LostSapphire: sending out love, dust, prayers and support to you!!!

[princesss]

Just wanted to let you know the date is marked on my calendar, and I''ll be sending extra strong prayers and dust for you.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Will keep you in my prayers on surgery day, before, and after!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

LS, can you teach your husband (or perhaps an older daughter if you have one) to come on here and tell us how you are doing after the surgery day and during the recovery time? It was so nice that Ally''s fiance came on here and let us know about her accident and gave us updates.

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 1/9/2009 12:57:24 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
LS, can you teach your husband (or perhaps an older daughter if you have one) to come on here and tell us how you are doing after the surgery day and during the recovery time? It was so nice that Ally''s fiance came on here and let us know about her accident and gave us updates.

I plan on doing it myself, if that''s ok with you, ma''am!

I will be in hosp probably 3 days or so, then they send you home to "put your brain to bed" for a while.

LS

 

[geckodani]

Date: 1/9/2009 1:32:36 PM
Author: LostSapphire

Date: 1/9/2009 12:57:24 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
LS, can you teach your husband (or perhaps an older daughter if you have one) to come on here and tell us how you are doing after the surgery day and during the recovery time? It was so nice that Ally''s fiance came on here and let us know about her accident and gave us updates.

I plan on doing it myself, if that''s ok with you, ma''am!

I will be in hosp probably 3 days or so, then they send you home to ''put your brain to bed'' for a while.

LS

I like that plan!

 

[snlee]

LS, I''ll be thinking of you. Sending lots of PS dust your way! Hugs.

 

[redheadma]

I will keep you in my prayers. To have gone through brain surgery once should be enough for any person, and now to face another? Oh my.

I just read through this whole thread. I, too, had an acoustic neuroma...just celebrated my 5 year anniversary from the day I had surgery. What an ordeal. I am deaf on my right side. My eye on that side also acts funny (droopy, no tears), but I had no facial nerve damage. I was 28 at the time of surgery. 8 1/2 hour surgery. I was diagnosed with the tumor (wart!) after having a bad case of vertigo and later 1-sided hearing loss. Had an MRI and bam! Had the surgery about 2 months later and those were the longest days of my life.

It was so hard on my husband to watch me go through that, like you said. Thankfully, it sounds like you have one you can still lean on.

It all feels like a bad dream now. But at the time, it was living in a bad dream that would never end. So just remember, after this new surgery, take it day by day, and hopefully sooner rather than later, it will feel like a distant (albiet terrible) memory.

The body can heal in amazing ways! I''ve gone on to have 2 amazing children (one of which is on my lap trying to touch all the smilies!) and am super healthy. You have the best of the best on your side now - let them take care of you. I pray this will relieve your severe pain. Hang in there!

 

[pjean]

I''m glad to hear that you at least have a definite diagnosis, and a prompt surgery date. I''ll add my prayers and good wishes to the PS tidal wave that''s heading north.

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 1/9/2009 3:18:22 PM
Author: redheadma
I will keep you in my prayers. To have gone through brain surgery once should be enough for any person, and now to face another? Oh my.

I just read through this whole thread. I, too, had an acoustic neuroma...just celebrated my 5 year anniversary from the day I had surgery. What an ordeal. I am deaf on my right side. My eye on that side also acts funny (droopy, no tears), but I had no facial nerve damage. I was 28 at the time of surgery. 8 1/2 hour surgery. I was diagnosed with the tumor (wart!) after having a bad case of vertigo and later 1-sided hearing loss. Had an MRI and bam! Had the surgery about 2 months later and those were the longest days of my life.

It was so hard on my husband to watch me go through that, like you said. Thankfully, it sounds like you have one you can still lean on.

It all feels like a bad dream now. But at the time, it was living in a bad dream that would never end. So just remember, after this new surgery, take it day by day, and hopefully sooner rather than later, it will feel like a distant (albiet terrible) memory.

