I have surgery scheduled for Tuesday the 28th of this month. I've always had a pretty big set of balls. Especially considering the fact I'm a girl :) I've always been proud of not being scared of too much. However, I seem to have lost my balls. I don't know if I'm gonna make it to surgery. I've had the phone in my hand 3 times now ready to call and cancel surgery. I have yet to actually do it. I am terrified. Terrified is a total, complete understatement. It's making me crazy that I feel this weak.
Moving on.....I draw my eyebrows on (I was in an accident that left me with scar tissue so my real eyebrows don't grow. The accident is also what got me started on my chiari diagnosis). One of my biggest concerns is that I have my brows drawn back on after surgery. I look REAL weird without them. I feel uncomfortable without them. Do you think I'll have the energy following surgery to draw them on? I know it sounds trivial, but I've been stressing the hell out over this. Should I plan on my husband drawing them on for me? He's been practicing drawing them for me.
Second question....My car ride home form the hospital is 3-3.5 hours. Am I going to be able to ride in the car that long? I really don't have any other options.
I'm sure that in the next week I'll have a ton of questions. Be prepared. The more I stress the more I think to ask about.
First, I was very scared about having surgery also. Except I didn't want to cancel it I wanted it moved up, because I was consumed with the thoughts about surgery. So, I moved my surgery up and to my surprise the surgery wasn't bad at all for me. I do have a high pain tolerance (had my kids natural, with no meds) but the pain wasn't anything compared to labor. I think I was so scared that it made it easier when it actually happened. I was back to normal within 2 weeks, actually better than normal, and I was back to work full time (12 hours a day with drive time) after 3 weeks. The day after surgery I was up, walking, eating, and even took a shower. I feel better today than I have in 12 years! My husband really calmed my nerves the night before surgery when he asked me "are you ready to start your new life"! I wasn't nervous at all the day of surgery and was actually pretty happy thinking about how much more I was gonna enjoy life and not miss out on so much anymore after surgery. From reading about others, I think I am out of the norm for this surgery but at least you can hear one positive story!
As far as the eyebrows, if that is important to you, plan for your husband to draw them on. But I think you will be able to do it by yourself the day after (once anesthesia has worn off).
The car ride might be a little rough, I had an hour drive home and wasn't liking it. But since you don't really have any other options, maybe they can give you sleeping meds right before you leave or something a little extra to help with your ride home.
Yes, I was scared before surgery but so ready to get my life back. If the eyebrows are important, then keep teaching your husband just in case. My surgery and recovery was very smooth. I was on facebook and texting from the ICU. My hospital stay was just under 48 hours. You very well could be taking care of your eyebrows yourself.
My advice is to take you meds exactly as prescribed and maybe an extra pain med for the ride home. Also, if you NS didn't say anything ask about a stool softener before and after surgery.
I am so sorry you are having such anxiety. I completely understand I haven't pushed to schedual my revision because of anxiety. It's normal for such a serious surgery. We just have to remind ourselves that it needs to be done. If you are confident in your doctor that's the most important thing. If you need somethig for anxiety before surgery I would ask your doctor. It's important that you rest beforehand. As for the eyebrows I would ask your husband to do it for you. Even if you are up to it with all the meds they may come out kind of wacked! LOL As for the ride home Pillows, Pillows, Pillows. I would take your meds and try to lay down in the back seat cushioned by pillows.
We are all here for you. What your feeling is normal. I hope getting it out and getting feed back help you some.
This could be TOTALLY inappropriate as I haven't read your bio, but, in Australia, people can get "tattoos" of eyebrows...
Now, I know this might sound WAY OUT THERE, but I know how i feel when I cannot do something to my face myself, and I don't really know if I trust someone else's ability...not putting your husband down in ANY way!!
This could be something you could look into... maybe... perhaps...
They can do eyeliner on your eyelids... I am sure they have come up with something for eyebrows too... try and find a beauty salon or cosmetic place (I am not great with make up names) and see if there is something like this available.
Thank you all so much. I tried to go tanning today (first time in years) to get away and have a few moments to myself and try to relax. Being with my own thoughts turned out to be the worst thing I could have done. I got so stressed out and was crying in the tanning bed that I passed out. I’m a total mess. And now I’m also a little burnt. I’m scaring myself b/c I’ve never felt this kind of fear. I’ve never not been able to control my emotions.
I think I’m doing the right thing. I have multiple drop attacks a day. I can’t drive. I can’t go out and do things with my kids like I want to b/c of my fainting and drop attacks. And i think I picked a great doctor. I’m just scared that today is going to be my last Monday. That this is the last time I’ll watch my son attempt to eat a taco. That it’s the last time I’ll put my daughters ‘Monday’ pj’s on her.
My doctor valve me Xanax a few weeks ago. I had the most unbelievable reaction to it. That’s why I haven’t been on here in 3 weeks or so. After 3 days of taking it my body started craving it. Every 5.5 hours my body would start to tense up, my back would get so tight that I could’t breathe, my mind would race. Until I took another Xanax. It would go away within a minute after taking it. It was gross. I felt like an addict. So I stopped taking it and went through a horrible withdrawal. No sleep, sweats, back pain so bad I couldn’t eat or breathe. I lost 10lbs and look sickly skinny now. I’ve never felt like that in my life. It scared me that my body could react to a medicine like that. It’s really the first time I’ve taken any prescription meds other than antibiotics. I digress…I have the Xanax, but I’m scared to take it and don’t have time to go to my dr’s before my appt to get something that won’t make me feel like that. I called and they can’t just call something in for me without seeing me. So I’m just trying as hard as I can to keep it together.
Having this website helps a lot. The support on here is wonderful. It’s really touching to have all you who understand and don’t judge b/c I don’t look sick on the outside. @faifee I actually had my brows tattooed on a few years ago But they have since faded and I have to draw them again. The tattooing cost $450 and dosen’t last too long. My husband was however an art major so he’s surprisingly good at drawing eyebrows
But they have since faded and I have to draw them again. The tattooing cost $450 and dosen’t last too long. My husband was however an art major so he’s surprisingly good at drawing eyebrows