Right after surgery experience please

[mindyandy]

Liz
Thanks for the input. I'm sorry your hospital stay was a nightmare. I'm glad to hear you are on the road to recovery and things are getting easier for you. I'm very glad that you have found comfort from all of us here thinking of you. We all were. I was actually at work looking at the clock thinking of ya. Even with the 2 hour difference. Your husband was posting updates so this really helped.
Keep us posted on how your recovery is going.
Mindy

[New girl]

Hi Mindyandy - When I was first aware of being fully conscious I was very groggy.  I remember thinking I was glad I made it through.  At one point I did throw up but then the nurse gave me nausea meds in my IV and that was the last of my nausea.   When I realized I could still hear I was very happy but then just groggy again.  Supposedly my neurosurgeon had a conversation with me when I first woke up from surgery but I have zero recollection of that.  For the first day it took my eyes a minute to focus when I first opened them after sleeping but other than that I had no major neuro symptoms (minor wonkiness).  I didnt even realize this was happening until they gave me my glasses back.  I had a quick uneventful two night hospital stay - thankfully!

[TP]

After nine hours of surgery when I woke up the first thing I asked if I was in heaven or still in the hospital. There were about 6 dr's and nurses standing around me and when I could finally focus on them I saw 12 folks (had double vision). Then I could smell so many new smells. I must have lost alot of smell with my tumor, once removed I could smell perfume, BO, shoes, that was pretty cool. I've had several surgeries and I must say that my foot surgery was way more painful but brain surgery folks were way more attentive. Once I was taken to my ICU room a nurse sat at the foot of my bed and watched me all night and thru out the next day. I believe this was to make sure I would not stroke. I do believe pain is not an issue with brain surgery (at least for me) but there are possibilities of complications. I did have some but overcame them within a few months.

[mindyandy]

Thank you for all the stories. I keep reading them over and over again 

[schmidtkat]

Hi Mindy,
You've had lots of responses already, but I'll chime in too for what it's worth. My surgery was 8 hours translab. Some of my first recollections were of the nurse and doctor near my side telling me everything went well and to just keep my eyes shut. For several day later my eyes did not track together, but they improved daily. I did get nauseated in the IC, but the care was wonderful. I actually felt better after I did vomit (twice). My nurse offered me a washcloth to keep over my eyes as I kept opening them when I heard someone enter the room that first evening. I repeatedly told my family I was listening and could hear them, but just felt better keeping my eyes shut. Dosing off happened a lot the first evening and next morning. My greatest pain was actually in my lower back and shoulder; probably from the length of time on the operating table and the positioning.

A bit of advice...trust the medical team. They will know what you are able to do, should push yourself to do and also what to avoid. I would also share what my anesthetist said...go into this procedure with the attitude you want to come out with...go to whatever gives you peace (zen, prayer, meditation, etc...) and enter with a positive thought...you'll come out with the same.

Although I was tired and my balance was quite unsteady, I was so relieved to have the procedure behind me that everyday just felt like a gift.

Thoughts and prayers as you embark on this healing journey.
~Kathy

[Tod]

I've really hesitated to respond to this because my experience is at the extremes. My experience is NOT typical and should not scare anyone - it is a case of one, that has ended up with pretty darn good results.

I woke to a lot of people shouting at me after 32 hours of surgery. At least that is what I recall. Once I opened my eyes and tried to respond, they told me not to attempt to speak since I was still on a breathing tube (and would be for another 5 days). people said things and the only specific I remember is that my neurosurgeon leaned in close and told me to punch him on the cheek with my right hand. When I had done that he told me to try with my left hand. Once I did that, I scraped my right index finger against my left, shook my head and went back to the bliss of unconsciousness. 

(Afterwards, my sister had asked the surgeon what he thought about the outcomes of such a long surgery. He said he had been very concerned on his way to ICU, but after seeing me respond, he was quite happy.)

Once I came back around to consciousness a couple days later, and people started explaining things to me, I was in a bit of a shock. I felt horrible about what my family had been through, and that was without knowing some of the details I learned later. I felt guilty about the docs and nurses giving up their weekend since they had started Friday morning and did not finish until Saturday night. I admit, I questioned whether I was worth all that fuss and effort. I was also disappointed, though not surprised, that the left side of my face was paralyzed.

So, I had a lot to think about while on the breathing tube and not able to communicate easily. When the tube came out, we found I had a paralyzed vocal cord and could barely speak....so even then it was difficult to talk through these things. I also did not do well on the steroids and morphine - too many hallucinations and nightmares.

Almost exactly two years later, and one day short of completing 28 days of radiation, life is pretty good. Most of the facial paralysis is gone and what remains is unnoticeable by normies - a doc or one of us might notice. I can almost sing again as well.

I hope this helpful and does not scare anyone...I actually think it is good story (at least part of one) and I am glad that is *my* story.

-Tod

[Funnydream]

Worst day of my life and I do NOT remember it. haha. 16 hour surgery. Retro.

