Update on Lilan

[Lilan]

Well, today is my three-week anniversary so I have one more week to justify total laziness then! 

The first day of vestibular therapy I almost passed out    It was really warm in the room we were in, and we did baseline testing that induced dizziness, and before long I was like, "I'm going to throw up or pass out right now!" The doctor laid me out on a massage table with ice packs on my back and front and within a few minutes (during which I was pouring sweat -- and I'm normally freezing all the time) I was fine. Had a friend come pick me up and spent the rest of the day on the sofa in front of the AC. It was a confidence-jarring experience though. That was Monday.

On Wednesday, I went back and we started with some actual gaze retraining and balance exercises. I did so well she gave me the "most improved" award for the week. Which was made up, but I'll take it    I felt GREAT the rest of the day -- it gave me a lot of energy and much more confidence in moving. Last night with friends on walk they noticed I was walking much quicker.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, today I'm more tired and even a bit headachy again! (Hence, sitting around lurking on the forum and elsewhere online all day long!) But the doctor told me exactly what you did, that it might wear me out a bit at first, and now that I think about it, it's not too bad by now, esp. now that the Advil have kicked in! So maybe it was more just this morning after that infernal motorcycle woke me up.

The therapy felt SO good though. It really did seem to stabilize my eyes and got me experimenting with a lot more types of movements in a safe environment. Now I'm "off" till next Monday when I have my next appointment, so that's plenty of time to "recover" and be ready for more! I am glad you all have told me to expect the "ups and downs" so they don't rattle me.

Moe, glad you are enjoying beautiful weather. Here in Chicago, it's like October.    (But given that I'm not doing so well in the heat, I can't complain! The doctor said right after anaesthesia you may well be a little slower to regulate your body temperature.)

[Keri]

Happy 3 week anniversary. I thought that would be the magic number when I'd just start feeling great again! I was feeling more normal, but still up and down on the days. It's great that you're doing rehab and getting around more. And your picture looks great!
How hot is a heat wave in Chicago?  I guess it beats severe cold and wind in the winter, but the heat gets to me too. Fortunately, here in the DC area, we have a pretty nice day.
Keri

[Lilan]

Keri, thanks! Let's see, we've been around 90 some days since I got home, and humid. It wasn't quite that hot earlier this week -- probably in the 80s -- but the place is more of a storefront type of building with light air conditioning, vs. a super-freezing office tower! Right now it's only in the low 70s and cloudy and I don't even have the AC on.

Climate is certainly not this city's strong point!   

[Lilan]

After surgery I noticed that many/most familiar female voices (be it real people or on television) sounded like Chipmunks (as in "Alvin and the") (not the squirrel-like animal). And a few males ones sounded distorted, too.

LANancy assured me she had the same thing post-surgery -- and as a choir singer is very alert to tone and pitch -- and it went away within a few weeks. (Of course as a skeptic, I wondered if it really went away or if she just got used to the new sounds. LOL)

But I can say that yesterday I suddenly noticed that the voices were normal again. So it took just over three weeks for me.

I also haven't updated on the swollen tennis ball on the side of my head -- it was not improving day to day at all, just staying the same, then suddenly last Sunday, at just over two weeks, it was gone! My friends who visited my Friday I think were almost a little disappointed at how little I have to "show" for my surgery -- just a little "GI Jane" spot on my head when I lift my combover.    Not very dramatic at all at this point!

On that note, I realize these updates are dull and incremental at this point, but still feel committed to having a nice long thread that may answer questions for future information seekers  -- so am continuing to update with that in mind.    It may be meaningful to a future poster with a tennis ball head.

[Kate B]

Yep, You are paying it forward for some unknown newbie!  That is so helpful, because as time passes, some of the details fade.

Kate

[wendysig]

Lilian,

I'm very impressed you're already posting!  Glad to hear that you are doing so well.  I hope your recovery continues smoothly and that you're home soon.  It sounds like  you've got amazing docs who did a pretty fancy dance with your surgery and a great outcome.   Take care, rest and heal.  Listento your body, it will let you know what you're up to doing.

Sending healing vibes your way,
Wendy

[Lilan]

as time passes, some of the details fade.

Kate, from your lips to God's ear! I sure hope they do! 

Wendy, thanks for the good wishes! I'm home! My surgery was June 11 so I'm at almost a month out already -- can't believe how time flies even when doing a whole lot of nothing! I'm very happy with how they handled it -- ask me again in 10, 20, 30 years to be sure! -- but right now it seems to have been the right way to go -- no complaints but fatigue!

[Keri]

I think the details are helpful to others as well, Lilan. I'm glad the tennis ball head thing resolved!

Keri

[Lilan]

Although I deny any clinically significant cognitive problems    -- this morning I took my dog's medicine. 

