Well i made it!!

[dpetty]

Well this morning I got the abutment installed, didn't have any issues with the surgery, Dr Dornhoffer did need to knock me completely out as he needed to remove some scar tissue and remove some scalpe fat for best fit. The procedure took about 1 hr, (begin about 8:30) the staff was great and made sure i was comfortable, the only problem I had was when they were trying to get the IV going, wound up sticking me 7 times as my veins kept rolling and blowing out but they brought in the expert and he got it done in one stick, least they numb up the spot beforehand, I've had far,far worse from those life insureance nurses.
I woke up about 9:50ish and got my wits about me by 10:30 and I was dressed by 11am. I went to lunch at 12 noon, still a little wobbly but making headway under my own power. Now it's about 5:30 and no pain to speak of, little burning but that's about it, the draining is kinda pesky but i have a towel rapped around my neck to catch it, it's not alot but just enough to be messy. I do look funny with my BAHA hat on and I have gotten some looks but that's ok. I go back next week for the post checkup and maybe the unit as well. More to follow.....

David

[LADavid]

Great news, David.  Congratulations.  And best wishes with it.

[leapyrtwins]

Congratulations, postie David!  Break out the Dawn!

I've been wondering how things turned out for you.

With all the additional work involved in your procedure it's a good thing they used general anesthesia.  Sorry to hear they had to stick you so many times, though    IMO the solution to successful placement is all in the technique of the person holding the needle.  I donate blood regularly and believe me I've learned to remember the techs with the good technique! 

Glad you are in no pain, and the burning sounds like it's not too big a deal.  Draining is not something I've heard about in relation to BAHA surgery.  Is this a normal occurrence that I was somehow lucky enough to escape, or is it due to the other issues the doc addressed during the surgery    Also, does your hat look like mine? or is it more like the cake box/bakery string thing Lori described 

I hope you don't mind me asking, but now that people have discovered that I have the implant, I'm getting a lot of questions and I want to answer them as best I can.

Keep us updated on your progress,

Jan 

[dpetty]

Jan,

   Yes things turned out well after talking with the doc about the scar tissue I decided I perfered to be knocked out. I suspect the draining thing is related to removing the scar tissue, it's just kinda messy is all. I just had my soon to be wife cahnge the dressing and it looks good but strange but I will get used to it. I went to Walmart this evening and loved the looks I got, we stopped at Startbucks and the gal had to ask so I explained to her what was up.

I got the same type bandage you had, it's pretty comfortable.

Funny I had to go feed the horses and cattle this evening as this a have to thing anyway my main horse came running up to me and had to check me out then of course the rest of the horses did as well, they were not to sure about it but they were waiting on feed so they lost interest.

David

[claire1]

Daviv
Congrad!@#$%^&*()_
Best Wishes with you new future
ClaireA

[Glenda]

Hi David!
Glad it's all over for you!  I too have been wondering how you were doing.  Sounds like everything went well.  You and Jan are going to have to post some pictures of this BAHA hat so we can see how cute you two look.  Lori, it would be interesting to see your cake box and string too   
I'll admit this surgery does sound kinda scary to me.  I'm still not sure how it works.  As I have been told that they do not expect to be able to save my hearing, this is something I may need to look into to in the future.  I'll be monitoring your progress to see how it works out for you.
Hope you heal fast and that it works really well for you!
Glenda
 

[leapyrtwins]

Glenda -

my "hat" pictures are posted in another topic entitled something like "my BAHA hat".  The pictures are enormous, I never did get around to resizing them despite two people telling me how to do it.  I'm not sure Lori has any pictures of her hat to share with us    The surgery isn't really scary at all.  Compared to my AN surgery, it was a piece of cake. 

Once your head heals from the surgery there is a BAHA demo that you can try to get some idea of what it will be able to do for you. 

David -

thanks for explaining the drainage, I suspect it is related to the scar tissue removal.  Your site will look strange and kind of creepy for a while.  Mine is just starting to look "pretty" and my surgery was 3/4/08.  I've been taking pictures of the site every week or so and there is a definite improvement each week.  I was going to post the pictures on this forum, but some of the earlier ones are a little gross. 

I didn't think the "hat" was too bad and it was kind of comfortable.  I got a lot of funny looks when I was leaving the hospital, and my kids could not believe that I would dare attend my son's volleyball game wearing it, but I've seen people with worse things.

Jan 

[sgerrard]

I'm still not sure how it works.

Allow me to explain. 

I'd better say Hi David first, just to be polite. I love the story about the horses; it figures they would a) know something was going on, and b) lose interest and get back to the subject of eating. Glad to hear it went well.

Now for Glenda. I should explain that I don't have a BAHA, but at least I have a hearing aid now. Anyway, it goes like this. They stick a post in your head, and you have to put ointment on it, then wash your hair with Dawn, and scrub the post with a toothbrush. You need a fishing line so you can tether the BAHA when you are out running. Be careful taking off the hat I will be knitting for you, so it doesn't pull it off. For fun, you carry it in your pocket, and then pop it on with a flourish when someone starts talking to you. Practice saying "Excuse me while I attach this device to my head." 

