AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: Patti UT on September 22, 2009, 07:08:20 pm
Title: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Patti UT on September 22, 2009, 07:08:20 pm
HI All, Laurief, a newbie with only 5 posts, is having Translab tomorrow here in Utah with the same doc I and Anissa had. She has been doing lots of reading, not much posting but I'd bet we'll see here here once she is a postie and trying to figure out the new world of ANisms. Anyway, I have spoken with her at length, tried to meet up with her tonight but they kept her at her preop appte very late this evening. I'll be checking in with her hubby tomorrow and going to see her Friday as I know she won't want visitors the day after. Andreainslc is going with me to cheer her on.
patti ut
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: leapyrtwins on September 22, 2009, 08:51:42 pm
patti -
thanks for letting us know about laurief's surgery tomorrow.
Please let us know how things turn out for her - and also please tell her she is in our thoughts and prayers.
Jan
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: sgerrard on September 22, 2009, 09:25:00 pm
It is great that you and Andrea are going to see her. Give her our best. :)
Steve
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: anissa on September 23, 2009, 01:34:10 pm
Been thinking about Laurief all morning. Please give her family my best when you talk to them. Can't wait to hear about it...
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Patti UT on September 23, 2009, 07:32:08 pm
Well, the long day for Bob, Laurie's hubby is over. He called me around 6:30pm and she had jsut gone into recovery. She didn't have to be at the hospital till 9:30 am so doubt they got started till 11ish or later, don't really know. The docs said the tumor popped out rather easily and really was not involving the facial nerve so she should have a good outcome with the facial function. Good for her, so happy to hear she did so well. soooooo Laurief is now a postie too
patti ut
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Vivian B. on September 23, 2009, 07:46:25 pm
Hi,
Please wish Laurief all the best in her surgery and recovery. My prayers are with her. Let us know how she is doing after the surgery.
Vivian
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: anissa on September 23, 2009, 08:13:17 pm
I am so relieved to hear the good news. I hope her recovery goes well also. Please let her know I'm thinking of her! Anissa
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: sgerrard on September 23, 2009, 11:01:10 pm
For some reason, that sounds like a good thing. :)
Please send my best to postie LaurieF.
Steve
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Keri on September 24, 2009, 06:38:25 am
I second what Steve says...
I hope Laurie is on her way to a good recovery.
Thanks for posting and updating.
Keri
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: leapyrtwins on September 24, 2009, 06:41:26 am
Thanks for the good word, Patti ;D
I'll keep Laurie in my prayers.
Please continue to update us if you hear more.
Jan
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Patti UT on September 26, 2009, 01:44:30 pm
HI All, I went to see Laurief yesterday. Andrea in slc got caught up in work so she was not able to make it this time. But she was there in spirit. I brought Laurie, what is becoming tradition in these here parts, an AN Sisterhood teddy bear. She was out of bed sitting up in a chair. Thurs was very rough for her, but the day after surgery always is. She is having trouble with balance, vision and her neck. The doc told her that they cut through a neck muscle where it is attached to the mastoid??????????? WHAT???? I had no idea. Anyone else who had Translab know about this???? With my middle fosa they cut through my jaw muscle and I've had jaw issues kinda like tmj ever since. Of Course the doc didn't mention it till after the surgery, same as with laurie, didn't tell her till after. Now that I'll be doing Translab soon, I have more questions for the doc about this muscle cutting. Wonder if there is any way to avoid it. They didn't use staples on her Translab incision which I thought was different from what I've seen and read here. Guess they should have as some of her incision came open and they had to put some staples in after the fact without any numbing or anything, OUCH!!! Good thing she was already on some heavy pain meds but she said it still hurt pretty bad. Anyway, she is past the scary part, now the hard part, recovery and learning about the new you. I'll be checking in by phone later today and tomorrow.
patti ut
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: sgerrard on September 26, 2009, 01:48:34 pm
I thought the muscle cutting was something that went with retrosigmoid, not translab. Can't really help there.
It is never totally easy, is it? Hopefully most of the balance and vision issue will resolve in a few days, and she will be up and about. The cut muscle may ache for a while, though. Send her more of our best wishes.
Steve
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Cheryl R on September 26, 2009, 02:07:28 pm
I had the translab and then back in again same place for the leak and bet there was some muscle cut as also nerve from by the ear there removed for the graft. All I can say is that I never had a great deal of pain in that area. I know I took some occ pain pills and some of them were for the times when you just didn't feel good and they helped that too. I took some once home but think they always worked for me. Cheryl R
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: CHD63 on September 26, 2009, 02:49:16 pm
I'm late catching up with this thread, but glad Laurie is now a postie and apparently doing OK.
