Ah that's great that she has improved...fingers crossed I have the same result...would quite like my life back now!!
Sorry to hear you are experiencing symptoms, I hope you can get some answers and treatment soon. I wouldn't wish the I have pain on my worse enemy so I genuinely wish you and your daughter well. How old is she if you don't mind me asking? Xx
I don’t mind at all…she just turned 23 this past Friday!
Laura, I will be praying for you! My advice is to take some ear plugs with you to the hospital in case you have loud (rude) roommates. Be as relaxed as you can through the process, try to go with the flow. When you get home just rest. No work, no house work, just rest- you are going to be very tired for months and rest helps you heal correctly 
Please stay in touch periodically cause we’ll be wondering about you!
Jenn
Dee,
I had Laminectomies on C1-C7 at the time of my emergency Cm Surgeries. How are you doing? I understand.
I don't have a recliner as some have mentioned, so I bought a large wedge pillow from Amazon. Some night I love it other nights I hate it, but that first 10 days home, it was crucial.
This goes without saying but make sure you have some one to help with your daughter at home. I'm 2 wks out from surgery and just now able to take back the care of my 2 and 4 yr old, but I can't really make it through a full day. Freezer meals and thoughtful friends were also very helpful.
Hi I'm 3 1/2 month post op, I live in Leeds, UK. I had no problem eating. It was abit painful but I found an ice gel pack was amazing, use it for 15 mins, leave 2 hours between treatments. It gave amazing relief. I did very little for 2 weeks, I was very dizzy and unsteady which was a shock but its improving. I also felt quite weepy. My mum moved in with us to help, I have a 5 and 9 year old. It is hard been away from them but I was only in hospital 4 days, they didn't come see me I was too poorly, but I am now able to do more with them than before. Still not fully recovered but have started a phased return to work this week. Good luck, I know how scary it is when you have children I was terrified but honestly it will be ok and it does get better.
Thank you Rachel, that’s good to know. Unfortunately I’ve been sent home…no space…too many emergencies (this is the second time this has happened!!!) fed up of putting my life on hold for it all to be cancelled last minute 
xx
Hi Laura,
So sorry that you were sent home! How frustrating. I am in Australia & I had the same thing, but fortunately the surgeon phoned the day before. I was initially upset, but the surgeon told me they had a large tumour that they needed more time to finish. I drew strength from realizing that if my child or my sister had a brain tumour, a person with a non-life threatening Chiari decompression would allow their place to be taken to let the NS work on the tumour patient. (I don't think I explained that right, but I hope you interpret it the right way). It is REALLY frustrating having to wait. I put my name down for volunteer work & cleaned out cupboards & did gardening (what I could do) & suddenly I get a letter with my date. I had to wait less than two weeks.
I did have some suggestions for you:
Take ear plugs - if public health in Britain is like Australia - the ward will be noisy.
Take an ipod or music - another way to block out noise, but also to sooth you!
Roster your visitors - the first time I woke, 11 people were standing in ICU - all my family! Everyday I had TOO MANY visitors. Three weeks post-op (when I could do with the company) no one is coming to say "Hi". Grrr.
Use the time to make dinners for the freezer so family can just open up some of your home cooking & heat it up to serve to you when you get home.
Drink HEAPS in hospital. (water - I mean)
Take stool softeners - the first bowel motions are traumatic
I found the leg pumps (to stop clots in my legs) caused bad headaches - I think they changed the CSF pressures and i would get thumping from following the pumping of the leg pumps.
I loved the effect of the dry shampoo. I made my hair look like I had been to the salon!
I learned a lot on the neuro ward. Man with inoperable brain tumour who is two years older than me with a beautiful wife & a cute 4 year old & a baby on the way. Another 25yo with tumours all through this spine & his first child due soon! I was so grateful I had Chiari. Three weeks post op & I have no headache, walking 1.5hrs a day, back to normal (not at work yet), but VERY pleased with the results.
All the best for the big day.
Hang in there Laura!
Sonj, I’m so glad you are feeling good!
Thank you Sonj for taking the time to write all that for me!!! Very kind and all taken on board!! I really understand others are in more need, it’s just very hard to rearrange everything I had organised…childcare cover T work holidays ect ect the list goes on!! Still not heard on another date…so now don’t know wether to go back to work on Monday or to stay off and wait…that would then mean I won’t have as long to recover as only have cover untill January 7th. I’m a self employed nanny so cover very hard to organise. The thought of going back to work scares the life out of me…I spend most days in pain now. Xxx
How frustrating! It must be so, hard as a self employed person. However, as a person entitled to sick leave - I had used it all up, being sick within 1/4 of the year - which is why I needed surgery. I have been off work since July waiting for this surgery. The surgeon told me i should go to light duties & my boss said "light duties are only available to those who have injured themselves at work" (at which I felt like crying or doing deliberate harm to mself to stay in work!). So like you, i know how frustrating it is to not be at work. Oh, shortly after this a colleague indicated i was not fit enough at work & they tried to call an emergency code on me (I am nurse). Life with Chiari can be difficult sometimes. This silver lining is at the moment I am 3 wks postop & feel soon I can return to the job. The other bit is while I was recovering I DIDNT CARE! (about work & money & etc - life was just too busy getting better). Another silver lining was that I chose to wait at home & not go backmto work & I felt I rested better. Keep your chin up through the life on hold phase! I am hoping that in UK, like here that there is a mandated time frame within which we have to have our surgery done after a cancelation.
Look I am better I am writing too much! :-)
Thank you!
jcdemar said:
Hang in there Laura!
Sonj, I'm so glad you are feeling good!
Aww thats rough. So hard when you've built up to it. Just try and enjoy time with your little one, take small walks and it will be your time soon. Good luck keep us posted.