3 week update

[Guest guest]

Tried this yesterday, but it didn't post. Here we go again.

On 4/4/01 I had my decompression surgery. Spent 4 days in ICU, mainly

due to room availability, and one day in a private room. Excellent

care, excellent people. Some notes:

1. A gentleman who introduced himself as my chief nurse for surgery,

started to explain the hip replacement surgery, I thought he was

joking, and asked him to repeat. He did, same thing Right hip

replacement. I grabbed the notebook out of his hands and sure enough

at the top of the page it said " R/hip Rplace " ! But I did note that it

was a gentlemen named who should have this surgery. Well, got

that cleared up right quick!

2. After surgery they kept waking me to breath. I don't know why.

Maybe they were monitoring. That turned out ok after a few hours.

3. Although I thought someone was massaging my feet, after a many

hours I realized there were some booties on my feet which used air

pressure to keep the blood circulating.

4. I did request our Chief of Police at one point, I felt I had been

run over by a truck and was sure I had the plate number.

5. I thought you were all kidding me about the nausea. In fact, the

first time a nurse asked me if I was, I said no. As soon as she left,

I redecorated the left side of my room. I think there was only one

other time, but it was much more contained!

6. I felt much better in the hospital then when I got home.

7. ALL Chiari symptoms below the neck disappeared after surgery.

8. I have not dealt well with the meds. Vicodin puts me in a haze,

permanently tired, and seems to demand a redose every four hours.

Oxycontin gave me hallucinations that were hell. Even I though I knew

they weren't real, I played along for over 4 hours. Now I just take

extra strength tylenol 4 times a day, and valium when I wake up and

go to bed.

9. Some of my headaches have been absolutely horrible, full blown

10's. There seemed to be nothing that could be done except a cool

washcloth rub through my hair and my wife's hugs (and tears). These

would last from 0ne to three hours. I also found Lamaze breathing

helped also. I do not know how I remembered it, our youngest is 16

years old! (Remember also, I was not the one giving birth, coaching!)

Originally it was daily, now it happens about every third day. I

consistently have a headache in the 5-7 range.

10. The incision area has just started to feel stiff and sore. But

not unbearable.

11. Recovery has been slower than I thought it would be but more or

less ahead of the NSG schedule.

12. Without my wife and family, this would have been impossible.

Overall, I feel it has been worthwhile, the headaches will go away

and I'll return to work. I'm on a general positive trend and feeling

just a bit better each day. There are still setbacks but nothing

nature, time, and me paying attention to pushing it can't fix.

Sorry this was a bit long.

Hugs,

Dave