i'm home :)

[kimberly]

Hello All

I appreciate the concern and well wishes from all of you.  My roomate/friends were planning to post an update on the site but never made it that far.  The surgery was a success and I was released from the hospital this morning at 10 a.m.  I'm doing well and feel extremely fortunate that I had Dr. LaRouere and Dr. Pieper and staff (there were so many coming in and out from the team that I can't remember the names but plan to find out when I get my stitches out and thank them each personally if I'm able to).  Because of them, my hearing was preserved. 

My balance and vision aren't the best and I haven't eaten much of anything yet, but overall, I am feeling better than I thought I would.  It is amazing to me that someone can have brain surgery and be home in 3 or 4 days! In the hospital and siince I've been  home,  it seems that I am on a 2/2 plan - 2 hours of sleeping and then 2 hours of being awake. 

Again, thank you all for the advice, support, and kind words and thanks to whoever created this discussion forum!  Pooter , I hope your surgery went well and best wishes to all who are having upcoming surgeries. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. 

Sincerely,

Kimberly

[kimberly]

ps  - Jan i can't figure out how to reply to personal messages, sorry - maybe i can learn another night

[LADavid]

Great to hear from you, Kimberly and it's great that you're home so soon.  Welcome to the postie world.  How are you?  Your balance will get better - it may take awhile but it does.

David

[leapyrtwins]

Kimberly -

don't worry about replying to my PM.  I just saw that you were logged on and I was hoping to hear how you are doing.  We tend to worry about our "posties".

I'm so glad to hear you are home already.  As you may know, Pooter (Brian) is still in the hospital but should be home shortly.  His wife, Jenni, was been posting updates for us.

Your balance and vision should get better with time.  I don't know what you've experienced so far, but when I was recovering I found that I felt better each and every day.  I'm so glad your hearing was preserved!  That's excellent news!  Guess you won't have to get a BAHA like me afterall.

Keep us updated when you can. 

Get lots of rest,

Jan

[sgerrard]

Oh good, we were wondering about Kimberly. It sounds like all is well.

The 2/2 plan sounds delightful, I wish I could propose adopting that at work.

Have a nice slow week, it is May, enjoy a little spring time and take it easy. You'll be feeling improvements every day. Great news on the hearing, too.

Thanks for posting,

Steve

[kimberly]

Thank you all

I do have a question as I am now going into my first week at home.  At the hospital , in fact in ICU they started me on these exercises (vestibular/otology protocal) where I look at two index cards - one with an A and one with a B for 2 minutes with different routines (ie hold card at reading distance, focus on target, move head from side to side etc)  - my question is, are there other visual exercises that are more entertaining that one can do that have the same results?  I would be interested in knowing what kind of visual fixation exercises or any kind of exercises have helped others to speed up the process of the vision/balance issue.

Thank you in advance. 

Kimberly

[wendysig]

Kimberly-
Glad to hear you are home and doing okay. We don't know earch other since I just started posting here a few days before your surgery.  As I said in an earlier post, I really loved the poem your friend wrote you.  Sorrry, I meant to check on you before now, but was offline for a few days. 

Wendy

[Melissa778]

Kimberly,

So glad to hear you are doing so well.  I only hope for the same this week!  YIKES.  I am sooooo scared.  But it's great to see all the positive outcomes on here.  sets my mind at ease a bit.  I'll PM you later as I have questiosn about Providence hospital.  Stay positive and get lots of rest.

Melissa

[leapyrtwins]

Kimberly -

it's hard to say without actually seeing them, but the exercises you are talking about sound a lot like the ones my neurotologist had me doing both before and after surgery.  They are pretty boring, but they really helped me with both vision and balance.  They aren't easy to do, but usually the more you do them the better you will become.

Jan

[Debbi]

Welcome home, Kinberly - and to the land of Posties!  I was so excited to see a post from you today!  You are already having a remarkable recovery - home and on the computer 4 days later - Bravo!  I'll echo what everyone else says about taking it easy - I guess the best things is to just listen to your body and rest when it tells you to.  Naps are our friends!

So glad that you are doing so well, Kimberly!

Debbi - 12 days post op and still napping...

[cindyj]

Good to hear from you, Kimberly - glad you're home and the recovery has started!

Take it easy - take those naps others have recommended and keep us updated as you feel up to it.

Cindy

[Sammict]

Kimberly

It so great to hear that you are home and doing well my thoughts are with you.

Sam

[lori67]

Kimberly --

So glad you're home and really glad they could save your hearing!   

Those exercises they gave you do sound like they could be a bit boring... maybe instead of letters on the cards, you could hold up pictures of Johnny Depp and McDreamy.. (or other cuties of your choosing)!     Seriously though, there are a lot of vestibular exercises out there.  If you call the PT department at the hospital and ask for some, they should be able to give you a home exercise packet of exercises you can do.  I hope they gave you more than that one to do though.  Or call the surgeons and they can work on getting you into an outpatient PT place where they can give you some exercises.

Hope things keep getting better!  Welcome home!
Lori

[cindyj]

Johnny Depp!!  That would be my choice - good idea, Lori.

cindy

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Kimberly:

Just stopping by to add my Welcome Home! 

I'm so pleased to learn that you're out of the hospital and posting so quickly.  A very good sign! 

The exercises sound useful, if a bit tedious, but exercise of any kind usually is.  I had some double vision for a few days post-op while still in the hospital but I just waited it out and kept reading when I could.  It resolved within days.  I hope you have a similar experience.

You're an inspiration to many, Kimberly.  Now, enjoy your well-deserved R&R. 

Jim