update

[Guest guest]

just a quick note to update all on how i am doing. As most of you know i had

my decompression (brain surgery) on the 6th. this letter is going to family,

but also to friends, and my support groups on the internet. so if at times

it seems strange, keep in mind the audience, okie dokie??? don't have the

endurance as yet to do separate letters to all.

I am up and doing all the things i did prior to surgery, and more. Making

sure that i rest mid day, but other than that am doing well and progressing

each and every day. Headaches are gone, and the pain in the muscles from

surgery is nearly gone now.

I have seen so much improvement in my upper body that it is amazing. I am

doing things that i couldn't do before surgery, like laundry, and hanging it

on the line. and simple things like doing dishes, or helping my son fix a

special dinner.

I have been painting and working on my gemstones. Actually took my rock

hammer to some rock to separate the vein of quartz from it the other day and

did fine with that. Today i think i will hook up my tools again and try a

bit of carving on some of the quartz.

I was out walking yesterday and was well off my own property before i

realized that i was doing well and didn't even have my cane along with me!!!

what a miracle this all seems like. I know i still have ms, and it reminds

me sometimes like when i take a hot shower and then get rubber legs and have

to rest a bit, or when i do too much and my legs and arms tremor. but it is

still much improved over what i was feeling like prior to surgery.

For those of you on the listserves, i had my surgery done by Dr. at

Dartmouth/Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebannon NH. He is a wonderful

surgeon, and has a wonderful bedside manner, he is truely one in a million,

and even the other nsg's at the hospital told me that in their opinion i had

one of the best in the nation. He put a drain in at the surgical site to let

blood and fluids drain for about five days. He also did something very new.

He inserted a lumbar drain into the lumbar spinal cord, and opened the drain

for four to five days to let the spinal fluid drain as needed to keep me from

getting a leak at the surgical site. This drain tubing is kept at shoulder

height at all times and was turned off when i had to get up. so that only

excess fluid drained. even with that i had a horrid spinal headache the

whole time it was in, but i didn't get a leak at the surgery site and so it

was worth it. my incision is healing beautifully, it is flat and looks very

good, and i have very little pain now. He even shaved my hair in a way that

let the top layer hang over the shaved part and one would never know i had

just had brain surgery unless they peek under my hair! I would recommend

this doctor to anyone who is seeking one on the east coast. I had a very

small herniation, only about 3mm, but there was no room for csf to circulate

around the cerebellum and the 4th ventricle was completely blocked. so he is

aware of the posibilites of symptoms in those who have small herniations. I

heard one of his associates explaining to a nurse that this is an issue

caused by a small skull not a brain malformation...and was impressed by that.

Now, back to life, all is going well, i do more and more each day and feel

healthy and on my way to a more *normal* lifestyle, at least one where i am

able to get up and participate in it!! and for that i am very thankful.

To all who have been sending out prayers or healing thoughts, thank you, and

God bless. love and hugs,

Terri in NH

ACM1 and MS

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