Life Savers? - 8/7/2012

Today Kurt and I met with the nurse, 2 PAs and neurosurgeon regarding my upcoming surgery tomorrow.  One of the PAs went through medical history (and indicated she couldn't find anything wrong with me - which I quickly told her to talk to Kurt about that!); the other PA shaved hair off parts of my head and then put these small white circular 'foamy' sticky things on (they look like spearmint/peppermint life savers).  In fact, they had figured that out prior to our arrival and brought in a head with a brain sticking out and had tape on that head where they figured to put the 'life savers' - sortof funny to see how much work really goes into planning all of this!  I was told I would then go down for an MRI; the 'life savers' would show up in the MRI and then the doctors would use that to map out the surgery along with using the GPS tracking for the surgery.  The 'life savers' should remain on until I am in surgery - it's kindof funny looking but as I thought about it today, I decided that it made sense to call them "LIFE SAVERS" as they not only look like that BUT they are part of a surgery that is potentially a 'life saver'. 

This is a picture of my head with a few of the 'life savers' on them.  :)
(Check out that crazy 'mop' - alittle more hair each day ...
and not sure if it would change but I've been told it really looks gray in the area with little hair above my nose)

After meeting with the staff from the neurosurgeon's office, I went for my MRI.  I am VERY claustrophic and hadn't brought the meds that I normally take for the MRI so I had a prescription called in before we left the neurosurgeon's office.  I had a different med than usual (but one that I have had in the past).  After I left the MRI, I was very loopy from those meds.  I came home and slept for several hours!

I've come to know most everyone that I see at all these offices and it amazed me today how enthusiastic everyone was about this surgery and the doctor(s) performing it!  It gives me a little more peace of mind knowing that we all put our faith into this procedure and those doing it!!!!

So, tomorrow I will be at the hospital at 5:15 a.m.  They indicated that I would probably go to the holding area around 6:30-8 a.m. to get my IV hooked up, into the surgery room at @ 8 a.m. and then they would set up all the equipment and everything (the lengthy part of the surgery it sounds like).  Once surgery is done I will either go to recovery for awhile and then on to ICU or just directly to ICU.  It sounds like if everything goes the way that they anticipate, I will have an MRI on Thursday in the morning and could possibly be discharged sometime that day.  It is another craniotomy - although they do not anticipate it to be as long of an incision (@2 inches maybe) - so I will have the "Free MGH Haircut" as one of the PAs told me!  :)  I will have sutures/staples in the back of my head where the surgery will be performed.

I also want to say "I LOVE YOU" to my husband!  On the day of my surgery, it is our 14th wedding anniversary; we spent our 13th anniversary at Karmanos in Detroit.  I am SO lucky to have you in my life and you've taken the "in sickness and in health" to the extreme over the 15 months.  I'm FOREVER grateful to you for all that you do for me, Nathan and Ashley ... it definitely cannot be easy!  EU!

I've asked Kurt to take away my iPhone until he feels I am ready to blog or send emails, etc.  (For those who may have seen some of the messages I sent when I was admitted to the hospital in January, I thought it better that Kurt blog or put status updates on facebook this time!)  :)

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, well wishes, etc.  You make it A LOT easier to keep my spirits high and BELIEVE!

I hope to be home, resting and blogging in a few days!  (I suppose I better get to bed since it is already 11:30 p.m. and I will have to get up @ 4 a.m.)  :)