So, I have a date, June 2, 2014 @6:00am arrival with 7:30 surgery... I plan to bring a light bag with some comfy clothes..my neck pillow, chap stick, gum, my phone and charger, insurance cards, ID, debit card, glasses, and pics of my kids and pets <3 I am beyond terrified. I have had 2 procedures (MINOR) where I went under.. I had impacted wisdom teeth removed, and I had a colonoscopy.. both of these procedures I awoke vomiting from anesthesia.. after the 12-24 hour mark after anesthesia did any of you still vomit? I don't want to get into my symptoms right now or i'd be up all night typing them! I will list a few of the more major issues, INSOMNIA(duhhh) its 1am and i'm wide awake typing this... memory loss, tired all the time but unable to sleep...but then other nights and days ill sleep for 24 hours straight.. I have severe head and neck pain, painful pins and needles going all the way down my arms into hands.. fainting (I have POTS) I have cervical instability, I black out frequently as well..I am nauseous almost ALL of the time! I am dizzy, have double and blurred vision, Memory loss, no appetite(EVER) I was 215lbs, i'm 118 now! I am VERY shakey.. I cant grip things.. I look like I have Parkinson's. When I finally do fall asleep, I wake up out of a dead sleep with a racing heart.. and out of breath, no sleep study yet.. because guess what (I COULDNT SLEEP!!!) ok enough about the symptoms.. like I said I could go on for HOURS about them.. they stink terribly!! And i'm on so many medications for everything and nothing works... my nausea meds have a side effect of headaches (JOY!! said no one ever!) Anyways.. for those of you who have children... were you up for visitors at all after surgery? and if so after how many days? When did you take your first shower? My dura is bovine, not of my own.. and theyre using staples, and my surgeon said on day 2 she wants me to wash my hair??? Does this sound normal? I am hoping after my one week(give or take a day or 2) of a hospital stay, I can find help with my 4 boys (and 6 dogs) one who delivered her 7 pups less than a week ago.. had I known they were going to operate so soon, we would have waited for her next heat cycle.. now we have 6 dogs, 7 puppies, 3 cats, a tortoise, 2 bearded dragons, a 60 gallon fish tank, 4 boys (ages 8,6,4,3) one with special needs... oh and a husband and a chiarian post op to deal with... ughhhhh am I going to be able to handle this?? i'm a fighter.. but i'm a bit overwhelmed! I need to realize I need to STOP and REST not do laundry and dishes.. and be picking up kids..
My 6 year old is VERY attached to me and already asking if he can come to the hospital.. my children are very loud, do you think i'll be able to handle them being there?? I don't know what to expect.. or how i'm going to feel??? I haven't ever had real surgery before, let alone BRAIN surgery :'(
Heres an add on... I'm 26, 5'6, close to 120lbs, my herniation is about 10mm, haven't had an mri in months, but Jan 26th I had no Syrynx, not sure how long it would take to develop one, but I have gotten much worse since January...
add-on TROUBLE SWALLOWING.. and frequently choking... has a swallow study and they suggested an endoscopy.. no thank you..
I didn't have any kids visiting but my parents and husband came into the recovery room and I felt ok with visitors. I would be concerned that seeing you with all the IV's and being kind of out of sorts from the meds would be stressful on the younger kids. It might be best to wait until day 2 after your shower so you'll look more like yourself. Hopefully someone with young kids will chime in here since I don't really have experience there.
I would make sure to tell everyone when they are prepping you for anesthesia that you have had vomited upon awakening in the past. That way they can go ahead and have some anti-nausea meds in your IV!
I got to take a shower and wash my hair the day after surgery. I got released that day as well but that is not typical. Most people stay 2-3 days minimum. They typically keep you until your pain is under control and you can pass your assessment with PT and OT.
Once you get home you can't lift more than 5 lbs, you can't bend over at the waist, and you'll need lots and lots of rest! No driving either. This is usually for about 6 weeks. My husband is not good about taking care of the house so I did a really thorough cleaning before my surgery. I also bought a lot of paper plates, plastic cups, and disposable utensils. I even bought disposable litter boxes from Amazon because I knew my husband isn't too fond of cats and would not be on board to scoop the litter.
Best wishes to you! I hope you have an easy recovery! Hopefully your husband and your older boys will be a big help to you! Update us when you can! :)
I don't know how to get a HHA (I was a pca/hha) go figure..now I need one!
thanks :) ill call a few and see what they say :)
I was nine when my father lost some fingers to a wood splitter. I was terrified to go see him at the hospital. I was afraid that his hand would be a bloody stump. Fortunately, my bff's mother was a nurse and with a little coaxing (and a Whopper Jr with fries), I told her what I was thinking. She went through everything about the room and what Dad would look like. I went and saw him and Delane was right. I was soooo glad she talked with me.
I would make sure that you or someone goes through the IV's and PCA machines and any and all things that might be attached to you, right down to the bandage on your head.
Ive been hospitalized NUMEROUS times.. and on medication, IVS, machines, and what not.. the kids have seen this in the past.. In 2012 I was in the hospital for over a week with paralysis from the waist down, couldn't barely feel my legs.. got sent home with a nurse from the VNA, and an in home physical therapist! I thankfully snapped out of it after about a month.. but my children have seen it all.. the catheter..the ivs, the machines, wheelchairs, commodes, they have seen me suffering terribly.. they have even seen me faint.. and called my husband on my cell phone! The only thing that might be iffy to them.. if the bandages around my head. I hope I feel up to them visiting...people joke and say it's a mini vacation.. but I love my kids and a week in the hospital is too much... ill miss my lil guys sooo much... and vice versa..
