Okay here is my dilemma… I’ve been told surgery is needed it’s getting scheduled family is doing the planning and I’m getting so totally scared out of my mind that its not even funny. Ns told me that the last year my brain body and spine have had damage that we just don’t know what will fix itself and what is permanent. But dannnng I’m thinking that this is the most frightening thing I’ve ever been through. Advice? Are these feelings normal cold feet.
These feelings are totally normal! The day of my surgery I begged my husband to just take me to the Cincinnati zoo and aquarium instead of the hospital. I was a wreck! Everything went way, way easier than I expected and now I find myself doing stuff I wasn't able to do before because I was too sick and I think holy crap I had brain surgery 4 months ago! :)
That’s what I’m trying to do is back out because I’m chicken!!!
I just keep reading all the pain of the post op and think wow I’m fixing to on purpose put myself through that. What if its worse than I started out as? I know it will stop the spinal deterioration but what if some other things gets worse??? Geez I as usual am acting all confident to my family but I just want to run away and pretend nothing’s wrong. How long am I going to take to recover and how is my family going to function when I’m the oil of the machine
Brandi said:
I just keep reading all the pain of the post op and think wow I'm fixing to on purpose put myself through that. What if its worse than I started out as? I know it will stop the spinal deterioration but what if some other things gets worse??? Geez I as usual am acting all confident to my family but I just want to run away and pretend nothing's wrong. How long am I going to take to recover and how is my family going to function when I'm the oil of the machine
Honestly the post-op pain was much less than I had feared!
Hi Brandi
My name is Sheila and I had the surgery four years today. I was scared also and I did not have the site to find out what would happen or talk to anyone about having CM . I felt like I had some disease that was never mentioned. My symptoms were so bad I would have done anything to feel better. It is not a easy surgery and you will need allot of support to recover. When I was in the hospital I had watch dogs (my husband and my girlfriends) to call the nurses desk to make sure thet were giving me my medications. Make sure you have a soft pillow and that no one turns bright lights on. You will get through it and it will help with most of the issues your dealing with. I wish you the best and God bless
Thanks so much Sheila!!! That’s what I want to hear. I need instructions. My husband is so sweet he has insisted on buying a super nice mattress which I don’t think we need and some high dollar special pillow but that’s how he is helping so whatever he has no clue how close I am to just running down to the stables and licking myself in the barn and hiding until everyone forgets about me and any ol brain surgery lol
Brandi said:
Thanks so much Sheila!!! That's what I want to hear. I need instructions. My husband is so sweet he has insisted on buying a super nice mattress which I don't think we need and some high dollar special pillow but that's how he is helping so whatever he has no clue how close I am to just running down to the stables and licking myself in the barn and hiding until everyone forgets about me and any ol brain surgery lol
Everyone will get through your surgery. My husband washed my hair for me because you can not get the insension wet. One thing is good you do not remember the first few days and that is a good thing. Get up and move even though you do not feel like it the recovery goes quicker! The waiting for the surgery is the hardest I found keeping myself busy helped. Stay away from the barn! Just remember you will be a new member of the Zipper Heads.That is what they call us after we have brain surgery yuk!
Call me after 9, we can avoid those pesky minutes! 
Brandi, I totally get wanting to just go somewhere and forget all the stuff I’m gonna have to do and go through. But it’s not possible. I am in getting ready mode now. My surgery is scheduled and I just have to do what I can now to keep things running around here til I can do more. I am sure I’ll get more petrified as the date gets closer. I’m a pretty big chicken. But there are several people here with good outcomes and that keeps me encouraged about mine.
I had my surgery almost 17 months ago…I was so scared and tried not to show it…after all I am the strong one, the mom! But my husband was awesome…I won’t tell you I had it easy, because I didn’t. And I know I was in a lot of pain, but I don’t remember it. It’s a big deal…do what you must to prepare…for me it was getting all of my arrangements in order ( which freaked my husband out), and making appointments with my children’s teachers to explain how they were going to have to accommodate my children ( letting them call daddy or face timing me from school because I was awake. The day before I kept them home from school, my husband took off from work and we went to the shore! We walked in the ocean (even though it was October) and we ate boardwalk food and took a ton of pictures…pics that I cherish today!!! There is so much emotion in them! You’ll be fine, feel what you need to feel, but know its all normal.
I think that is great about the mattress. We got a generic tempur- pedic and I wish we had just bought the real one. When you're in pain it's hard to sleep so having a nice mattress and pillow definitely worth it! Maybe we can get a topper, it's just too soft for me, I need it to support me more. I don't know much about pillows except mine sucks! :) Judging by how sweet you are here, I'm guessing you have a lot of friends. I know what you mean about oil in the machine, it's hard to step back and be the patient. Things always seem like they're falling apart here, I never realized how much I did until I couldn't do it. But it's working, and it will work for you. I'm guessing that your friends want to help out but aren't sure how they can? I've always lived my life as the server and it's hard to let people take care of me. But it works both ways and I'm sure they would love to pay it forward with you. I hope you are feeling better about your decision? I'm always amazed by the people on this site! They truly become a part of your family. I'm so glad so many people were able to tell you what to expect. Man, if I could get my husband to react like yours I would totally do it! I'm just trying to get rearrange the bedroom and he's throwing a hissy fit! :) Good luck to you girl!
Sarah
Brandi said:
Thanks so much Sheila!!! That's what I want to hear. I need instructions. My husband is so sweet he has insisted on buying a super nice mattress which I don't think we need and some high dollar special pillow but that's how he is helping so whatever he has no clue how close I am to just running down to the stables and licking myself in the barn and hiding until everyone forgets about me and any ol brain surgery lol
Planning is therapeutic for my husband so here is the plan march 1. Meet sister in law in Austin (I cannot see well to do a lot of traveling) she will take me and my oldest to Fort Worth she has two college dance auditions one in Dallas on Saturday and one in Abilene on Monday then my mom brings us back to San Antonio Monday night and I have to be at the hospital at 6:30 on Tuesday morning for brain surgery. BAM THENNNNN that Friday same daughter leaves for LA for a dance trip and then my mom leaves and mother in law and brother in law arrive and spring break starts hopefully I will be getting out of the hospital at some point through here they leave the following Sunday and kids go back to school where booster club moms will be providing school rides to and from school for all three of my kids and dinners for the next seven nights then I’m on my own
Sounds like you have a good plan…now forget about your brain for now ( and if your anything like me, that will be easy…I can’t remember anything!)
Brandi, I'm glad you're gonna have some help. I will have probably 2 weeks of dinners brought to us after surgery. But I am thinking I am still not going to feel like cooking, and I'm really the only cook around here. So I am gonna do some freezer to crockpot meals before I go for surgery. That way I or someone around here can dump it in the crock pot in the morning and we can have dinner ready without much effort. And I'm planning on having plenty of paper plates and cups.
That’s a good idea and a section we should start freezer and crock pot meals for post op and bad pain days!!!
How bad is recovery going to be? I'm already stressed to the max and feel like I don't have enough support. How long will it be before I can stand up and walk after the surgery.? What kind of things will I be able to do when I get home.? I have five children, the youngest 9 months, a three year old and I am the main care giver at home and now I need to do this?
Michael...recovery is different for everyone. I personally was up and going to the bathroom by myself the evening after surgery. I was released the day after having been cleared by occupational and physical therapy. From that point I could walk around as much as I wanted. I also was allowed to shower and wet the incision, just not soak in the bath starting the very next day. After surgery I was not permitted to bend over, look up with my head tilted back, or to lift anything over 5 lbs. These restrictions lasted 6 weeks.