Well, my daughter had her decompression surgery yesterday. The ns said everything went just as he planned, no surprises. They did a crainectomy, laminectomy, and dura pasty. She is in ICU right now resting. Her pain has been managed very well and her nausea has too. She is not experiencing very much dizziness, but she has not been above 15 degrees yet either. I will try to continue to post updates here, if nothing else, just to journal her progress.
We are praying for a speedy, healthy recovery.
My thoughts are with her and you keep us updated
Great news! Best wishes for a quick recovery! :)
Day 2 following surgery, laying with head of bed at 15 degrees, sleeping a lot. She really did not move much until about 4:30, then a lovely LPN came in and assisted her to sit up a moment. She was really dizzy, minimal pain. She said the dizziness was like the room moving upward instead of spinning. The nausea has improved and the pain is controlled. She is moving upper extremities, still very guarded. her pulse is running in the 60’s, bp in the 100’s over 60’s. They had her on coreg for a high heart rate, but I think that may need to be stopped now, pulse is lower than she has run in years. Overall she is doing very well.
Hard to see kiddos go through all of this. Hugs to her and mom.
Day 3:
Sitting up at 45 degrees and higher, eating breakfast, no nausea, pain well controlled. OT came in around 1015 and helped her stand and walk about 10 yards with a walker, gait steady, very weak and guarded with neck and arms. Foley catheter removed and talk of moving her from ICU to the floor this afternoon. She is doing so well. I am so proud of this strong young lady! I can’t wait for her to get her normal life back so she can enjoy her children and husband again.
How exciting, congratulations to her! I hope she continues to do well!
day 3 PM:
Chelsie was moved to “the floor” has gotten up 4 times with me to use the bathroom. dizziness has improved greatly, she is getting stronger each time she gets up. They still have her on tele to monitor her heart, still running in the 50 - 60’s. She is moving pretty good, still very stiff with her neck, not turning her head very much to the sides, but still improving. One of the strange things though, is she has a popping sound behind her nose. we are wondering if it is mucus built up in her sinuses from her being face down for the surgery??? Doctor is not worried about it though. We are missing the ICU though, as noisy as it can get in there, it is definitely better than the semi-private room they put her in. The hospital is very full and they do not have any private rooms. This room mate has like 5-6 visitors, 2 of which are children. Too loud for a healing craniotomy.
I enjoy reading the positive outcomes like this. As far as her "roommates" tell them to shut the *#^@ up!
Chelsie’s was 6-7 mm, no syrinx. Her symptoms started Dec. 4, with them exacerbating Dec. 14. Luckily we found a neurosurgeon who got us in pretty quick after the neurologist only wanted to put her on topamax (then he left town for a month and a half with no one to follow up with when she had questions and worsening of symptoms).
Luckily the room mates visitors have left and it is quiet in here now.
day 3 night: had a short experience like the ones she was having before the surgery, her heart started racing, blood pressure went up, legs started trembling, neck began to burn, and she felt pressure in her face. Luckily it only lasted a very short while (10 minutes) this time. I think maybe she over done things (having to get up and go to the bathroom, stress over the noise, etc). She is resting very well right now, they gave her something for pain, hopefully she will sleep the night through.
Thanks for the good wishes and the prayers. God is a magnificent healer.
Wow I’m so glad she’s doing wonderful for sure say something to neighbor I’m sure any noises drive her insane right now. Y’all are so super brave!!! Woooo hoooo let her know we’re all pulling for her and thing of her 
So glad all went well,now she can start to heal.Tell your daughter not to expect things to happen so fast.My surgery is nine weeks out and it’ s a waiting game.Just be realistic about the healing process.I’m know we are very different,hoping it will work out for a better life that’s all we want.
day 4:
Today was not so good. She woke up nauseated and the nausea has stayed all day. she has received zofran all day, the neurosurgeon came in around lunch time and said she could go home and wrote discharge orders, but also said if she didn’t feel like going home she did not have to. I got to thinking, she really has not eaten much since the surgery, She had breakfast Thursday morning, and that was the most she has eaten, other than that, it has been a bite here and there. They did bring some phenergan around 7:50 pm, hopefully that will kick it, and she will be able to go home tomorrow.
