Author Topic: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?  (Read 56900 times)

wanderer

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4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« on: September 11, 2005, 11:18:00 pm »
well I am scheduled for surgery on the 21st.   They think i'm having a reaction to the bone cement and that is why my incision has continued to break open and create abcesses for the last 9 months.     So they are going in to remove it.   This will be the third time they cut my stomach open for fat and hopefully this will finally solve my problem.   

Right now I've got a bad cold.  At least I got it now and know the day after surgery.

wish me luck everyone.     

cookiesecond

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2005, 08:29:00 am »
you will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Lynn

matti

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2005, 10:01:41 am »
You are also in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry that you are having to go through this again and I am sure this time things will go right.

matti
3.5 cm  - left side  Single sided deafness 
Middle Fossa Approach - California Ear Institute at Stanford - July 1998
Dr. Joseph Roberson and Dr. Gary Steinberg
Life is great at 50

heyyouconnie

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2005, 07:34:22 am »
Oh man wanderer, the best of luck this time!! I am sure this will be the last time. I will be thinking of you that day and the days to come during recovery.  :-*

wind6

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2005, 02:26:17 am »
Wanderer, I am so sorry to hear that you have to go through more surgery. You are incredibly brave. I will hold you in my thoughts and prayers on that day and will be anxiously awaiting news about how it went.  Sherry
2.5cm x 3.1cm facial nerve neuroma
removed 8-2-2005(retrosigmoid)
St.Johns Hospital-Springfield,Illinois
Dr.Michael McIlhany and Dr.Carol Bauer
Wait n' watch mode for 8 years.
Gamma Knife at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Chicago,IL. Dr. James P. Chandler. July 10, 2013.

David707

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2005, 03:57:46 pm »
Wanderer,

I don't visit the forum everyday.  It is kind of late response, but I am very sorry to read this today. 

Like everybody else here, I will pray for you (especially on the night of 9/20) and wish the best outcome for you.  May you have all the strength you need and a peace in your mind.

You know we all will be with you, even though not physically.  Please Keep us updated on how you are doing.  Take care.

David(707)
2.5cm / Jan'05 / 53 yr
Dr. Vrabec & Dr. Trask / Houston
Excellent outcome and peaceful mind
Praise the lord !

wanderer

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2005, 10:48:40 pm »
Thanks everybody,

tomorrow is the big day,  actually about 7 mintues until the big day.   

My surgeon is also going to biopsy a small lump I found in my neck a few weeks ago.   Better to kill to birds with one stone.

I should be out of the hospital and home by thursday so I'll try to get on and let you know how it goes.

So far I really can't complain about my surgeries   I have come out remarkably well from each and look for the same outcome from the this one as well.   

I'm getting to be quite the pro at all this  ;D

wanderer

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2005, 04:51:37 pm »
I just got home a little while ago.   I went out to eat first.

Surgery went well and hopefully It is finally over for me.    The incision for the fat graft is not a in a good place (directly below the belly button and about where my belt of my pants crosses.  so i'm going to have to take it easy till that heals up.

Head feels good.

But I do have to complain about the damn hiccups.     Everytime I get them.    I've had them pretty much all day.   Hopefully they will be gone tomorrow.

Well it's been a pretty long day so I'm going to cut this short and probably take a nap   I stayed up to late watching tv and have only had about 3 hours of sleep.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and prayers.  I really appreciate it.

wind6

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2005, 07:37:25 pm »
 :) Thank God its over for you Wanderer. Hopefully you will never have to go into surgery ever again. So great to see you here and posting so quick. Take special care of yourself as you continue to heal. :)
2.5cm x 3.1cm facial nerve neuroma
removed 8-2-2005(retrosigmoid)
St.Johns Hospital-Springfield,Illinois
Dr.Michael McIlhany and Dr.Carol Bauer
Wait n' watch mode for 8 years.
Gamma Knife at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Chicago,IL. Dr. James P. Chandler. July 10, 2013.