I got her pill out but she wasn't immediately around, so I set it on the counter and took a shower (with full hair wash and deep conditioning -- still a notable event at almost one month out) 

By the time I made it back into the kitchen, I assumed the pill that was "out" was one of mine, and swallowed it down. 

After calls to the vet, doctor and poison control, it was determined that it was no big deal -- a very mild bit of an antibiotic that is used in humans at much higher doses.

I'm not even "on" anything anymore but vitamins and Advil -- but better start using my daily pill holder just to keep it all straight! LOL! The little things (like a shampoo) require so much mental energy that I seem distracted from certain other things!

[yardtick]

You made me chuckle Lilan.  You wouldn't believe all of the crazy things I do and I am on lots of things.  Sometimes I just have a melt down and cry and my family things that is even funnier.  Oh the ups and downs, but I would sooner laugh than cry. 

Take care,
Anne Marie

[alicia]

I am still laughing at your post lilan!!!  I have said "they told me the surgery did not affect me cognitively, but I'm just not sure" so many times!

Here's my stupidest story ... I was carrying my cell phone, picked up some dirty beach towels, draped them over my arm, and went in the laundry room.  I started the water, put in the soap and towels and closed the lid...then...Where is my cell phone??   I looked and looked for it.  I do not remember leaving the laundry room.  After starring in the quickly filling machine for a few minutes -  I stopped the water, pulled every wet towel out, and reached in the machine with water up to my arm pit to feel the bottom - no phone.  I put everything back in and eventually found my phone in the other room.  Did I feel dumb! 

Not sure my brain is working as quickly as it should, but it usually provides a ton of laughs!  All is well, hope your weeks continue to get better and better!

Alicia

[Keri]

and I'm glad you didn't wash your cell phone. it's generally not good for them!

[Lilan]

I am glad everyone got a giggle out of my dog medicine story!    I am getting a lot of mileage out of that one. 

It's five weeks today for me! Feeling good -- still some random days when I don't leave the sofa though! But I'm sleeping very well at night now -- usually I don't even wake up once.

I have balance therapy twice a week and have improved a ton! I have my formal retest next week, but the doctor is thrilled with my progress (though doing things while standing on foam is very challenging -- not so good at that!). I'm driving again, too, so now I drive to my appointments! Which is saving me a lot of money in cab fares!

I'm down to three Advil a day most days now, four at most. I can tell if a "twinge" comes on that I need to take one, almost always before any true headache starts up. I am having a little more incision pain as the nerves regenerate and numbness wears off, but it's not awful -- just a sudden, stabbing or itchy/tingly pain that lasts for like a second, maybe three times a day. Just enough to remind me it's there!

So far I've been comfortable with my one-sided hearing. I went out to a restaurant a couple nights ago (in high heels for the first time!), sat outdoors and had no trouble hearing my companion. There were a couple times I had people repeat things but not noticeably so, no more than anyone else might do in a bustling setting. I do want to train myself to say "Pardon me?" or something a little nicer than "WHAT?" all the time, LOL. Actually I think I say "What's that?" right now.

Things I hope and trust will still improve:

1) Stamina! Especially in any kind of heat -- I still feel warmer quickly than I'm used to, and that drains me even more when I try to do much that's not in AC!
2) I still have a "feeling" in my ear that I want to go away! The fullness has dissipated a lot, but a bit more to go.

Things I look forward to that time will definitely cure:

1) Incisions being healed! I am using Mederma on them and they are healing nicely. Note, the phys ther doctor said to also use a 30 sunscreen on the exposed ear ones (aka not covered by hair) to further minimize visible scarring.
2) Being comfortable sleeping on left side again at some point!

I am starting work on Aug. 3, so I need to start getting organized for that! aka, clothes, finishing up any paperwork or tasks I need to do, etc. I have gotten much less done the last month at home than I thought I would! But I knew I needed to use this time to focus on rest and rehab!

[moe]

Great update, Lilan
You are progressing very nicely.
A couple of more weeks and then "back to work." Hey recuperating from this type of surgery IS work!
Good luck with that.
Stamina will continue to increase.
Ant hopefully the feeling in the ear will GO AWAY.
May come with the SSD.
Unfortunately, I'm still trying to pop my left deaf ear which has a feeling of fullness.   I've  just gotten used to it.
Enjoy the rest of your recup.
Maureen

[Jim Scott]

Lilan ~

I appreciate the update and celebrate your steady progress toward normalcy.  I think that most of your current healing issues will be transitory and you should be doing even better in a few more weeks.  I can empathize with your complaint about the lack of stamina.  I had the same deficit post-op and even now, 3 years out, I still don't have the same level of stamina I used to.  However, I'm probably much older than you and I believe that's a major factor in my case.  I assume your stamina will steadily increase as you recover, although it could take some time. 

A little over one more week to rest and get ready for a return to work.  Enjoy it! 

Jim