2 days post op doing good !

[chrisabbott]

I had a 3.1 cm AN removed (near total) via translab 2 days ago - Dr Bien and Dr Dunn with OU in Oklahoma City (and an enormous team of other professionals) did the surgery which was about 14 hours.  I woke with no pain!  I had some facial numbness and minimal droop (only my neurologist could tell) as well as no tear production in AN side eye prior to the surgery.  This is unchanged, but nothing has worsened.As they reduce the steroids, my pain comes and goes but is manageable sometimes Tylenol sometimes oxycontin.

The only complication I had was bleeding in the area they took fat from my tummy = very sore!  They took me back to surgery to remove the blood and redo sutures.  Dr Bien said had never had this happen before, but as I didn't have much fat they were closer to the surface with blood vessels.  He and Dr Dunn have visited me several times daily and dictated treatment - apparently the blood could have been left to naturally go over time but they didn't want me to be sore nor risk infection.  I was completely pain free after that surgery and they took into account that I tolerate anesthesia very well.

I also received a cochlea implant during the surgery = I lost all hearing in my left ear recently and already had impaired hearing (60% in right) so I'm excited at the opportunity to regain some hearing.

I am already out of ICU, no issues with eating or drinking.  I'll report back with any developments (steroids keeping me awake so I thought I'd hop over here)

[samanthalambert]

This is awesome news! I'm so glad you are doing well and you obviously have a great team supporting you. Way to go! Please keep us updated

[notaclone13]

Great news. I hope things will continue to go smoothly and you are soon back to your regular life minus the tumor.

[Patti]

Great news!

[jami]

Congrats! Keep us updated!

[judyette]

glad to hear you're doing so well!!  thanks for checking in with the rest of us and letting us know how it went.  i was thinking of you all day on the 13th and praying that all was well.  i've been reading and keeping up with your story although i rarely post.  really good to know you're on the other side of this and well on the way to recovery 

[chrisabbott]

Hi everyone the steroids are starting to make me a little inclined towards hissy-fits.  Really not sleeping much but they gave me something and I'm not going to feel bad (Hubby was horrified that I would be anything other than sweetness and light)

PT brought a walker to see if I could walk - I already did the hall and a flight of stairs without getting dizzy so she was pleasantly surprised.  I did ask for PT to help with facial numbness as I had that since last November but it got worse last month.  Overall, I've been blessed with great care and might be going home as early as tomorrow.

[chrisabbott]

I've been home a couple days now - sooo nice to have my own (careful) shower, and my own sheets to sleep in.  My head feels a little "odd" but I'm able to follow and hold a conversation well, play cribbage, and knit.  I have to get close to the TV to pick out a channel as focusing on words more than arms length away is a challenge   My AN side eye quit making tears shortly before surgery and the hospital air was so dry its been hard to get that eye comfortable.  It gets tired before the rest of me does and I'm using drops/gel so much (I should've bought shares in an eye drop company!)

I have an upstairs bedroom and have been able to go upstairs, and carefully turn go downstairs - the main thing I'm feeling right now when walking and climbing stairs, is a little breathless after relatively short distance which I think is leftover toxicity from anesthesia and drugs that keep you alive but don't make you feel good.  I am drinking ALOT of clear warm/hot liquids (hot water & lemon/chamomile/milk thistle/red clover/green tea).  Along with walking but not carrying anything, it makes me feel like I'm getting more normal and helping get the bad stuff out of my body.  I highly recommend warm drinks post surgery if you can swallow liquids - helps you get more regular and is soothing (EEEK no ice!)

Going outside, if only sitting on the porch for a short while also made me feel much more human.  I had a friend that drives extremely carefully take me to my local yarn store yesterday - so good to see the relief on the faces of people that know you are going to be okay.  My sister and friend both were very in tune with me getting tired after a while, but understood that didn't mean I shouldn't get out for a little while.  I strongly encourage others to consider accepting short trips from people that you feel can help you with this.  You can order groceries on line from Walmart but most of us need just a little human interaction other than taking care of necessities at some point.

YAHBOO STUFF:  My tummy was sore where the fat transplant got ugly - now its stopped seeping and is swollen/bruised big time.  I guess I would make a lousy candidate for cosmetic surgery in future!  My left eye is hard to ignore - it bugs me.

SUPER AMAZING STUFF:  I have a little movement back in my AN side eyebrow and mouth - its not huge movement, but its huge to have this less than a week post op!  I have almost no balance issues whatsoever - I think the only times I felt light headed has been due to a fraction more exertion than I'm able to sustain just yet (as of 6/19 - surgery was 6/13)

Wishing everyone else that needs to go the microsurgery route all the best and indicating here that I'd be happy to talk about details/answer questions if you are preparing for this and want a chat.

[samanthalambert]

You sound like you are doing amazing! Congratulations and keep up the good work!

[chrisabbott]

Thank you - I am making fast progress (I think) although some tough bits too.  My AN side eye was so dry, I took myself to the eye doc today and fortunately, I had seen her only a couple weeks prior to surgery.  They gave me antibiotics and stuff to prevent things getting worse, but were also able to see that my facial movement has actually improved already.  They also shared that I can expect some needle-sensations as the feeling comes back (I've had a couple spats with that already) and made themselves available if I get any disturbing symptoms.

[Fuzzy]

Good to hear you are feeling well and progressing.  I got some of the eye gel antibiotic last week as week when my was not blinking.  I think it helped keep it lubricated a lot better than the drops.  Used 4-5 times daily along with the drops.  I wish you continued improvement and keep up the good work.