very interesting on all the different variation in doctors.
JO

[leapyrtwins]

OOPS ---  I forgot the cup in the BAHA kit! 

Well, at least you didn't forget the chocolate!