An update.

Lynne Farrington Langham I have STEREO again....so much nicer than MONO...what a blessing. Thank you all for your prayers and support!! xoxoxo

November 2 at 9:42pm

Week 2-- a final note from mom.

Week 2

This will be my final note to my blogger daughter Katelyn on the subject of my surgery. I originally thought it would be a drawn out deal, that might help others. It will not be. BECAUSE - thanks to God, I am really doing good and there is not much to talk about. 

I am over the fear I had last week about being able to handle the change in my life. Philipians 4...yep..just spent some time reading, praying..and wow, relief. 

I will continue to pray that I can find ways to feel "normal " again. I do trust, if that is with a hearing implant, diet, etc...I will seek it and do it. 

I do thank each and every person that prayed and thought about my family and me during this time. It was so much more than I expected and really helped us through this. 

I thank my blogger daughter Katelyn Claire for blogging about me. It started as a joke and ended up being a very supportive venue for Kate and me, since we could not be together during this stressful time. 

P.S. I did get the oil out of my hair :)

It's our brain surgery anniversary!

Ok, tonight at 10:30 it will be officially the FIRST POST WEEK of my Brain Surgery.

 

Thoughts

Should I have done this? I have read a few other AN Patient after surgery blogs...this seems to be a very common one. As we all know, when you have to have a procedure that makes you worse in physical condition, but saves your life in the long run. I can answer this wholly and thankfully, yes, I should have. I want to see my kids and grandkids grow up and be 1/2 the grandparent both of our parents have been to our kids. Heck I am still working on being a good wife, mom and co-worker, and friend. I thank God for the courage to go through with the surgery and all my friends and loved ones that prayed for me.

 

I like to do a good job at anything I try. And I did hit this one out of the Park!! Like I bragged about in a previous blog...if they said you could have a symptom afterward... I got it!!

 

 

Prayers:

That I jump out of this FOG..I can't begin to explain, and am realizing today it is the hearing loss. I am a little scared about the hearing deal. I looked up on the net some costs, etc. NOT GOOD..UGH. I just need to chill and pray and have faith about that.

Pray….

That I stay positive

That I stay patient

That I continue to thank and love all those that are caring for me and praying for me. ...and not take any of it for granted

 

Activities:

Walks (nothing much)

I looked up some Vestibular Exercises to strengthen my balance

Chewing gum

Napping (ok...maybe that should not fall under this category)

 

I will check in next week and update with improvement.

 

Goals:

Staples out a week from tomorrow

Walk a lot more

Take frequent trips with Dad and Mom out of the house

Get the oil out of my hair

 

 

More FROM MOM!!!!!!!

Post Op day Three (Thursday)

 

Had a decent morning again and then went downhill, a little, not too bad. Took two pain shots that day, and then figured out, if i quit taking the pain shots, I could get the IV out… so I chose lighter pills after that, and felt better. (I am a weenie and am more afraid of what might come, than just wanting to wait it out and see if I can handle it- in the case of pain :)

Saw both surgeons that night. They both said I could go home in 2 days on Saturday.

 

I was not too thrilled with that, so I grabbed Guy and we started walking the hall way, while he was visiting other patients and we kept talking and cutting up with him. I think he got the hint, because he came back and said we could probably go home tomorrow (or maybe he got tired of us stalking and bothering him on his rounds).

 

So with that good news, we went in the room and decided to work on the INFAMOUS Comb Over. I think it was a stress to our marriage, because I was telling him to COMB it out, and he was looking at this crystallized, greasy, lumpy dark stuff on my head and did not know where to start. We ended up compromising and put HOT rags of water on my head…and then he started ripping and combing. I enjoyed the attention, but I don't think he was having much fun pulling out hunks hair with gunk and fearing what else might happen. He was brave, and I ended the night with a nice slick do instead of a Comb Over. OH MY, not much improvement in the Looks category- but it felt great.

 

Post Op Day Four-

(Friday)

 

Great night!! Slept, (I guess the slick doo was more comfortable to sleep with) did not take any hard pain meds...so that helped me feel better too.

Dad and Guy came in at about 10:00. We talked and I picked at my lunch and got some GOOD fresh fruit from my Mother. Then we walked.

 

I was on a mission to find the Doctor. I figured he would be around in between surgeries, and if I missed him I would have to stay another night.