luv2teachsped

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2005, 09:46:03 pm »
Wanderer_  I have read your many posts about your surgeries, how did they decide you had a reaction to the bone cement?  I am 4&1/2 mon. post op, and my incision also keeps breaking open.  Two weeks ago I called my Dr., the nurse called back and said to clean it with peroxide and call back if it didn't heal.  I do have an appt. on Oct.4, but just wondered if I am worrying unnecessarily.  It is a very small opening that keeps oozing pus and then scabbing over.  Anyone else have this happen? luv2teachsped
3cmx3cm/translab 5/05
University of Michigan
Dr.Telian and Dr.Thompson

BAHA implant-4/07, processor on 8/07

wanderer

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2005, 07:10:19 am »
Well my last surgery was to clean out the abcess.   I was placed on high does antibiotics and it still kept making little blisters full of puss or clear fluid or blood.

They would heal and then a few weeks later appear and break open again.     

My blood work showed no inflamation.   

iI hope that this does work,  i'm very tired of my head leaking.   At one point my incision swoll up to the size of my thumb.

luv2teachsped

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2005, 06:40:50 pm »
wanderer-
      I guess its a good thing I am going to the Dr.s,  I hope I don't have the same problems, but it sure sounds all too familar.  It heals over, then for no reason breaks open and leaks pus and/or blood.  Yuck!  I'm only 4 mo. post op, so maybe we can catch it earlier.  I'm so sorry you've had to go through so much!  I try and think of others when I complain about the "little things", and mine are minor compared to yours.  Take Care, luv2teachsped
3cmx3cm/translab 5/05
University of Michigan
Dr.Telian and Dr.Thompson

BAHA implant-4/07, processor on 8/07

wanderer

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2005, 11:41:07 pm »
yes it does sound awfully familiar.  the fun part is to get it to totally heal and then inflate like mine did.   I had stretch marks because it swelled so much.


granted it's probably nothing serious and once the remove the bone cement you should heal.   The problem is that you have an opening that could lead to a serious infection.   You definitely want to keep that spot clean.  Also the need to make sure it's not a csf leak because they you have the menengitis problem.

My doctor told me that he didn't think I had a csf leak because I had been leaking so long that I should have had menengitis by now if I did.

An infection of the bone or the flesh eating staph would be bad.  These were my concerns.   Time will tell if it is finally over for me.

Good luck,

David707

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2005, 11:20:08 am »
Wanderer,

I am late again to read your update.  I was involved in the now wellknown evacuation in Houston from Hurricane.  It was quite an experience, but I did not forget to pray for your surgery.  So glad to hear that the surgery went well and, apparently, you feel fine now.  Keep us update on your recovery.  Hope it takes care the leakage completely this time.

David(707)
2.5cm / Jan'05 / 53 yr
Dr. Vrabec & Dr. Trask / Houston
Excellent outcome and peaceful mind
Praise the lord !

wanderer

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Re: 4th surgery, 4th time the charm?
« Reply #14 on: October 04, 2005, 10:41:54 am »
Well off to the surgeon today to look at my ear.

It appears that something is not right.    A about a week ago I ran down stairs to get the phone and when I got back to the top of the stairs my neck was wet.   Next thing I know I have fluid running down my chest.    Over the weekend I had about 4 tablespoons of fluid drain out.     There is a large area at the bottom of the ear that is distended.   Not sure what that is all about but it was about as big as a large grape.

I've been put on antibiotics yet again.    Since the loss of fluid the Pain has gone down quite a bit.    Until this time I had hardly used any pain meds but this time I've been getting stabbing pain in the ear from time to time.  So I was taking the meds at least twice a day.   


I also hadn't had any headaches really for awhile,   but now i'm getting my "funny" head feeling.     Like someone squishing the back of my head.    Hopefully they will go away soon.

Anyway,  I'll let you all know what the doctor says.