4 Weeks PostOp

This was an email that I sent out 4 weeks after my surgery.  My mom had left and Doug had gone back to work.  Suddenly, I was 'home alone.'  I had always been a social person and was feeling pretty alone.  This is when I started looking for people who understood what I was going through. 

Here is an email that I sent out on July 10, 2005:

Dear Family & Friends,

July 10^th is the one-month mark since my surgery. Thanks to Doug enlarging the pixels on the computer and increasing the font, I’m able to write a quick hello.

I want to thank you all for all the "well-wishes," prayers, cards, phone calls, concern, and love you have sent our way.

I was in the hospital until the 15^th and then came home to start the recovery process. My mom was able to extend her stay which was WONDERFUL! I was heart-broken to see her and my brother leave. It is so true that no one can take care of you like your mom. J Since then, Doug has jumped in and taken wonderful care of me. He is my HERO! Since I can’t bend forward, or lift more than 10 lbs, I am limited to what I can do, and "darn-it-all" if I’m not constantly dropping stuff. The "gripper" that Doug got me has been a lifesaver in his absence.

As for my health – I am on the slow road to recovery. It hasn’t been easy, and it has been so much slower than I want. If you know me at all, you know that I expect instant results, and after "brain surgery," well…it just isn’t a speedy process. My Neurosurgeon has continually reminded me of this fact when I get worried or impatiently call him to discuss a bother-some symptom.

I still have no feeling in my two front teeth or the roof of my mouth, although my taste and smell have returned. YEAH! I am severely nauseated most of the time, but my endocrinologist says I better get used to that symptom as it will most likely be a standard for a while until my body gets it’s act together and can balance itself. I can’t see yet, but am still confident that my sight will return as the edema diminishes and my body heals. The pain in my head and nasal passages is getting more and more tolerable. I’m primarily just using Advil or Aleve to combat the pain and discomfort. Some days are better than others, but the good days are starting to out number the bad, so that is a good thing.

We see the Endocrinologist on the 15^th. He will start to put together a physical therapy plan and double check cortisol levels post surgery. After we see him, we see the Neurosurgeon on the 21^st. He will evaluate my post-op recovery, check my incisions, and hopefully release me to start the physical therapy that the endocrinologist has recommended. I’m hopeful that we will then begin to see greater results and that I will begin to feel stronger as we start the next phase of recovery. I’m sure it will be a challenge, but I’m so ready to start feeling better.

I guess that about covers things here. I hope you are all well and again thank each of you for your continued love and support!

Autumn