Tag: endolymphatic sac surgery

Good Days, Wonky Days, and Great News

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness13 Comments

What shall I start with…  How about the GREAT NEWS!

Stuart accepted a job yesterday.  He had two companies make offers and it was hard to choose between them, but he chose the job that allows him to telecommute.  I believe his title is Senior Software Engineer at MEDSEEK.  (he’s been working with the medical industry for a long time and enjoys it.  Hopefully, he will be very happy in this new position.)  We’re excited!  He starts on the 23rd.

Also good news, Stuart’s sister had her second child today….well technically yesterday.  He will be sharing the same birthday as my sister.  (I hope that doesn’t jinx him, at least I’ll never forget it!)  His name is Johnathan David…after his grandfathers.  Looking forward to pictures.

I’ve had some good days, today was a pretty decent day.  We got out of the house, and went grocery shopping.  Yes, I was excited about that!  I cooked a great meal a couple of nights ago, and am looking forward to cooking more often.

However, I’ve had some Wonky Slosh Head days too.  The 11th…not a good day.  It was overcast or raining all day, and my head felt like it was full of goop, and my brain was sloshing around inside of it.  For the first time in weeks, I felt I needed help walking.

Today, I had the strangest tinnitus.  I always have some sounds, and at times they can get pretty obnoxious and just odd, but this time I could feel it.  What comes to mind is the poem, “I heard a Fly Buzz” by Emily Dickinson, luckily I wasn’t dying.  However, I could also feel the thing in my ear.  The vibration was so annoying…and dang it all…strange.  I sincerely hope I do not have that sensation again.

My hearing, is also strange.  The ear I had operated on in December had 0% word recognition in November.  Now it’s fluctuating, a lot!  Sometimes I hear nothing out of that ear, sometimes I can hear Stuart talking when I don’t have my hearing aid in the other ear.  And I promise I’m not hearing out of that ear!  Speaking of that ear, I think my hearing is dropping and/or simply getting more distorted.

the sign for ASL (American Sign Language) - photo from Lee Clarion University where ASL counts as a Foreign Language Credit

I’m so happy we are starting our ASL classes in 2 weeks.  I really need a back-up way to communicate.

I have a question, for those of you with Meniere’s.  How many of you were told you would have “burn out”?  I learned today, from a hearing loss specialist, that they no longer believe burn out happens.  I’m involved in an email group from The Say What Club (SWC), they have a few groups for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.  I’m a member of the Meniere’s Group.  Everyone on there has some pretty profound hearing loss.  I’ve found that a few on the board are a bit older than I am.  I know one man is 76.  No one has experience “burn out”.  Only one member has no vertigo any longer, and he had Streptomycin injections, so he had no balance center.

On another note, there are a few on there who have Cochlear Implants, and love them, they say they are they are much clearer than hearing aids!  I’m beginning to look forward to the time when I can get one.  Then I think, I may just want to embrace the deaf world.  I’ve been pretty conflicted.  Then I thought, why do I have to choose?  I think I’ll probably do a bit of both.  If I can get a CI, I probably will.  But I want to know ASL and be involved in the deaf community too.  You never know when technology may fail.

Coming soon…learn all about a different part of my life.  Bipolar I Disorder and Me.

 

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Hard to believe it’s Winter.

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness16 Comments
Sorry, Not an actual photo of us, but I'm sure you can feel of the sensation! Whee!

On January 6th, and 7th, we went driving around in my Little Yellow Bug with the top down!  That’s right, the convertible was being used with the TOP DOWN, in JANUARY!  Woot!  Last winter was full of snow, and rain, and ice…and well it was just miserable.  Much colder and much more snow than North Carolina normally has.  However, if there is one thing I’ve learned about living in the South East, weather is anything but normal.

This winter has been mild so far, just a few freezing days, I think I could count them on one hand.  I’m loving it, but it’s odd, even for N.C.  We will often have a warm patch in the winter, but this is like Spring.  The plants are so confused.  My herb garden has new growth, my neighbor’s Irises are coming up, yes, the people and plants alike love this weather, but I’m afraid the plants will suffer greatly when the freezing days arrive again.  It looks like it will be cloudy and/or raining for most of the week.  I bet it turns cold after that.

Pink Wildflower from my garden 2011
I took this photo from our wild flower garden, Fall 2011

I’ve been feeling better than I did before the surgery, some days I feel really good!  Like yesterday, it was a good day.  We had to do a little shopping, so we put the top down, and took the long way through the country to the store.  It was blissful.  We came home and I worked in my studio for an hour..maybe two.  Earlier in the day I threw some things in the Slow Cooker, so I even made dinner!

I’m still having a lot of GI issues.  I can’t figure this fructose thing out I guess.  I finally found a book I’ve been told will help me so very much!  The book is not available in the U.S. (at least not yet.)  It was published in Australia.  I started to give up and order it from Australia, but it would have cost me close to $70 with shipping and tax.  I just couldn’t do it.  Finally  I found the book at a used book store on-line, thanks AbeBooks.  For less than $45.  They only had one copy.  I snapped it up!  So I should get it in a couple of weeks.  I also found a nutritionist who is “well versed” in Fructose Malabsorption and the low FODMAPS diet.  Woo Hoo!  Finally!  I may start seeing her later this month, or early next month.  I want to see what the book says first.  This running to the bathroom 6-10 times a day is old!  I’m really tired of my GI system just refusing to work right.  **TMI time…I had a rush moment to the bathroom today, I’d already been 4 times, this one was very loose and black…yes, black.  Scared the crap out of me (pun intended) .  I thought OMG I’m bleeding internally.  Then I remembered I took Pepto Bismol last night, a bit more than I intended to.  Please, if you  take Pepto, remember it can turn your stools black, and your tongue a funny color too, but I’ve only had that happen once.  So don’t let it scare you….like it seems to always catch me off guard.

