Well i made it!!

[sgerrard]

Hey Jan,

What you said the doctor said about torque does make sense. It sounds like he is concerned that the twisting motion that you make when taking the processor off could turn the abutment, or try to - that would be the torque. If it wasn't all healed up nicely, meaning the bone, not just the skin, the abutment could loosen. It is a little like the abutments they use for teeth implants, which they usually leave in for two or three months to let the bone heal, before attaching anything to them.

Maybe it's not an issue for David, because he has such a hard head.   

It does make it sound like you might need a torque wrench for taking the BAHA off, and though I'm sure you don't, it would make a nice addition to the kit, don't you think? 

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Hey Steve -

thanks for the explanation of torque.  Despite the fact that you weren't at my appointment, you basically just described exactly what my doc told me - and in addition, you explained it so much better than I ever could.  Sounds like I should give some serious thought to taking you with me next time so that you can translate what the doc is saying

It seems like our "kit" is expanding every day and I agree that a torque wrench would fit right in with the rest of the goodies.  I gotta tell you, though, we're going to need a screwdriver also.

I don't recall if I posted this before, or if I just told my family members, but it seems there is a screw from my AN surgery very close to the surface of my scalp about 1/8" below my abutment.  This is very normal since the BAHA surgery involves thinning the scalp and placing it back over the skull. The doctor has told me that if the head of this screw "pops through" my skin, he will have to remove it.  When I asked how he might be doing that, picturing him peeling back my scalp again, he told me that he would "just use a screwdriver and unscrew it".  And you know, the way he said it in such a nonchalant manner I almost felt like I should reply "of course, that's something people have done to their head all the time".

You know, sometimes it's amazing to me the things that doctors do in the normal course of their day.  Freaky, I tell you LOL

Jan


 

[sgerrard]

he told me that he would "just use a screwdriver and unscrew it".

I bet he has been secretly waiting for years for a chance to say that. Now he is off telling the story to all his golfing buddies.

Lots of people have a screw loose; only AN patients would need to go to the doctor to have their screw loosened.

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Very amusing           

[yardtick]

That's how they removed the seven screws and plate from my left ankle three yrs ago.  I had broken my ankle and had an open reduction.  Within months three I had a reaction to the surgical steel and three of the seven screws were popping out.  The Dr just cut over the original incision and used a normal screw driver to remove the screws.  I had some local freezing, but bone doesn't freeze.  When we had to push in to use force to loosen the screws @#$@% did that hurt!

Anne Marie

[leapyrtwins]

Hmm, now I'm wondering just how many doctors have their own tool box  - for patient use only

And if they have one, do they keep it in the trunk of their car next to their golf clubs 

Jan

[dpetty]

Back a number of years ago in another profession I crushed my foot and had to have pins in my foot, the doctor removed them with a pair of pliars.....

David

[dpetty]

BTW I have a pic with my "baha hat" would have earlierbut my digital camrea died so I had to take one with a hard copy and scan it it, I will post it tonight. One more note I only wear it sleeping now, migrated to a normal bandage.

David

[Kaybo]

Jan~
Why do you have screws in your head from your AN surgery???  I don't know ANYTHING about that (of course, obviously, I don't know much about anything!!).  I wonder if I have some...
K

[lori67]

Ok, where to start... first of all, Steve, I think you should look into becoming a BAHA specialist.  For someone who doesn't have one, you know an awful lot about them.  I'm wondering if you really do have one you're not telling us about.. .hmmmm.. a closet BAHA wearer....

And then there's the issue of the torque wrench.. how big are we talking here - we may need bigger cake boxes!

David, I think it's great that your horses and cows can notice something that's pretty subtle - my husband can't even do that.  Maybe I should send him to hang out with your cows.  He might learn a thing or two!

Jan, doctors do have an interesting array of tools - especially orthopedists.  When I was in school for nursing and PT I had to watch a lot of surgeries - and half the time they had things that looked like they had come from the tool department at Sears.

And... I think I have a picture of my cake string... It might take a little while to find it, but I'll put it on here..

Lori

[lori67]

Ok, let's see if this works....if it does, I'll be amazed...

[leapyrtwins]

Lori - 

I have to say the comment about your husband and the cows has me howling with laughter 

As far as tools go, after my BAHA surgery, the OR nurses and I had a discussion about a theory they have.  They told me that all doctors are basically construction workers of one kind or another - they just work on people rather than objects.  One of their examples was comparing radiologists to electricians, orthopedists to builders, etc.  After reading about how many docs use every day tools, I'm starting to see the analogy more and more.

A picture of your "cake string" would be great - our resident BAHA specialist, Steve, will be so happy 

David -

am anxiously awaiting your hat picture; I want to see how it compares to mine.  And I think it's very interesting that you have to wear it while you sleep.  I never realized that docs did so many different things with BAHA patients - everything from the type of bandage you have to wear, to how long you have to wait to use your processor.

K -

Lots of AN surgery patients have screws in their heads - I've heard anywhere from 4 to 6.  We also have titanium plates and, lots of times, fat in our heads.  From what my doc tells me, my screws are holding together the bone they had to cut when they did my surgery.  I don't know all the details, because I've never actually wanted to know all the details.  A little too close to home for me 

Although I have read my surgical reports, they are written in fairly technical medical terminology, so some of the details are over my head.  I did, however, just mention to the doc at my last appointment that I'm almost ready to hear about both my AN and BAHA surgeries in graphic detail.  So, one day soon, I may be able to explain everything to you.

Jan 

   

[leapyrtwins]

Well, be amazed Lori, because it DID work!

Man, that is interesting - I've never seen anything like it.  It looks like it's stitched directly to your head.  And it looks so "clean"!  Very nice 

Not to be disgusting, but the pink bandage under my hat had blood on one half of it, and while I wanted to post that picture along with my hat picture, I decided against it.

[Sam Rush]

There is a special tool made by Cochlear for tighting the BAHA or removing it.

[lori67]

Sam, maybe we should have one of those on hand in our trunk next to the spare tire?  Just in case...   

Jan, yes, the cake string is stitched to my head.  After a few days when the bandage started to shrink, I had my husband cut the strings and remove the bandage.  On the very top you can see the white healing cap I had - the bandage had actually started to slip down already by the time we took the picture.  But I was allowed to wash it that night, which was GREAT!!

When I went back to have the healing cap removed, he gave it to me and said to hold onto it because he said I wouldn't believe how much they charge for those things - a little circle of foam!!  I don't know why I'd need it, but I told him if I didn't, I'd sell it on E-bay.

My doctor is young and probably not as set in his ways as some of the older guys.  He trained under one of the "older guys", who has since retired, so he knows the old ways, but certainly can update things as needed.  When I first found out how old he was I was a little concerned - isn't your brain surgeon always supposed to be older than you?  But, he's done a lot of research, trained under some of the best, has a lot of papers published and has patented a few tools (thanks to me - I was a guinea pig for one!). 

And I can't believe that picture showed up.  I tried to make it smaller, but that didn't happen, I see.  I guess I should be happy I at least accomplished one thing successfully! 

Lori