Pooter's surgery updates

[lori67]

Jenni -

Sounds like all went well.  Of course you're going to keep an extra eye on him to make sure he's okay - we figured you would!  I'd trust the doctors and nurses.  The nurses in the neuro units are used to these kind of things so they'll know if anything is unusual.

Thank you so much for keeping us up to date.  Like Jan said, we do worry about each other around here.  (maybe that's where this grey hair is coming from....).
I hope you're taking some time to get some rest yourself (we worry about family members too!) - sounds like Brian will be home before you know it.

Hope you both get a restful night tonight (ha ha - like you can get any rest in a hospital!).
Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Jenni -

by now I'm hoping you are getting some much needed sleep and will be reading this in the morning.

Don't worry about Brian not getting the necessary care he needs in a regular room as opposed to ICU.  From experience I can tell you that they regularly check in on you - and wake you up - no matter what kind of room you are in.  Every time I was lucky enough to fall asleep it was only a matter of time before someone work me up to check my vitals or ask me how I was doing.  The one exception to this was my neurotologist who came in one morning while I was sleeping but chose not to wake me.  Instead he returned later that day to see me.  What a guy 

Not having much of an appetite post op is normal, at least it was for me.  I don't know about Brian, but I had a lot of nausea, plus lots of times things just don't taste right after AN surgery.  In addition, he was intubated for many hours so his throat may be sore from that.  Try to encourage him to eat though, since he'll need his strength in order to start walking around.  And most docs will make sure their patients are walking around fairly often before they will let them go home.

Jan

[matti]

Hi Jenni,

Thank you for the updates. Tell Brian to get well quickly, as his duties aboard the PBW await.

I know how stressful and scary this is for you and totally understand what it feels like having your hubby go through something so traumatic. Don't forget we are always here for you.

Don't worry, Brian will be fine...we promise!!   

hugs to you both,
Cheryl

[ppearl214]

Jenni,

If our stinky, dirty pirate socks got a crooked smile out of him.... then, our goal has been achieved! 

Thank you SO Very much for taking time to keep us updated.... hoping you are also resting and taking care of yourself. As you know, you are also part of the AN Family and looking out for you as well.

Pls tell the "Pooter" that the mug o' grog is awaiting his return to on-board ship activities and we are awaiting his return to the PBW. Sounds like Sick Bay will issue a dr's note for him getting out of swabbing the deck!

Hang in there!
Phyl

[Debbi]

Hi Jenni and Brian-

Yay - two days post op!!  I can't believe Brian was already sitting up in a chair!  I didn't get to do that until it had been 48 hours - tell him - "Way to Go!!" 

Yes, food intake is important.  However, you may find that he wants only specific things (in my case, veggies only).  And, as others have said, somethings might taste weird to him.  Soft food was definitely on my agenda because of the sore throat, and the inability to operate my mouth well. 

I will be checking back today to see how Brian is doing - really do love the updates.  And, I suspect that Brian will enjoy reading/hearing the posts from everyone - I know that I enjoyed that immensely.  I'll join him with a crooked little smile, okay?

Debbi - sending all good things your way

[lori67]

And there's always room for Jello...  I think I ate more of that in the time I was in the hospital than I have in my whole life!  Sure feels good on a sore throat though.

Oh, Phyl....that mug o' grog was for Brian?  Ooops...guess I shouldn't have finished it off....Well, Brian and Jenni, if you're in Chicago at the symposium next year, remind me I owe you a beer.   

And Brian - GET OUTTA BED!!!!!   

Lori

[ppearl214]

Hey Lori! You're buying in Chicago!?!  YAY! We have it in writing! YAY to the rest of us that is going to be there!

*runs like heck*

[Mama R]

Congratulations to Brian & his famliy on being official 'Post People' .. Don't forget to send a picture of his bonnet!

[lori67]

No problem, Phyl... with all these AN related money making ventures I've come up with lately, one of them's bound to pay off... when they do - then I'm buying!  And if they don't, Jan can just pick up this tab... I'll get the next one... promise...   

Lori

[Kaybo]

Lori~
My new money making scheme is to design and patent tape (like the BIG ole piece I have to wear on my face) that are FUN & CRAZY designs like zebra, flowers, leopard, etc.  What do you think??

K

[lori67]

I think that just might work...don't tell the folks at Band Aid though - they may think we stole their idea!   

Can you put makeup over the tape so it "blends in"?   

[Pooter]

Saturday update for you all...

