Surgery Date at Hopkins, January 12

[Jim Scott]

Mei Mei ~

I'm a tad late here but want to add my congratulations on your successful surgery and what will, no doubt, be a good recovery.  Enjoy the rest! 

Jim

[Mei Mei]

Thank you, Jim!   I am resting comfortably!
Sincerely
Mei Mei

[Tod]

This is really great news Mei Mei. I hope my own surgery goes as well.

Tod

[leapyrtwins]

Ah, the first post op shampoo    I still remember it VERY well.

Now there's a milestone worth celebrating!  Enjoy every minute of it, Mei Mei. 

Jan

[Mei Mei]

I did the shampoo on Friday and that was great.   I still have a horrible pinched nerve on the surgery side of my neck that won't go away no matter how much balm or heat I put on it and it sends some pain up to my eye at times.  I keep resting but this neck and shoulder thing probably left over from the position I was in during the long 9 hour surgery will have to resolve itself somehow.  Maybe I should go to accupuncture but don't know when is too soon to interfere with the brain surgery that I just had.
I'll ask my Primary Care on Friday when I see him

Sincerely,
Mei Mei

[leapyrtwins]

Mei Mei -

the neck problem is  from surgery.  It will improve in time - like most issues post op - but asking your primary care physician what you might do to help things along is a great idea.

Jan

[Mei Mei]

Thanks, so much.  I'm putting heat on it and on my shoulder.  I just have to be patient.  I'm also feeling pressure in my head when I get up from sitting to standing but only for a few seconds.   The blood pressure is perfect though.  The physical therapist that comes to the house says this is called Intracranial Pressure from the surgery.   I'm seeing the Primary Care on Friday afternoon and will discuss it with him.   

Otherwise everything is progressing and I'm walking OK....Thanks for writing.

Mei Mei

[moe]

Mei Mei,
Great- just keep taking those baby steps and listening to your body cues. Give yourself at least 4-6 weeks of gentle activity and spoil yourself every day in some way.
(or have some one spoil YOU). You'll make it
Maureen

[Mei Mei]

The Physical Therapist just left and said that the swelling feeling I have when I go from a sitting to a standing  (not all the time) is probably the brain adjusting to the titanium closure at the back of my head because that is where I feel the pressure. 

Just a Note for those of you reading this and might be experiencing the same thing.

Mei Mei

[Mei Mei]

I had another question for everybody.   My scalp is all numb on the entire right side...the surgical side.   I wanted to know how long it will be numb and feel different than the non-surgical side.  It feels really strange and lopsided.
Sincerely,
Mei Mei

[JerseyGirl2]

I had another question for everybody.   My scalp is all numb on the entire right side...the surgical side.   I wanted to know how long it will be numb and feel different than the non-surgical side. 

I can only relate my own experience, but my numbness lasted quite a while -- about a year and a half before it was totally back to normal, though I'll hasten to add that the improvement was steady (though slow). Over the course of time the numb area decreased in size, and one day I just realized that there was no numb area left.  I should also mention that I had my BAHA abutment implanted at the same time as my translab surgery ... so I don't know how that combination affected the numbness situation.

Hopefully you'll be able to get used to it, and remember that it will get better!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[Mei Mei]

Thanks, I've been wondering about this and it's nice to have a guideline for the numbness and getting back to normal.  I think I'll have the BAHA in a few months depending on what they say at my Post Surgical meeting on the 22nd.

By the Way, my father has a house that he is renting out in Holmdel (Monmouth County) He is now 95 and lives with me.  Our house was in Lincroft.  We moved down here in 1981.

Thanks for your reply,

Mei Mei

[Jim Scott]

I had another question for everybody.   My scalp is all numb on the entire right side...the surgical side.   I wanted to know how long it will be numb and feel different than the non-surgical side.  It feels really strange and lopsided.

Mei Mei ~

The 'numb' skull is typical.  Mine lasted for approximately 9 months.  I couldn't sleep on that side.  Now, I'm fine, although the 'AN' side of my skull is slightly less sensitive than the other side but this is not a problem as the difference is minimal. 

Jim

[Mei Mei]

Thanks, Jim.   It's good to look forward to.   I like having a time frame to keep in mind.   My head feels so delicate right now.

Sincerely,
Mei Mei

[Mei Mei]

Just found out on a google search today that retrosigmoid approach is high risk for post operative headaches.   It is highly documented here and thought all of you should see this.   I am now suffering from this on a daily basis.

Here is my search on google:

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=retrosigmoid+approach+postoperative+headaches&aq=0p&aqi=g-p1g7g-s1g1&aql=&oq=retrosi&gs_rfai=

Mei Mei