Translab bald spot?

[Gennysmom]

I had translab a month ago, and just noticed that I have a bald spot on the opposite side of my AN side, about the size of a 50 cent piece.  My surgeon is now on sabbatical, and was wondering if anyone else had this?  He said that he did not use a head frame on me.  I hadn't noticed it till now because I have long, thick hair and it took a months worth of grow out for me to find it and say, "what in the heck is that?".  Anyone?  Just curious....

[Brendalu]

My NS used a head frame on me and I still have a very noticable hole on my forehead!  Yuck, my bangs get longer and longer.  It has been a year and I seem to notice new things all of the time.  My eye sight is getting worse so maybe it will be half-hear no evil, half see-no evil and the docs would like me to be at least half-speak no evil !!  Thank good ness hair covers a lot of evil!!!  You may have a hair condition called and I will masaquer the spelling, analopecia, where is spell check when you need it?  Anyway it is also called stress balding and comes and goes in different spots.  Hopefully yours will grow back and not get any larger.  If you can find "Sharpee" the right color you can always color the spot in with that!  All kidding aside, check with a hairdresser or dermatologist.
Brenda

[Gennysmom]

The spot I have has the same grow out as the surgical site, so I'm suspicious that it was purposefully shaved.  I have visions of a suction cup holding my head in place....but who knows!  I know about radiation bald spots, but was really surprized when I found it...especially when I know he didn't use a head frame.  No one will ever notice it but me, so no worries there.  Like I said, just curious...

[Obita]

I'm wondering if they shaved the wrong side first?  Now that is a scary thought.  My Dr. took a black marker to my AN side when he came in before surgery.......X marks the spot.......I was not shaved until I was out cold.   Kathy

PS:  How are you feeling at a month post op? 

[Gennysmom]

Hi Kathy!

They marked my ear whilst I was awake....I made sure of that too!       It's a circle, centered about 2 1/2 inches behind and up from my left ear.  Everyone says it looks shaved. 

I'm doing well, thanks for asking!  My entire right face slid down by the time I was done with the decadron, so I'm dealing with the dry eye and eating with 1/2 my mouth issues, but every day it seems the balance issues get a little better.  Slowly less and less wonky headed.  Right now I'm feeling like I'm back on the normal track of recovery/rehab after the CSF leak.  Hope it continues!!!!

[Obita]

Hi G's Ma:

Well,  if no one confesses to shaving your other side it shall remain as one of the mysteries of AN surgery.  How very strange.......

So glad to hear your recovery is going right on.  I was so used to chewing on one side that two years later I need to concentrate and chew on my AN side.  The balance part was pretty swift for me but darkness still and always will be a problem for me.  I don't take a shirt off over my head unless I am sitting down as gives me the wonky head for a few seconds.

My face went south at about day 10 and started moving back north about 6 weeks.

Best of luck to you.  Try something real sour once in a while to see if you can get some flavor/saliva on your AN side.  Sour Jelly Bellys work great,  they get the glands squirming again!!

Kathy

[Gennysmom]

Kathy...that's amazing....I knew that most everyone has some sort of lingering symtoms...I wouldn't ever want to wish time away, but I sure wish I knew where I'm gonna fall on that scale.  My balance is coming back swiftly as well, but it's weird...I have more of a problem in bright sunlight....I kind of like the dark.  I have really light eyes and me and sunlight don't get along well anyway. 

My dentist made me promise to stick to sugar free candy to help with saliva production, so I found the Ice Breakers candies in sour flavors.  They work pretty good for that....I'm drier than I was because the doc put me on Benadryl for 2 weeks after the CSF leak so I could differentiate between leaks and my nose dripping from my autonomic nervous system. 

[Static]

I was going to suggest that maybe it's from laying on that side and moving around thus pulling some hair out?  Who knows, but I hope it comes back for you.  I can feel the line where my incision was but it isn't noticeable.  I wear my hair just long enough to cover it at the bottom and my hair is pretty thick, so I'm lucky there.  After surgery I used the comb over method, worked very well (but not as good as it does for Donald Trump :X) LOL!  Thanks for the info on the sweeteners, I'll try to remember all that next time I'm looking for something to give me some spit in my mouth.  Just bought a ton of Trident so that will have to do for now.

[Obita]

Kathleen:

I did have trouble at first with bright sunlight.  I remember going out in the yard shortly after getting home from the hospital and having to get back in to get sunglasses.  I would call it blinding.  After that, I hung out under the trees. 

Bruce: 

Anytime I want to know anything I am going to ask you.  Thanks for all the info on sugar free sweeteners.  I had no idea there was that much to know about them.

Kathy

[Gennysmom]

Bruce,

Thanks for the info...actually with both parents being diabetic and doing the crazy low carb thing for awhile, I learned all about sugar alcohols....keep the maltitol away, it does very bad things....I think the advice of "sugar free" was tempered more towards being in comparison with sugared (sucrose, etc) products.  Unfortunately, I don't know of any "sour" products containing xylitol...just minty things.   My teeth are already in really good condition, but I think that someone with soft, problematic teeth would do well to heed your info....my dentist actually gave me prescription toothpaste for people with dry mouth...to help protect the gums and enamel, so that's another route to keep teeth healthy.  Now, here's an interesting bit of info....my aunt is allergic to corn and corn products, she gets migraines from it, so imagine having to look at toothpaste to see if she can use it for that reason....she has to look very closely at everything....corn syrup is everywhere!!!!

[kippy6]

I know that drainage tube can cause a bald spot, but why would they put a drainage tube on the opposite side of your head? I don't know what it could be... Let us know.

I know someone who had surgery 6 years ago, and she still has a bald spot from where her drainage tube was, but I'm not sure how big it is.

[Captain Deb]

AARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe yer bald spot is yer inner pirate trying to get out!!
Capt Deb