 

My Dad and Guy went and took some stuff to the car. Dad suggested I stay around and quit walking, so I would not miss him. Well..the minute I started turning into my room, I HEARD his voice at the elevator (yep, he did not take all my hearing!)

 

I got so excited, I literally scooted down the hall ( ok, you have to imagine a very large woman who has bleary sight, bad balance, and is on a mission) and lunged at him. (He is not a large guy) Thank goodness I did not fall on him. I said, I am so sorry to interrupt (yes, the minute I grabbed him, I realized he was in the MIDDLE of a conversation with another doctor!) he laughed, thank goodness, and said he was coming to see me. I started to scoot back to the room, and the other doctor started laughing and asked if I was a patient or employee.

 

Well, the mission was won and we were in route for the Ranch (my parents live in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas- right outside of San Antonio) by 4:00!! Beat Rush HOUR!!

 

Post Op Day Five-

(Saturday)

 

Slept well last night.

 

Good things:

Not much pain (headache and throbbing)

Easy to get comfortable

 

Bad Things:

Everything on the left side does not work.

No taste

No salvia

No Swalling ability

Eye Dry

Eye Blurry

Lip is numb

smile droops a little

 

Activities:

Two walks outside

little trip to Wal Mart

 

Post Op Day Six-

(Sunday)

 

Same as above. Realized I did mess up my mouth due to being a PIG. (yes, One of my main vices of life) I kept eating stuff, even when it did not feel right trying to get full, and enjoy something. The fruit acid and harder foods, tore up my throat and mouth - so I am taking a more Lady like approach and eating little and soft. Those that know my current physique, understand this will not hurt me. BUT GOSH DARN IT ALL... ya'll should see this goodie basket I got from my co-workers. I NEED TO EAT IT!!

 

HA.

 

Activities: Walk outside

words and thoughts from mom.

Mom’s own words—A look into POST OP Day 1 & 2

 

Post Op starts the day after your surgery, so my first Post op Day was Tuesday April 14, 2009.

 

Post Op Day One:

I was in the ICU until evening….

Kicked me out pretty early, but they were slow, and the nurse, Elizabeth, was so kind, she said she was going to keep me, until they got another patient so she could spoil me more.

I had a good time, No pain (lots of Morphine juice up there) and was situated right by the Nurses Break Room. I said hi and waived to everyone and tried to remember their names when they went in and out. By mid morning, they had a Birthday Party for their supervisor and I told one of the nurses to tell her Happy Birthday for me...since I heard them singing. The birthday nurse came out and offered me a piece of cake. YUM... no I did not take it, but was complimented I was included in the party.

 

Had an ice pack for headache and pressure, - it dripped - freaked me out, I thought it was the big bad CFS (Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (SIH) is a condition where a patient gets postural headaches due to a leak of the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) in the spinal membrane) leak you have to watch out for, but then passed out before I could figure out how to call Elizabeth.

My blood pressure went crazy twice, and Elizabeth just kept on it until medicine worked. I was kinda freakin' about that. I did not want to die of a stroke, when i had lived through all the other. UGH.

 

Got to go to my room. They really went above and beyond and gave me a private room. Of course I said, PLEASE don't charge me for one. They said they try and do that for the folks out of town. Had a pretty bad evening and night, but was doing good by the next day.

 

5:00am on Post Op Day Two

Took a photo with my phone to Text Everyone with my comb-over hair do. Extremely board and awake- I am sure due to all the pain medication. I got up and bathed a little in the bathroom by myself. Felt very daring... changed out of gown into some sweats, then tried to eat some food.

Went downhill the rest of that day. I was trying to get off of medicine and probably should have gone with the flow. I could not get up or move without getting sick. By evening was really cruddy. Got pain meds, IV back and decided to chill and go with all the drugs I could get through that night.

 

 

I think it worked.

more updates

Mom is having a much better day. IV is out and she is eating! Nausea is gone but there are still head aches. (duh.. you had surgery there).......

I talked to mom today she said we need to catch up haha she is making me laugh so much lately!!!

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Who is your boyfriend these days? (when replied no one she said--) "Well who is your main man then?!"

Keep praying-she is still having terrible headaches & "wicked" nurses....

lots of love.

kate

Sympathy Pain

I cant sleep either haha.

Mom had a good and bad day today. She tried to get off of the IV but the headaches and sickness is still affecting her a lot. She is back on the IV juice. She can't keep food down so we will try again tomorrow. Pray that the headaches will go away.