What Was the Aftermath of Brain Surgery?
September 6, 2022. My Granny’s birthday – normally a difficult day. It was my first time going under general anesthesia. I won’t lie and say that it was not hard going into that OR prep area, even to have this nemesis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, defeated. We had done all the things. Just a few weeks before – on August 18 – Garry had a heart procedure. Knowing this was coming all at once, we made sure we had updated all the legal documents and talked about all the tough stuff – debilitation, death - going in. Still, nothing completely prepares you to be wheeled out and to the OR, into the unknown, for neurosurgery. It was scary.
I have had individuals reach out to me about this procedure. I have had contact with friends whose relatives have suffered with this condition. My doctor told me how fortunate I was to have a dentist, shout out to Dr. Bayliff in Roxboro, who caught this early. Here is the bottom line: I was in pain – a lot of pain. When it started, there were just “twinges” that were uncomfortable, and that was when my dentist caught it and wanted me to go to a neurologist. My neurosurgeon at Duke, said many dentists extract teeth, or worse, trying to identify the problem that patients are reporting. Thankfully, I had a relationship with a neurologist and told her about my dentist’s belief. However, I probably could have saved myself a lot of pain if I had gone ahead and had the MRI early, more than a year before the pain was excruciating – this spring. I literally remember going on photo shoots and thinking, “I hope my medicine works, because I have to smile and be high energy for an hour and change”. Getting an appointment with my neurosurgeon moved from November 17 to July 1 was like a miracle to me, because I was able to be evaluated and have the surgery scheduled for September 6. The bottom line is – I would do it again. I did not want to be on medication for the rest of my life – nerve blockers that have side effects like drowsiness and cognitive fog. However, the surgery, while a blessing, was not a walk in the park.
I went into the surgical procedure well-informed, and I was told about the long recovery, the risk of vestibular symptoms, numbness, tiredness, and the like. Of course, I thought, “It won’t be like that for me”. It has been. I was very weak when I came home, and I was very unsteady and dizzy. I have experienced fine motor skill impairment, and I still am. My typing and my writing are impacted, but they are getting better and faster every day. I cannot drive. I have strict orders not to drive until all vestibular symptoms are gone, and I continue to have several episodes daily – of dizziness, falling off balance, etc. Working has been a challenge. I am not supposed to be working at all, but anyone who knows me knows I cannot sit still. However, I hit a wall and have to give in to it and sleep – a lot. I am very, very tired. Finally, I trip over my words from time to time, and that is frustrating. However, I have done all of my recovery – since I woke up in the hospital – with no pain meds, just Tylenol! As I said before, I would do it again! I have had no nerve pain, and this week, I am starting to slowly wean off of the nerve blocker!
If I could tell you a few things, one would be to have all the legal documents in place – Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, Wills, and Trusts. You don’t want to be scrambling to know that they are updated. A close second would be to check out your doctors. Going into an operation is easier when the person is trusted in his/her field. I knew I was going to “the guy” at Duke in the field of Trigeminal Neuralgia. If you choose to have long term care insurance, a choice we made a while ago, it brings – yes, a hefty price – but, more importantly, peace of mind. Go with your support system – preferably one that helps you to cook, clean, and otherwise prepare for surgery – and who will be there for the difficult aftermath. Remember the bed? It never hurts to have that bed in which to recuperate. (We were like kids in a candy store when it came – playing with the lights, massage, and zero gravity on the remote.) Finally, go in with that attitude of gratitude, knowing that God’s will is the safest place where you can be. It is peaceful to go to sleep praying, “Thy will be done”.
Garry and Cameron were right by my side as I was preparing for surgery. They were right there when I woke up, and they did not leave my side. Ma and Pops took care of things on the home front, with Ma making sure Bella was taken care of while we were gone. I am so thankful for all of them and for all they did for me. I also appreciate all of the prayers, cards, texts, messages, calls, offers of help, and gifts of food that I received. I love and appreciate all of you! Most of all, I love the Lord, and I thank Him for all of my blessings – which include bringing both of us through these successful procedures. I praise His name.
Now, on to Garry’s shoulder replacement…