The body can heal in amazing ways! I''ve gone on to have 2 amazing children (one of which is on my lap trying to touch all the smilies!) and am super healthy. You have the best of the best on your side now - let them take care of you. I pray this will relieve your severe pain. Hang in there!

Hello redheadma!

You and I are brain twins! Your AN and mine are identical, almost the same symptoms before, and residual stuff afterwards. Yes, you are right. The body can heal in amazing ways.

This time has been extremely difficult due to the level of pain involved. With the AN it was a piece of cake (relatively speaking, of course), not nearly the pain, just balance issues and noise in my head. But with this I''m almost at my wits end.....

And yes, sweet DH is holding me together. Between him, my family, and my warped sense of humour, I''m doing ok...the nights are dark though sometimes. Then I lurk here....

Thank you so much for the good thoughts. I appreciate your taking the time to post them.

LS

 

[marcy]

Lost Sapphire, I am glad you know what you are dealing with now. Good luck on your surgery. Hugs to you and mega PS dust coming your way. You will continue to be in my thoughts.

 

[mariedtiger]

You are in my prayers as well. I hope the pain is manageable today, and that you''ve been able to get some sleep.

 

[Catmom]

LS, I hope you had a restful night and the monster is at bay this morning.

 

[LostSapphire]

Long, rough night. I have been instructed to cut back on my meds by 50% as of now, so that by the day of the surgery I am almost completely off of them. These are anti-seizure medications that a person has to transition off of slowly....


So now I''m getting 50% LESS pain management than last week.....gonna have to bite my lip and bear it until next Monday.

Might need a few puppies...there''s a website out there showing only animals falling asleep...something like cute and sleepy.com or something like that. Gotta dig that one up again and get it ready for tonight as the MONSTER will be quite wide awake.

Soon this will be OVER.

LS

 

[Harriet]

I''ll keep you in my thoughts.

 

[Catmom]

Oh LS, I''m so sorry but it will be over soon! I''m counting down the days with you. How about a sleeping kitty to help?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 1/9/2009 1:32:36 PM
Author: LostSapphire

Date: 1/9/2009 12:57:24 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
LS, can you teach your husband (or perhaps an older daughter if you have one) to come on here and tell us how you are doing after the surgery day and during the recovery time? It was so nice that Ally''s fiance came on here and let us know about her accident and gave us updates.

I plan on doing it myself, if that''s ok with you, ma''am!

I will be in hosp probably 3 days or so, then they send you home to ''put your brain to bed'' for a while.

LS

That''s great! Do they have wireless internet in the hospital? That would surely help pass the time in the hospital if they do! (I didn''t know what they''d let you do after that kind of surgery or what you''d feel like doing!)

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 1/10/2009 2:03:03 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

That's great! Do they have wireless internet in the hospital? That would surely help pass the time in the hospital if they do! (I didn't know what they'd let you do after that kind of surgery or what you'd feel like doing!)

OMG DS are you kidding? (of course not, how would you know what it's like in a post-op neurosurgical unit....)

After the surgery I will be in a neurosurgical ICU. The next day into a step-down unit, and after that onto the post-op neurosurg.....I will barely know my own name for the first few days. Functional at a very low level and for limited periods of time. Mostly sleeping. They send you home as soon as they assess that there is no apparent brain damage, vitals are normal and no post-op issues. It is actually a VERY fast chedk-out compared to most surgeries because what the patient needs most is quiet surroundings and lots of sleep. Not something readily available in the hospital.


My husband refers to it as 'THE FOG'.........every once in a while it lifts but for very short periods of time. So hopefully after I get home I might find a moment of clarity to post.

LS

 

[Gypsy]

Hi LS, I've been reading up... and you are so brave. My mom just went through three back to back "a-typical' surgeries on her spine, and was in Neuro ICU for a long time, including two compressions (though not at the brain stem). They don't allow cell phones at the one where she was, so I'm thinking no on the lap top. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. ((HUGS)). Her chances were 50/50 that she woul end up much worse off, but she's beating the odds. I hope you do too!

