Some CC/Finally, I'm back!! (long)

[Guest guest]

***HUGS*** Boy have I missed all of you!!! It is good to finally be

back online with my 'family'!!

I didn't realize that surgery would mess with my ability to focus on

reading until after I got home, and it has taken me these past two

months to be able to read well enough that I feel comfortable

re-subscribing.

My recovery (surgery was Nov 3rd) has been very difficult and

frustrating. I am just now getting to where I can go out for more than

an hour or two at a time. Wonderfully, I have even been out to my club

twice now (even though I spend the next day exhausted and recovering in

bed) and even though I still can't dance yet, it is great to get out and

see most of my friends again.

Since the surgery, I have been on steriods twice for swelling and

antibiotics once for a small infection around my incision. My neck,

other than the occasional stiffness in the morning, is doing fine. The

incision itself is healing well, but the itching is about to drive me

insane!!! Does anyone have any remedies for that??? Also, there is a

very painful sore spot on my scalp up and right of the incision that

will not seem to go away (it hurts to touch it, or brush my hair

there). Any clue what could be causing that?

I had no idea that the recovery would take so long...I know it is

different for everybody, but it doesn't help my frustration any. The

good thing is that most of my former symptoms have gone, leaving only a

new form of headache (ack!) that refuses to go away, fatigue, and some

numbess and weakness in my left leg.

As for problems after the surgery, my vision is finally clearing up

(yeah!), but this new type of headache is horrid!! Dr. Rosner says that

it is a vascular and tension headache, and he has had me on feorinal

(spelling) since late November. He also says that it can last several

months, but it is being stubborn and won't go away. I am beginning to

wonder...Has anyone else who has had this surgery had a problem with

these kind of headaches?

It is either at both temples wrapping around the front of my head, or I

get these major ones on top of that that is mainly focused on my right

temple and behind my right eye (VERY painful, it feels like the right

side of my head is going to pop/explode).

I have talked to Yvette several times about this, trying to get Dr.

Rosner to give me something other than just painkillers, something that

might actually get rid of these headaches and keep them away, but at

first he just subscribed painkillers, then he tried to give me a 'new'

drug that costs over $150!!!! Obviously I can't afford that yet, I am

in the middle of trying to get my insurance back online. When I told

that to Yvette (who relayed that to Dr. Rosner) I got the 'cold

shoulder', and Rosner even said that he was just going to stop

prescribing me painkillers!! Yvette did call in a refill on my current

prescription though.

My parents are beginning to give me grief, saying that I am just

addicted to painkillers now and I need to stop taking them (which may or

may not be true - all I know is that when I try to come off of them it

is HORRID!), but is there not something out there that will work?? I

don't like taking painkillers anyway, and the fact that I have been on a

feorinal/advil/aspirin cocktail for almost 3 months now does have me

abit worried. Help??

I am beginning to feel abit cheated by Dr. Rosners after care...it

almost feels like he is dismissing me now that the surgery is done. I

don't have a regular neurologist (mainly due to the fact that the ones

around here - at least the ones that I know - are terrible), and my

family doctor's office (though very nice and helpful on most parts)

doesn't know much about Chiari, or what to do for me.

Is anyone else having trouble with Rosner's aftercare?? I am wondering

if it is just me being too harsh...

(my fiance) has been wonderful to me...though I am getting

worried that it is taking me so long to recover. He says not to worry

about it, that he isn't going anywhere, but still...I am sure most of

you know what I mean.

I have missed all of you, and are VERY glad to be back. I was

wondering if maybe we (here in NC/SC) could get together again for

dinner one night. What do you think??

Slainte, Cyn