I've had two retosigmoid surgeries (on both sides) and do not remember having any muscle cut either time, so I'm not sure what that is all about. I do remember the first three days were not pleasant either time and then rapid recovery from the fourth day on. I pray that will be the case for Laurie.
Thoughts and prayers.
Clarice
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: opp2 on September 26, 2009, 03:01:25 pm
I would think the cutting of the muscles depends on the location of the attachment to the head. Not all are the attached at the same place, nor have the same size and shape of skull..
have a view here. ]http://www.face-and-emotion.com/dataface/anatomy/head_lateralview.jsp] (http://www.face-and-emotion.com/dataface/anatomy/head_lateralview.jsp)
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Jim Scott on September 26, 2009, 03:54:25 pm
Patti ~
Thanks for the update on Laurie. She seems to be recovering fairly normally. The first 3 days are always a bit shaky but they are just about over, now. I pray Laurie will experience a good recovery - but it does take a little time. I underwent retrosigmoid approach microsurgery and didn't have any neck muscles cut - or if I did, my surgeon failed to mention it and I had absolutely no pain or soreness afterward so I assume there was no cutting of the neck muscle. That Laurie had hers cut seems odd and I hope she gets an explanation from her doctor. Having staples on your incision sans any kind of anesthesia is a little rough. I would have insisted on a local anesthesia. Pain is not good. However, Laurie is past that now and I trust her recovery will continue without further drama.
Jim
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Patti UT on September 26, 2009, 07:30:32 pm
Thanks oop2, what a cool site showing all the muscles. Now I know to ask the doc about the Sternocleidomastoid muslce.
patti ut
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: 4cm in Pacific Northwest on September 26, 2009, 08:24:54 pm
HUGS to laurief from Oregon State.
There is enough people (ANA members) in Utah to form a support group (most in Salt Lake City) ... we just need a leader (or 2) to make a group. PM me if you are interested.
Patti & Annissa I'll also send you a PM with details
DHM
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Patti UT on September 28, 2009, 10:37:09 am
Thanks 4cm in NW, we kinda do have our own little support group going here. With my upcoming surgery I don't know that I could chair this right now. Def something to consider for the months ahead though. I have been a Girl Scout leader for 9 years, guess I could handle a group of ANers ;D LOL. Also, Anissa and Laurie are in Idaho, just came down to SLC for their surgery.
I talked to Laurie yesterday before they were about to cut her loose. She was going to go ahead and drive straight home from the hospital, 4hours. Hope she did OK. She sounded much better than when I saw her on Friday. Said the neck was feeling better and they had taken the turban off her head, so that was much better for her. I'm sure she will be posting something in the next few days.
Patti UT
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: Laurief on October 01, 2009, 02:52:39 pm
Hello all:
Thanks so much for all of your great wishes and prayers this past week. I'm still figuring out where to post things, and posted a comment yesterday in a new thread instead of adding to this one.
The numbness in my face is getting to be less and I'm definitely sleeping and eating better now that I'm home. I've been walking outside with my son until today, when our weather turned colder. So we walked up and down our stairway twice- then I went right to bed and slept for an hour! Nice to have that option for the next few weeks.
I appreciate seeing the head and face muscles posted by opp2, it definitely feels like the muscle to the mastoid bone is the one that hurts today- but not really any worse than a stiff neck. I'm compiling a list of questions to ask the doctors when I call them in a few days and the question about the neck muscle is on my list.
my best to all, Laurie
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: ppearl214 on October 01, 2009, 03:01:13 pm
Laurie
I have to say... you sound marvelous and that things are really coming along for you. No worries about where you are posting things here.... we're here (the Moderators and others) to help with that. No worries.
Continued wellness wishes to you........ onward and upward to wellness.
Phyl
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: leapyrtwins on October 02, 2009, 06:00:55 am
So we walked up and down our stairway twice- then I went right to bed and slept for an hour!
Laurie -
I found it amazing how fatigued I was post op, even the smallest things required a nap. It sounds like you are having the same experience.
You'll get your energy back over time; take care of yourself :)
Jan
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: NancyMc on October 02, 2009, 06:14:32 am
There have been a few who have had stiff necks for extended periods due to positioning if I'm recalling correctly. Scarlett? Chime in. My translab did not result in any neck pain. Glad you're a postie and recovering quickly. Oh, and I hope you were riding home rather than "drive"ing. :o
Title: Re: Laurief surgery tomorrow 9/23
Post by: doctorb on October 02, 2009, 06:45:28 am
Call me Nancy but I got all choked up just reading all the posts in this thread...I only wish I had found ANA while I was still pre-op, that first week in the ICU et all would have been so much easier. ;)