Woke up to the smell of my stepmothers perfume and it made me very sick. First thing I said "I'm going to puke" And did so. I was scared cuz the puke was red. But my doctor said it is normal. After that a MIRACLE moment happen. I could feel the left side of my face again. After it being numb for 6 months. I was so happy. I soon got over that when I notice how drained feeling my body was. I could not even raise my arm to grab the remote to the TV. Then I notice how chapped my lips are and called the nurse to get my family to bring me some carmex.

I was worried about sleeping on my back. Cuz I always sleep on my side. Had NO trouble at all sleeping on my back. Your body will do what it needs to do. I guess. I was worried about getting to sleep. Cuz I read about steroids not letting people sleep. I asked for morphine. Even though I was not in pain. I never told the nurse otherwise. And she gave it to me. Went right to sleep.

Also very loopy dreams. And hearing things. The steroids make you delusional a bit.

You get allot of attention you would not get otherwise. So its not bad. haha.

But I would trade the attention for my left hearing back in a heart beat.

[JAndrews]

I woke up with a horrible headache--but then they gave me dilaudid IV and it was gone:) I felt really sleepy, very emotional, and in and out of it for the first day or so after surgery. My surgery was 6 1/2 hours. Every day I felt a little better. I had no complications and was out on the 5th day. I walked, but never pushed myself to far and napped alot. I had a wonky head feeling that lasted several weeks--but as time went on it eventually faded and now only happens once in awhile. The steroids after surgery made me very moody.

[mindyandy]

Thank you for all the stories. Everytime I get anxious I just read the stories and it makes me feel better. 

Mindy

[jaylogs]

I remember waking up and the ICU I was in seemed very dark (I don't know if they really did turn the lights down to minimize the shock of things) but I also remember wondering why they had me half out of the bed with my head down over the side and seeing everything topsy turvey...turns out I was perfectly flat on my back, but that was just how bad my vertigo was. Fortunately I didn't have any nausea....Then of course I don't remember anything else really for the next three days. 
Jay

[leapyrtwins]

7 1/2 hr surgery; retrosigmoid.

First thought when opening my eyes was - my doc wasn't kidding when he said this was a "big" surgery.  What size was the truck that hit me???

Seriously.  I'd never had an inpatient surgery before - didn't even have a c-section with my twins - and my neurotologist told me I was underestimating how "big" a surgery it was    Guess some things you just have to experience firsthand LOL

Biggest issues were extreme nausea, which lasted for days, and double-vision, that subsided by day 3.  Strangely no pain, which I had logically expected.

I was told that my hearing nerve was destroyed in order to remove my entire AN, but I didn't fully appreciate what that meant until a nurse came into my room to tell me my phone was ringing.  It was on the table right next to my bed (on the left side) and I never heard it.

Strangest issue I had was talking like Mickey Mouse for two or three days post op.  Had my sister rolling on the floor laughing.  She kept imitating me 

The first time my doc encouraged me to sit up and put my legs over the side of the bed the room began to spin around me and I promptly threw up.  I told him it was reminescent of the first - and last - time I was good and drunk back in college.  We both had a good laugh at that one.  Got to have a doc with a sense of humor 

Everyone's experience is different - some don't get nausea at all - some don't have double vision, etc., and I've never heard of anyone else who talked like Mickey Mouse - so I don't want to scare anyone off.  If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't hesitate to have surgery.

The first couple days are the toughest, but it gets better from there.  Some days are one step forward and two steps back, but all in all it's not the end of the world.  And over time it becomes less vivid.

Jan

[mindyandy]

As the day approaches I read the stories. Mentally preparing.

[cindyj]

Mindy, try to only read things you know are positive between now and your surgery...keep your eye on the prize and don't think about anything negative (as much as possible )

Hugs,

cindy

[Mei Mei]

I've been through many surgeries:   Laminectomy, anastomosis for the damage from the laminectomy, laparaoscopy,  and more.   This was by far the worst to wake up from.   I saw all these men staring down at me and the surgeon told me his name and I couldn't answer.   they then tested my hearing and I couldn't hear.   They looked disappointed and I was doubly disappointed as I knew what they were testing with the tuning fork as I had training in audiology as a Speech Pathology Clinician.   I then was left to the ICU nurse and the room was upside-down and I didn't know up from down.   It was truly a weird experience and it lasted for three days.  My surgery was for 9 hours.   I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but if you have a tumor there isn't a choice expect for radiation.

Mei Mei

[leeclinton]

Dizzy.  Happy it was over.  I was stiff and sore from laying on OR table for eight hours.  To clarify, my dizziness was from the nerve being cut.  It subsided with medication and or time within 24- hours or so.

I had essentially no pain.  As a matter of fact, I was taking no pain meds at all by post op day 6.

The entire experience was not that bad.

I also know a guy who had a AN removal and a gallbladder and he said the gallbladder was way worse.