Brian is a little more "with it" today, although still very groggy and not himself. All he wants to do is sleep. He is not interested in eating, talking, listening to books, etc. It is discouraging for me, but I am just trying to support him in whichever way he needs me to. He says he is not in any pain though. He gets dizzy when he does the exercises moving his head from side to side (to be expected), but this does not make him nauseous. He is complaining about the double vision though (something he was not anticipating). He is very frustrated (and seems scared) by it. He wanted me to turn off the TV this morning because it was too much. Did any of you have this and if so how long should I expect it to last? He says the double vision makes him nauseous as well. There are times he tells me it goes away, but most of the time it is there (and I am not sure if he is "hiding" some of it to not make me worry so much). They mentioned making him walk at least to the bathroom today and sitting up again. He was not excited about that idea. His catheter is out though, as is the drain on his belly. Anyway, any advice on this portion of his recovery is most appreciated. Please keep the prayers coming. Lots of scary woods to still walk through.

On a humorous note, Brian has not sung the ABC's or done any of the really strange stuff I have heard of others doing when coming off of the drugs, but he was humming the other day and said something about the "Princess Batty Wench". He said he was there. I thought he was crazy and then I looked on the discussion board. Gave me a good smile. I will update more tomorrow.
Love,
Jenni

[Jim Scott]

Hi again, Jenni:

The latest report sounds good.   Judging from our collective post-op experiences, I believe that Brian is responding fairly normally, so far.

After my surgery, I couldn't get any food down for days, until a very determined ICU nurse said she wasn't leaving the room until I ate something on my dish.  It took a Herculean effort, but I did - and within another day, my long-lost appetite was back.  We had quite a reunion.  I was in ICU for 4 days, even though I was doing fine (walking the halls by Day 3).  I found out that they didn't have a room for me and my surgeon didn't mind my remaining in the ICU, although, at over $5,000. per day, I doubt my insurance company liked it so much.  Still, they paid.  Doctors orders and all that. 

Brian will be groggy for awhile but he'll come around.  We all do - at a somewhat different pace - depending on the length of the surgery, the amount of anesthesia received and our own recuperative powers.  I took about 2 full days to want to do more than sleep and rest.  However, by Day 3, I was bored and began sitting in a chair, then, by Day 4, walking the halls (with my wife's help) then, with a PT nurse who evaluated my ability to navigate on stairs, etc before signing off on my release.  I was officially released by noon of Day 5.  I was still pretty drained when I got home but I came around within a few more days, although I still took naps (which I had never done previously).    When two weeks had passed since my surgery, I pestered my neurosurgeon to give me permission to drive, again.  He did and I never looked back, including driving 60-mile round-trips to and from the hospital where I received my 5-day-a-week FSR treatments (for 5 weeks) just three months later.  No problem. 

I can only speak for myself, of course, but even though I had a complication-free recovery, I feel I'm much better now, just about two full years post-surgery, than I was immediately after - or even two months after.  It's a slow but deliberate healing process.  Sort of like a scar that slowly but surely fades over time.  With Brian's relative youth, general good health, positive attitude and his solid support system (you, Jenni) I think this is going to work out fine, even if he finds a few little 'bumps in the road' along the way, which I hope doesn't happen.   

Thanks again for conscientiously posting the updates.  I'm certain Brian will appreciate that as well as his 'family' that reads them with interest as they come in.   As my (young adult) son might say:  "You rawk, Jenni!"    

Jim

 

[Debbi]

Hi Jenni-

I am sorry that Brian is having the vision issues - I didn't have that, but I am srue you'll get some response from those who did.  

I would expect that his body is still trying to recover from all the anesthesia he had on Thursday, not to mention the length of the surgery.  My surgery was only 5.5 hours, and I felt like total hell (oops) for the first 24 hours or so.  

And, yes, there may be some fear there.  There are a lot of new - and unwelcome - sensations at first.  Noise sounds so different, and of course with the dizziness/blurred vision things look different too.  I think the brain has a hard time for awhile trying to process so many different sensory inputs, while also trying to heal itself.  That's just a layman's opinion, of course.  

And, I know how you must be feeling - to see someone you love in pain or discomfort and not be able to "fix" it is probably one of the most heartbreaking feelings I've ever known.  Take some time for yourself, okay?

Tell Brian that my whole family is following his recovery.  My folks are staying with us during my recovery, and every time they come in the house they ask "Is there anything new on Pooter?"  I think when you have an ANer in your family, it gives you a special connection to other families in the same situation.  Just let him know how much he is in people's thoughts and prayers.

Keep us posted, Jenni - it sure helps.

All the best,
Debbi

[Kate B]

Hi Jenni,

Thank you for the update.  I didn't get the double vision after my surgery.  I remember TV bothering me before my surgery though when I was first diagnosed. It was then I learned just how often the screen changes..some outrageous amount of frames per second. 

I found it helpful to set goals.  For example if they want him to sit in the chair tomorrow, a goal might be to sit in the chair for a short time and then to do it two more times during the day.  I did that with walking too.  The goals have to be connected to what he is able to do, but it helped me during the healing process and to realize that I was making progress by the increased activity.

Each day he should get more strength back. 

Kate