Hi everyone!
I had my craniectomy and lamenectomy June 18th and my surgeon told my husband that the procedure couldn't have gone any better. I was in the hospital from Monday until Thursday of the same week. Slept alot in the hospital but the pain management was right on. When they took the head wrap off we noticed a suture on my head (which was explained to us as a suture needed because the clamp holding my head punctured the skin). OK, no big deal, the surgeon on staff removed it and I went home. A few days later I got the brainchild to take a shower without someone standing guard. Everything went fine until I started finger combing my hair to get the knots out and I found a second suture after all the gunk was washed away...Unfortunately I found it by pulling it thinking it was just a loose string. And yes, you guessed it, I bled all over my white bathroom. No fears, went and saw my PCP to make sure the area was ok and I was having some issues with an echo in my right ear which is gone now. After my surgery the NS went on vacation so I go for my follow-up on Thursday and get the staples out.
4 weeks post-op and I have good days and not so good days. The headache that used to be in the back of my head is now at the top of my head and is pretty much and everyday ordeal. I haven't taken vicodin since week 2 post-op because the pain from the procedure itself was gone by then...that I could tell. Still not driving, can't say the same for going down stairs (only did that a few times), bending over and picking things up I've done a few times as well. I have been a passenger in the car and that doesn't sit well with me. I know when I over do it because the incission area gets tight.
My family and friends have been great and I can't begin to tell you what a blessing that has been.