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 1/10/2009 7:24:38 PM
Author: Gypsy
Hi LS, I''ve been reading up... and you are so brave. My mom just went through three back to back ''a-typical'' surgeries on her spine, and was in Neuro ICU for a long time, including two compressions (though not at the brain stem). They don''t allow cell phones at the one where she was, so I''m thinking no on the lap top. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. ((HUGS)). Her chances were 50/50 that she woul end up much worse off, but she''s beating the odds. I hope you do too!

I am so glad to hear that your Mom is beating the odds. Pretty scary stuff for her. How long ago was that?

It''s hard to hear those odds sometimes, isn''t it?

I just had to laugh at the idea of surfing while in neurosurg: if you guys could see a video of how incredibly STUPID I will be for the first little while, you''d understand! Nice idea though, but ain''t gonna happen I''m afraid.

I hope that once I get home in a moment of some clarity I can log in here from home (I leave myself logged in all the time so maybe I''ll set up the webpage so it opens to this thread. Then I can just try to remember to hit "reply" to a post and I can type somethng in.) I''m sure sweet DH will help me out.

TTYL

LS

 

[geckodani]

((HUGS)) Have I mentioned lately how incredible you are? I can not believe the humor with which you are facing this. It''s amazing.

You requested puppies; I shall oblige. Stanley, Violet and Chatchke, from left to right:

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Okay, you maintain a sense of humor in the midst of trauma that I wasn''t expecting.

So when I asked you to have your hubby let us know how you were after the surgery, and you replied that you would do it yourself, well, I WAS a little surprised!

So you''re going to make us wait until you get home.

(Just kidding....we''ll be here whenever you come back to let us know how you are!)

 

[LaurenThePartier]

LS, I''m still thinking about you, and praying for the Monster to stay away. I''m wishing you best wishes for your surgery day.

 

[LostSapphire]

diamondseeker you crack me up!
LS

 

[LostSapphire]

LOVE the puppy pics Gecko!

I had a pug before we started getting Cairn Terriers. He was a total goofball...hang on, I think I have an old pic:

"I WANNA GO WALKEEEEEES MUM!!"

LS

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 1/10/2009 1:29:26 PM
Author: Harriet
I''ll keep you in my thoughts.

Nice new avatar Harriet
LS

 

[LostSapphire]

Thanks everyone for your prayers. I woke up today feeling rather down about all of this which is unusual. The nights are typically harder than the mornings.

But your kind words, puppy and kitten (nice one catmom!) pics and sense of humour have gotten me out of my funk.

The sun is shining, it''s cold but not windy, we got a snowfall last night that makes it look magical. I''ve got a big fire going in the living room fireplace, sweet DH is out clearing the driveway, the 2 pups are sleeping on my bed and life is pretty good. If I do say so myself....


"damn" she says as her reverie is interrupted: "I just broke a nail!"

Have a great day everybody.

LS

 

[risingsun]

I hope this cheers you up. This is Charlie and Abby--look at the expression on Abby's face

Charlie is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Abby is a Maine Coon Cat. They are BFF!!

 

[Harriet]

Myrtle's here to greet you.

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 1/11/2009 12:27:36 PM
Author: Harriet
Here''s Myrtle for you.

Look at THAT FACE!!!! Too cute! And she is groomed beautifully, I must add.

LS

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 1/11/2009 11:31:30 AM
Author: risingsun
I hope this cheers you up. This is Charlie and Abby--look at the expression on Abby''s face

Charlie is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Abby is a Maine Coon Cat. They are BFF!!

Nice pic! I am familiar with Cavaliers but not "Maine Coon Cat". That to me sounds like a "cat that lives in Maine and likes to chase raccoons"!

Abby is positively snarky in the photo. You wouldn''t know they were BFF that''s for sure!

LS