I'm back

Well I survived yet another brain surgery, let's hope it's the last. I think Kevin gave you a pretty good report, and that's that the surgeons as well as the entire medical staff that took care of me did a FANTASTIC job. I have to brag about the anesthesia department, my do those guys know how to do a great job. To come out of surgery without throwing up gallons of blood was a plus. I was sure than when I woke up I hadn't even had surgery yet. I don't have any kind of packing in my nose, and just with the normal eye, you can't even tell that I had surgery. I am telling you, miracles were performed.

The most painful part of the surgery was getting the screws in place. I did this the day before surgery, and got myself so worked up about getting them that when it came for the appointment, I was beyond nervous. I did fairly well until I saw part of my hair falling to the ground. They did have to cut some of my hair in order to place the screws. I know that I have plenty of hair but it was still hard seeing my locks coming off in clumps. I have a new appreciation for chemo patients and I can't imagine having to go through what they do. Surprisingly getting the screws in place didn't hurt as much as I imagined it would. They numbed up the areas well and then put the screws in. After the numbing agent wore off after a few hours was when the real pain set in. It also didn't help that I hit one of the screws on the car door, and so it started bleeding profusely. Kevin had to apply some pressure to stop the bleeding, and I though that I was going to go through the roof. It hurt so bad! Sleeping with the screws in also wasn't comfortable at all. They also had to put some round stickers all over my face. I really looked like an alien, it was quite entertaining to walk through the hospital and see people's reaction to me.

Surgery took about four hours, and all went well. The Neurosurgeon was happy with the size of the tumor that he was able to remove. My wish was granted and I was able to leave the hospital within 24 hours. I don't know what it is about being in a hospital that I hate so bad, but I am always determined to get out as fast as I can. I am taking it easy, and have been sleeping a lot. I hate taking pain pills but I am taking them anyway. I will be following up in six weeks with a radiation/oncologist for more lovely treatment. They have talked about doing the gamma knife but I am not exactly sure which route of radiation that we are going to try for sure. When the Neurosurgeon came to see me after surgery, he told me that I should be a poster child for this surgery because he said that I had a huge smile on my face after coming out of surgery. I thought that was so funny. I wonder what other crazy things I did during surgery. I know right before I went into surgery, I told him that he better take the * * * * screws out of my head. I got the screws out and now have staples to deal with instead.

Well, it's time to rest so I better go. We are truly blessed, and I can't help but think that one of the reasons that we were sent out to Tennessee was for me to receive such excellent medical care. Vanderbilt has one of the top pituitary clinics in the world. How amazing is that?