3 wks postop

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

I finally have the energy and am feeling much better to

write to everyone. I wrote about 10 days after surgery, but I know now that

I was not in that great of a state to be writing!!lol

I have great love and appreciation for everyone in this

group. Without all the advice and information, I know that this would have

been COMPLETE torture. Everyone has been so wonderful and I'd like to give

you the thanks you all so richly deserve,

That being said, I'd like to tell everyone that I am doing

pretty darn well so far. My surgery was on 3-27-01. The doc said that it

was a textbook surgery with no complications. My doc, Dr. Duncan from

Rhode Island Hospital, was fabulous. He is a very caring person. I had

decompression surgery with a dura graft and a laminectomy of C1. ( I hope I

have all those terms correct:)

I was in ICU for 2 days because I was vominting. They

moved me to the regular neuro unit after that and I was in the hospital for a

total of six days. When they took the bandage off the incision, it was

almost completely dry. I had quite a bit of pain from the surgery, but it

has subsided greatly. The worst part of the first ten days was the dizziness

and my vision seemed to be affected. The dizziness is almost gone completely

and the vision is getting much better. That is part of the reason I was not

able to post, because it bothered me to be on the computer.

All of this was brought on by a car accident I was

involved in on 12-29-99. I believe I made the right choice by choosing

surgery because the biggest symptom that was interferring in my life was the

constant " brain fog " It got to th epoint that I just couldn't function.

There were other symptoms like numbness and pains..etc... I think I will

give it a coupke of more weeks before I really can say that some are gone or

not.

Anyone choosing surgery, I wish you luck. I know I am not

as versed as many folks in this group, but if anyone would like to chat,

please feel free to write me. If there is anyone in RI looking for advice or

a doctor, I'd be glad to give any and all information I can!!

Thanks again to everyone in this wonderful group! I love

you all:)

ACM1 10 mm

Decompression and laminectomy 3-27-01 and doing well