On a little better note, she is rising from the bed better and she did walk about 25 yards this morning. I did try to remind her that many people who have had this said there will be good days and not so good days. We have been blessed with the good days, we can also handle the tough ones.
In response to Sydney, Chelsie is 27, still pretty young in the big scheme of things.
Sorry, now just a venting session. If you are an eternal optimist, please avert your eyes; I need to vent. The hospital we used (one we have never used before) put her in a semi-private room with a young person who has been vomiting several times an hour all day. (same roomie I vented about yesterday) I requested a room change only to be told there are none, but I see empty rooms. I do understand they may be on hold for someone coming from surgery, but REALLY . . . loud vomiting hourly to someone who is nauseated is a recipe for disaster. Then this afternoon I overheard the CNA tell the roomie “you have a fever” and I am now concerned that it is an infectious process causing the vomiting. I pray it isn’t contagious. But worried because she was not this nauseated yesterday before the shared room. And it really didn’t help when the roomies boyfriend said “yeah, she has been vomiting all day, and I have been holding it back all day too”! YIKES
Dr came around and said “the ice machine will help the muscle pain, where is your ice machine?” We told him we never received one. He too, looked pretty annoyed at that and said "you will get an ice machine . . . that was at noon. . . guess what? No ice machine yet. I don’t know if it will help to complain to my insurance company BC/BS or not, but this journal will help me prepare a letter to the CEO and CNO concerning out stay.
OK, venting completed! My apologies, I usually try not to gripe too much, but lack of sleep, uncomfortable chairs to sleep in at the bedside, home is about 50 miles away so there is no running home for a minute so I am having a bit of a pity party; and now that is through!
TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY! She is resting very well right now so I will count that blessing.
“Mom”,
Never apologize, everyone needs to vent! Otherwise we’d go insane. You’re amazing! Staying by your daughters side the whole time. I wish I could “borrow” you! Lol! Everyone going through this needs an advocate. I know it it hurts you seeing your loved one going through this. My husband was there for me through this and I really am sorry that he has to go through all this with me. On the other hand I didn’t blink an eye about being there for being there for my child going through many many surgeries from birth with my son (un related).he is now 24 and doing very well (other then a colostomy) and just was married!.
Bless you!
Thanks Barb-
This morning is 100% better. They gave her phenergan 12.5 mg VIP last night around 7:20 and she was asleep by 7:35 and slept until 6:00 this morning. She woke up a lot better and is eating breakfast. She is dressed in regular clothes and waiting on our walking papers! Her husband and children are so ready for her to get home. more later!
Praying for your daughters speedy recovery.
day 5 & 6:
She was discharged on day 5, they gave her the ice machine for her neck finally as we were leaving, literally carried it out sealed in the box on her lap in the wheelchair. The drive home was pretty good, about 45 miles (medicated before the trip home). She has been getting up to walk around the house, just needing help with sitting. Her nausea is manageable with phenergan, zoo ran is not really helping.
Day 6:
She said she slept very well last night, actually slept until 10:00 am, eating well, walking around. Her husband helped her to the car and they came to our house for dinner and to wash her hair. She is acting more and more like my Chelsie.
One thing since the surgery is she is having a lot of leg cramps. I am thinking it is due to losing 20 pounds in 30 days! She couldn’t eat while taking the topamax and lost from 140 to 120. She has not been taking the topamax since surgery, I hope she will get to continue to be off of it.
Each day she is getting stronger, I won’t keeping posting the small milestones, only if it is something that I think will help people going through this. Tthank you all for the positive feedback!
OK, we are one and a half weeks out from surgery. staples are removed and she is getting stronger everyday. Her neck is still very stiff and sore, still requires pain medications, but she is up and moving around. She has not had any episodes or symptoms that she had prior to the surgery and for that we are forever thankful.