Or did you mean how do hear with it? The BAHA transmits the sound right into the bone of your skull. Like any piece of wood, your skull carries sound very efficiently, so it quickly makes it way over to the other side of your head, wear your good ear picks it up. Put your good ear down on the dining room table, and tap the table with your fingers. You'll hear what I mean.

Steve

PS: Jan, did I leave anything out? The BAHA accessory kit seems to be growing lately...

[leapyrtwins]

PS: Jan, did I leave anything out? The BAHA accessory kit seems to be growing lately...

Steve - for someone who doesn't even have a BAHA, you are getting quite good at this 

You did leave out a few things from the accessory kit that actually are provided by Cochlear America - I got this information from Lori on my "Running with a BAHA topic" since I don't have my "goodies" from them yet.  She tells me that I will be getting "a whole bunch of fun trinkets - a little toothbrush to clean the processor with, some batteries, a handsome carrying case and even a little thing that allows other, hearing people to try it out - you have them plug their ears and attach your processor to this little plastic thing - they hold the plastic thing up to their head and they can get a sense of what it's like".

Oh yes, and another thing, you can't wear the BAHA when you swim - the abutment (or in yours words "the post stuck in your head") can get wet, but the processor can't.

All in all, I'll give your explanation an A+ - and if you're really lucky, maybe Lori or I will bring our little demo device to the symposium so that you can try it out 

Jan

[dpetty]

Glenda no need to be afraid it is simple, painless and will be a blessing once I get it!

Jan I will get pictures tomorrow, the very bad weather has been keeping me busy this evening....well mine didn't look gross at all, just strange.

Steve Well they were curious about it as I am there sole provider and they are all my buddies, my gelding wasn't sure at first but he came to buddy up, my arabian mare who is miss nosey butt and have to watch her as she gets pretty personal at times I wouldn't let her get real close as she might go after my "hat", the rest ofthe girls were checking me out but soon realized it was feeding time. Now the cows looked at me and went on about looking for the feed except meany which you have to watch anyway. Btw nice to meet u!!

[dpetty]

Well I get my BAHA this coming Thursday but have to wait a month for the healing process to complete then I will be good to go!!

David

[leapyrtwins]

Okay, question -  am I the only BAHA patient with a doctor who makes you wait 3 months from the time of the implant to the time you can start wearing the processor 

I'm just curious.

The doc and I talked about his reasoning for this on Wednesday at my appointment, and his explanation made perfect sense to me so I am not at all questioning him, but I am so "chomping at the bit".

Boy, I sound like one of David's horses LOL

Jan

[dpetty]

Well I know my body and I blew the curve on recovery time as well with the brain tumor so that argument doesn't hold water as per our conversation with my Doc b4 hand, so I may not wait a full month either, least try it on a limited basis and see....

[Glenda]

Steve,

You crack me up!!     I wish I had your wit and way with words.  Now I am really scared    LOL!
I can see how it works it just sounds scary and complicated. 

Jan,
I did find your pics of your Baha hat.  I think you could start a new look, Quite trendy!!  Maybe Steve can knit little covers to go over them in different colors.  Oh soooo cool!   

David, look forward to seeing your pics and see if your hat is as stylish as Jan's.

Seriously though, I do hope this works really well for both of you.  Jan, I can understand your frustration if everyone is getting their processors before you.  Maybe you doc is just being extra precautious.

I love all of you! You brighten my day!

Glenda

[leapyrtwins]

I love all of you! You brighten my day!

Glenda

Glenda -

right back at ya    And BTW, Steve cracks me up too; he's very witty!

Yes, my doc is a little on the cautious side, but he can be funny if the situation requires it, which in my case it does lots of times.  Humor helps me cope 

Anyway, he explained that while my head is healing faster than he expected, he wants me to heal more before I attach the processor.  I thought there might be an issue with the weight of the processor, but he said that's not it.  He said something kind of mechanical - I think he even used the word "torque" - so I'm not sure how to word this properly.  It was something about the action of taking the processor on and off the abutment making the abutment loosen up or not sit properly

I don't know exactly; but I trust him implicitly.  He's the one who went to medical school.  As I've said before, I'm an accountant - medical stuff is definitely not my forte.  Plus at this point, I couldn't really ignore him and go against his recommendations even if I wanted to.  He probably knows from experience that lots of anxious people, like me, would not follow his advice.  So the processor is given to you at the 90-day followup appointment.  Looking at the bright side though, I'm assuming that I won't be billed for it until then

I'm betting David's hat is as stylish as mine, but I have to brag that mine had two smiley face stickers on it like this    I wish I would have thought to leave them on for the picture.

Jan