How was post op immediately upon awakening for you all? Did you get sick? How bad was the pain?? I sometimes say it cant be worse than I feel on a daily basis... but i'm second guessing myself now... and as far as anti nausea.. I have been on Phenergan, Zofran and compasine for years... I alternate the 3 but i'm on the highest doses... whats the patch behind the ear I have heard of some people talking about?? Does it work.... goodness I hope im going to be ok :/ im up at 4:30 (after falling asleep at 2) worrying... anxiety going nuts.. sick to my stomach from nerves.. I wish the surgery was tomorrow so I didn't have time to be anxious anymore.... ergh....
For those of you with sleep apnea... how did you find out you had it? I awoke after only sleeping for 2 hours and 15 minutes tonight... jumped up so fast.. was winded/out of breath... and my heart was racing... the doc knows of these symptoms.. but as I stated before, I wasn't able to sleep at all during my sleep study...
I can tolerate pain.. I cannot tolerate vomiting.. I am praying that the cocktail of nausea meds makes me not vomit....
thanks beeba...9 days til surgery... I hope I can sleep at some point my anxiety is sky-rocketing!!
Hello Shellybelly0930! I completely feel you the time is going by quicker than I thought. We have the same surgery date and I’m trying to get everything in order. I’m going to get button up pjs and some pillows today. Like you my anxiety is increasing but I keep reminding myself how this surgery is going to help me! We don’t know how we will feel after wards but we will get through it one day at a time. Remember they have pain and nausea meds to try and make us as comfortable as they can. Beeba is wonderful and very knowledgable! Thanks for all the info you always share Beeba to help us have a piece of mind, and your really funny too! Hang in there Shellybelly0930 I’m there with you please continue to express your feelings. More than likely I’m having those same feelings too. Take care and keep us posted on how your doing!
I wish I could sleep... and Beeba ive been on valium for 3 years now for anxiety... I take so much crap at night that if anybody else took it they would be knocked out for 5 days.. and I still don't sleep... I don't get it...
Hi Shellybelly0930! I have trouble sleeping as well and have tried everything under the sun it feels like. But for the last 6 years I’ve been taking ambien 12.5 CR. It is the only thing that helps me fall asleep after about an hour but I still have some rough nights. If I don’t take my sleeping meds I will be up until 3ish then I’ll fall asleep and wake back up in a couple hours and feel like I never slept a wink. I am wondering also if after surgery the sleeping issue goes away? Take care!
hey nykki.. good luck getting a date I hope you do :) mine is june 2nd EEK!! and they have tried ambien on me... it did nothing.. I stay awake no matter what I take LOL
Hi Shellybelly0930! I just want to say hi and see how your hanging in there? My nerves started getting worked up yesterday. I’ve been trying to stay calm cool and collected but surgery is coming quickly. I know I’m doing the right thing to improve my quality of life it’s just the unknown when I wake up that’s getting me. I know well both be fine and we have such a great support group here I don’t know what I would do without everyone! Just wanted you to know I’ve been thinking about you also since we have the same surgery date! Take care and think of how many symptoms we will have relieved after our surgery!
I know Lili... do you have facebook?? if so, add me (Michelle Emerson) I would love to chat...
and yea surgery EEK 2 days and its a go.. nerves are making me go crazy.. I cant eat.. cant sleep.. im so nervous, emotional, depressed, anxious... this sucks.. I want to be done and recovered.. I am so nervous though.. oh my goodness.. ive read a lot of good things.. but also a lot of terrible things :/
Hello Shellybelly0930! No I don’t have face books my kids always want to set me up one and I wish I did now. Nerves have me crazy too ever since Monday the one week countdown. It’s even worse now since we have only two days time is flying by. I also have no appetite it’s so weird I have to forse my self to eat so I don’t get to weak. My stomach is in some weird knot and I’m also emotional going through lots of different feelings. I’ve also read a lot of terrible things but as long as you feel confident with your surgeon and he/she has experience with chiari and has done several of these surgerys you’ll be just fine! I noticed that all the terrible stories I’ve read are from people who ended up having surgery with an inexperienced NS who doesn’t do this surgery regularly. I started to just research chiari sucess stories to get my mind off of all the negative things I have read. I know this surgery isn’t a cure and we may still have some symptoms after but overall we should have relief and feel better. I’m so nervous when when i first wake up I don’t know why this is freaking me out. Everyone’s telling me dnt worry your going to be out of it lol! Have you got any special pillows for after surgery?
I'm with both of you. I was in a head on crash and crushed my knee. Due to swelling, they couldn't operate for a week, so I had a morphine machine I could hit every five minutes. I stopped hitting it because it was making me nauseous. The nurses were mad at me, but I hate nausea and vomiting. Nothing but Tylenol 3 for me.
When I had my knee replaced two years ago, they gave me anti-nausea mix and it worked great through the surgery and up through waking up. Hope that helps.
Hi Shandier! That sounds very painful I’m glad your ok and made it through a head on crash. I’m thinking the morphine will make me nauseous as well but it’s good to know that they have great anti nausea meds. Thanks for the info I appreciate it! Did the accident start your symptoms of chiari? Just wondering since almost everyone accidentally gets the diagnoses of chiari when they’re actually getting a test for something else. Take care!
No, the accident was a few years ago. My symptoms have been bad for a couple months (balance issues) which sent me to an MS neurology specialist. He ordered an MRI to check for MS or undiagnosed Lyme. The MRI was clear for those, but the found the Chiari. I don't even know how big, the report said small Chiari. I'm headed to the only NS in my area that deals with Chiari on Thursday. I'll know more then. Is it wrong (when science fascinates you) to hope you get to see the MRI pictures?
SURGERY IS 7 HOURS AWAY... I am sooooooooooooooooooooo nervous... ill be back in a few days to check in and let ya'll know how I am doing... any last minute things I should bring?? Im so scared.. please say a prayer for m I have the worst luck ever!