Hey Shannon,
Welcome to Ben’s Friends. My name is Merl and I’m a member of the modsupport team here on Ben’s.
I have a ‘brain issue’ and although I haven’t had decompression surgery I’ve required a few neurosurgeries, including a craniotomy, and now have a shunt (A plastic drain tube) as a permanent feature. So I’ve got a bit of experience when it comes to the brain.
So, I’ll ‘try’ to answer your questions as best I can.
Brain surgery is unlike any other surgery. If you break your arm, it affects your arm. You have a sore arm, then 6-8 weeks later its all healed and things go back to normal. With brain surgery it can affect EVERYTHING and 6-8weeks later is only the beginning of the journey. Sure the physical healing of the wound may have healed up, but the brain can take much longer to settle. How long? That’s a bit like asking ‘How long is a piece of string?’ There can be just too many variables. You can read through the differing posts here and see the differing opinions given to members. Some dr’s are of the opinion that if the tonsil length is a certain size you’ll be symptomatic and yet you’ll find there’s a number of members who’s tonsil are not of that size and yet are highly symptomatic.
Often it can be similar in regard to surgery. Some can come through it all and be remedied but for others the outcome is less than optimal. The symptom cause may be physically treated and everything look fine on the scans but the ongoing symptoms may suggest otherwise.
My suggestion here is do not put a limit on yourself for a recovery time or date ie By June 1st I’ll be back. It can be really demoralising when we pass those dates. It takes as long as it takes. Be kind to yourself. This is brain surgery and it takes time to heal. Take the time you need to fully recover.
Grey’s Anatomy is a good show, but I wouldn’t be using that is my number 1 example for results. Our brains control everything and depending on the how and where any nerve damage may occur could cause no end of differing symptoms. Another thing I often say to members is that 2 individuals can have exactly the same brain issue and require exactly the same type of surgery but have VASTLY differing outcomes, trying to compare exact same for exact same is near impossible.
I say all of this above because I did it all the wrong way I pushed my limits, doing myself more harm than good. I set myself time limits, failed to meet my own timetable then got annoyed with myself for it. And I tried to compare recoveries where there was no comparison. Ahhh, don’t do that.
But the BIGGEST thing I can say (and I’ll say it again)
" Be kind to yourself. This is brain surgery and it takes time to heal.
Take the time you need to fully recover."
Merl from the Modsupport Team