My Surgery updates

[LADavid]

Hi Laura
Welcome to the postie world.  So sorry to hear about your dizziness -- maybe someone on the Forum who dealt with it has some tips.  Hope you're getting some rest and that you heal quickly.
David

[Keri]

Hi Laura,
Welcome back! I do hope you keep getting better and better. Being on the computer a lot doens't always help, but receiving all the nice messages does.
I just read this from Jan on a post to Greg about BAHA's... anyway, there's a lot of detail about this picture thing. I hope it helps.
Keri


thanks, Jan... this is your helpful quote:

couldn't find my thread, but here are the instructions I PM'd to someone recently.

Go to http://photobucket.com and sign up - it's free.

Once you move your photos to photobucket, it's easy to copy the image.  Look for a series of boxes under each photo that say "email & IM", "direct link", "HTML code" and "IMG code"  Position your mouse on IMG code and left click.  A yellow box that says "copied" will appear. 

Next go to the forum and create a new subject.  In the text of the post, just right click with your mouse and chose "paste".

You will see a set of brackets with the letters IMG in them and the address of your photobucket photo inserted between the brackets.

If you have numerous photos to post, just copy and paste each IMG code.

If you want to check and make sure your image(s) copied correctly, just "preview" your message before you hit "post" and you should see your photo in the preview box.

Good luck,

Jan

PS - if you don't want your pictures to be large, you can resize them in photobucket and make them smaller.

[NancyMc]

Hi, Laura.
I just checked thestatus.  The steroids really messed me up, but I was eager to stay on them as long as I did (two weeks) because brain swelling is not a good thing.
I can't believe it has only been three weeks and two days since my surgery.  I'm totally fine except for the facial weakness, and I know you will be, too.  Just relax about it, don't stress.  One baby step at a time.
Lots of love and healing vibes,
Nancy

[allegro17]

Hi!   This is Rhona.   I thought it was pretty amazing that laura could even try to sit down at the computer -- that says lots for how much better she is doing.   Although very dizzy and not focusing well, she is moving around and looking better -- even went for a walk outside with her dad and walker -- a good addition to our medical supplies.   She had some great oatmeal this morning -- we are next to a quality food store/restaurant and lots of water.  She also took a pain killer today -- yesterday she took straight tylenol. 

We have abeautiful picture of laura in the scarf in the hospital, and a great picture of the scar too.  I'd try to post them, but i am  bit of a technological dinosaur. 

She is off the steroids, and just on an antibiotic, pain meds and antivert as needed. 

Thanks for all your encouragement!    She is better day by day. 

Rhona

[Kaybo]

Great to hear!!  Keep it up, Laura!!

K

[elliemae]

Hi, Laura and Rhona -
I also met Laura at brunch in Worcester ... what a great achievement in the marathon and even greater driving around Boston with Keri!!   

Sorry I'm so late to wish you good luck, but now that it's over, continued well wishes!

Laura, you'll be out marathoning again soon, I'm sure. 

Elaine

[Jim Scott]

Rhona/Laura ~

So pleased to learn our 'postie' is having a good recovery!  Thanks for the updates...looking forward to the photos.

Jim

[jerseygirl]

Hi, Rhona and Laura,

I have seen pictures on thestatus and Laura looks fantastic! In fact, in one picture with the scarf she doesn't look sick at all. What is she doing there at Brotman?

Seriously, great to hear everything is going well as expected. I am sure it's quite a change for Laura to be so weak and dizzy but in a few months she will be back to marathons! Nobody doubts it even for a second.

Thanks for keeping us updated, Rhona. Give my  best to Laura.

         Eve

[nancyann]

Hi Laura,  Your pictures are beautiful !     I had alot of dizziness, balance problems initially also,  & the fatigue IS incredible for most of us.

Your body is expending so much energy trying to 'right' the imbalance,  visual focusing, post op healing, & with the decreased appetite,  your body
needs so much more sleep then usual.  I remember 'conking out' at the strangest times !
You'll gradually begin to feel like yourself again.

I chose not to use a walker when I got home after my friend (neurologist) said I would have to get use to not using the walker next;
so, I was lucky that I have a catwalk outside my condo, I would walk up & down & only if I felt I was 'going over' did I grab the railing.
I remember telling my mother it feels like I'm walking on a suspended solid surface hung by steel cords & it's windy out !

Continued healing,  keep a peaceful heart,
Always good thoughts,  Nancy
ps: remember to look straight ahead when you walk...

[NancyMc]

Wow!  Your incision is tiny!  Thanks for the photos and the great smile.  Home soon.

[Rich56]

Hi Laura,

I’m so glad you’re out of the hospital and on the road to recovery.  I’ve been in the background following your progress, but my work schedule doesn’t give me enough time to post, once I’ve done the reading.  To run The Boston Marathon you are obviously in very good shape, however, you have just gone through h---, and your body needs to rest.  As other’s have said already, you have to listen to your body!

I am also very happy to see you sporting The Magic Scarf, very sharp   and your scar actually looks very small, that’s a good thing

You are in our thoughts, and hope your recovery is smooth and steady,

Rich & Scarlett

P.S. Hi Rhona, you have done fantastic with the updates.  As a caregiver also, I know it is emotionally draining.  I hope you’ve been taking care of yourself, eating and getting your rest.  Thank you very much!

[leapyrtwins]

Laura -

although your mom has done a wonderful job of updating us, it was great to hear from you 

Rhona -

I'm technically illiterate, so if I can figure out how to post pictures to the forum, I'm confident you can too.  It's not as hard as it sounds.

If you can't get it to work, we'll all just have to head over to the status - sounds like they're posted there.

Jan

[allegro17]

It's the end of our stay here, and tomorrow (today for lots of you) we head for New York.   It was a hard day today -- Laura was very tired out, still dizzy with vision problems.  We spent some time outdoors on the patio of the hotel, napped, and walked some.   Then we went out for sushi at a wonderful place by the hotel.   It was the first time I have seen her dig in.  LOL   She is sleeping now, tired out -- very much to be expected.  But she will push to do what she can , and I pass on all you good advice and enthusiasm for her recovery.   

Hope to write you all tomorrow in daylight savings time fromNew York.  We don't arrive until 7:30 pm , so it still won't be too early!   

BTW, I'm  not sure if I mentioned how good the care was at the hospital.  Because Laura was in the ICU the entire time, it was one on one nursing, and the staff was very good and very caring.   

Rhona

[leapyrtwins]

Just checked out Laura's pics on thestatus site.  She looks amazingly wonderful - nice scarf 

And her scar does  look tiny 

[MAlegant]

Laura and Rhona,
Sounding just great.  I hope all the issues resolve soon, and I'm glad you're soon home.  BTW, what/where is the status site?
Marci