My BAHA Surgery

[leapyrtwins]

Yes, Jane, believe it or not, Dr. Battista can be funny!  It's taken him a while, but I think my sense of humor is starting to grow on him      He was definitely more humorous during the BAHA surgery than he's been at other times - although I did get him to chuckle at a joke I made when I was post op for my AN surgery.   There's hope for him yet, but I don't think I'll ever convince him to wear a SpongeBob tie like Dr. Rivera who did my fat graft.  Guess that's just not his style.

I knew the docs had moved into a new building and although I've been going to EGV, since it's closer for me than Hinsdale, the day I accidentally pulled my BAHA bandage off I had to go there.  The waiting room is beautiful - a huge improvement on the last one which was very depressing - but they still have the same dead looking flower arrangement.  I'll have to hassle Dr. Battista about that the next time I see him 

I'm sorry to hear about your sinus inflammation, but I'm so thrilled that your BAHA surgery will be covered by your insurance.  YEAH!!! 

My surgery site is good - no infection - only problem I'm currently having is that it itches me    I think it may just be due to the neosporin "gunking up" on my skin and irritating it.  I only have to apply it for another 8 or 9 days and then I have a week "off" before I see Dr. Battista again. 

Other than that, I'm extremely happy that I had the surgery and can't wait to be able to attach the processor.  Let me know when you schedule your surgery.

Jan

[danijake]

How about numbness? the whole left side of my head feels like I'm touching someone else's head. And it itches like crazy!! Only I can't feel myself scratching. Hmmm. How long does it take for the grafts to heal? It's been over a month. My Dr doesn't give me any info. I guess that's his way. The hearing aid makes my head hurt worse. It sounds like a tin can. It bothers me. I'm grateful that I have the sensation of hearing on that side, though!!!

[gramps]

My surgeon said the numbness was due to having to cut nerves in there.  He said it would take 2-3 months for the nerves to reestablish and that the numbness would eventually go away.

Gramps

[leapyrtwins]

If it takes 2-3 months for the numbness to go away from the BAHA surgery, then I have a long way to go since I just hit the 2 week mark today.

For the surgery, I had local anesthesia -  doc injected lidocaine into my head - and I barely felt the needles.  I also didn't feel the clippers when he was shaving my hair; in the past, I would feel a kind of tickling sensation.  As I told the doc, I think my head is still numb from my AN surgery, even though it's been 9 months now.  I still refer to the AN side of my head as "road kill" - and yes, it does feel like I'm touching someone else's head.  But I'll take a numb head any day if the BAHA helps me hear better.

The itching is driving me mad, but people tell me that means I'm healing.  I can only hope 

From what Ellis and Lori said in another post of mine (titled "Question for BAHA people") it sounds like the healing may never really be complete - or it will take awhile.  They both mentioned "flareups" - read it if you have a chance.

Jan

[1wareagle]

Jan,

As you know, I had my BAHA put in at the time of my AN surgery, so I don't really know what it feels like to just recover from 1 surgery at a time. After a year and 2 mts I still can't feel anything on the top of the BAHA site. It's like you said, it fells like I am touching someone elses head. Below the site I have a little sensation. Now, the AN site has returned. I can feel everything. I had hear that the feelings would come back to the BAHA site but as of today mine hasn't.

Ellis

[lori67]

13 months from my AN surgery - and I still have numb/tingly spots.  I also have some numb spots and one hypersensitive spot since the BAHA surgery in November, but I'll take numb over painful anyday.

I think the worst is when you feel an itch, but you can't feel yourself scratching it.

[dpetty]

Well I am 6 yrs out from my AN surgery and it has days still that it feels strange, my scalp is very tight and it took many months for it to heal at the top of the incision. I am going to ask for local when I get my BAHA in May as I don't handle being knocked out well as i go down fighting it and come up that way as well, besides I have such a thick skull I doubt I will even know it as when I was having the AN removed they had to bust out the industrial saw, God's truth.....

David

[leapyrtwins]

David -

you'll do just fine with the local; I had it and didn't feel a thing 

Jan

[dpetty]

Yes I figure I will do fine I am excited to get it,comping at the bits, my fiance' said she couldn't handle someone drilling into her head and I told her well that is nothing to what I been thru,  admittedly I am more careful now about my head altho working around and riding horses u will get hurt to some degree at times as I have been thrown off 4 times in 6 yrs, once very hard I managed to protect my head from the impact. One note I will NOT be wearing my BAHA while riding , well I may with one horse (Clay), he is nearly bomb proof.

David