Today,  I have Slosh Head.  I feel stuffy, and woozy.  I’m nauseous most of the time lately.  If I’m eating, the nausea is relieved, but shortly after I eat it returns.  ick.  But today is worse.  The tinnitus is screaming, my hearing is down!  (I only heard 3 dings..barely..when I turned my hearing aid on, I normally hear 5…they are different frequencies, so I’m not hearing some of them)  The TV sounds tinny, Stuart sounds muffled.  I just don’t feel good at all today.  I feel like Mr. Meniere’s is battling with Allergy Man and Human Barometer is getting his licks in too!  All inside my head..and tummy!  Just ick.

**GREAT NEWS**  Now the reason I can even consider spending money ….Stuart has been offered a job!

Actually he’s negotiating with TWO companies.  One is telecommuting, one is ‘local’.  Stuart has asked the recruiter for the ‘local’ job, if they would consider allowing him to telecommute and come in perhaps one day a week.  (commuting to and from Raleigh. the next city over, is not fun!  Rush hour is horrible, he’d spend at least 3 hours a day in his car…plus the wear and tear on the car, the extra pollution, and parking…ect…it all ads up.)  They have until Tuesday to make a decision and an offer, he told the other company he would give them a decision on Wednesday.  They both sound like excellent companies, and Stuart enjoyed his interview with both.  So, either way, I think he’ll be happy.

He’s been out of work since Halloween.  I knew it would be hard to find a job over the holidays, and it was.  But he wasn’t idle.  He sent out resumes…lot’s of resumes, had interviews, sold things on eBay, cleaned out his office, is preparing to sell the other car….he’s been a busy man…plus taking care of me wasn’t easy right after my surgery.  I’m actually grateful he wasn’t working for a while there.  Now that the holidays are over, he is in demand!  I know it feels good.  You can tell he’s feeling good about things.

That’s all for now.  I feel like I could just talk and talk.  I think I need to write more than I have been lately, shorter posts more often?  That may be a good idea!

 

Endolymphathic Sac Surgery Update…day 17

On By WendyIn Meniere's Disease9 Comments

Today, we washed my hair!  Wow, a bit of an ordeal, but it was worth it!  I’m glad I have dry hair, but even my hair was beginning to get a bit gross after 17 days of not being washed!   (I can hear the collective…”Ewwww” from all of you right now!)  I did use a bit of the dry shampoo, but it didn’t work that great, it’s hard to use on long hair.

I wish I would have had one of these…in my size.

Now this would have kept the water away from my ear!! image from lulusoso.com

 

Recovery from the Endolymphatic surgery is still progressing, things are starting to itch!  So it must be healing, right?  and the little bit of hair they shaved is all prickly, it feels funny…and itches too.
I see my doc on Tuesday, so I’ll have a better update then.
Strangest thing, recently…past few days, I’ve been able to hear more.  I had a headache and decided to sleep early the other day, I kept hearing this sound..thought it was tinnitus, but it was so strange, so I put in my hearing aid to see, and found out I was hearing the TV, very low, but still I could hear it!  So I took my hearing aid out and got hubby to talked to me, I heard it!  Yes, very muffled, but I heard it with my left ear, the one they just operated on, the one with 0% word recognition the end of November.  Again, today, I took my hearing aid out of my right ear and could hear people talking, could understand…they were very close to me and have a good frequency for me…but I heard it!  I’m flabbergasted.  I know it could just be fluctuating again, but it’s strange.
The surgery on this ear has been so different from the surgery on the right ear.  With the Rt. ear…no vertigo, a lot of pain, ear would drain a fluid (not bloody) but a lot of fluid,  hearing dropped and never came back but stabilized so hearing aid helps a lot.  Left ear… much vertigo, not a lot of pain, ear is draining blood (not large amounts most of the time, but blood not that clear fluid), and hearing seems to be improving.

I’ve realized that when we go in for surgery and ask the doctor what to expect, he can’t know for sure.  Every person is different, and every surgery is different.  I had the same surgery by the same surgeon on both ears, and the recovery was as different as could be!  

I do hope they both have a high results rate!  I really want to stop spinning multiple times a week…ummm day!

Vertigo bad!  Standing, walking, washing hair…Good!

a great milestone today.  (must make note, have to remember how important each little accomplishment is.)

Do you ever feel like you have accepted everything, are doing well, being productive….ect.  Then have a dream of what you were like in your old life?  That happened to me last night.  I’ve been a bit melancholy all day.  Next Post…I’ll tell you about it.  Warning, it will be another T.M.I. post.  Sex will be included.)    

For now…

Here’s to clean hair!!

Wow! What Adrenaline can do!!

On By WendyIn Life6 Comments

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(I could not read over this post to check for errors, it was just too much of an emotional day. – NO, Sandy didn’t die…just scared us.)

When I got up yesterday, I was feeling a bit off, but better every day.

Stuart fixed me something to eat and brought it to me.  Our dog, Sandy, followed him upstairs.  She was coughing a little, she’s a small dog and has a collapsed trachea, this causes her to not be able to catch her breath sometimes.  This didn’t sound worrisome, it was just a little cough, Stuart went over and straightened her throat to open the airway and she stopped,  So he scooped her up on the bed to be with Mom.  I noticed she was still breathing very hard, and her heart was just pounding, she leaned on me (this isn’t unusual) and I tried to calm her down.  Then she just fell over on the other side, she started to do these little yelps like she was in pain and stopped breathing.  I thought she was dead!  I grabbed her and opened her mouth and breathed in for her and pushed the air out again a few times…she began to breathe again.

I grabbed up my 21 pound dog and told Stuart to grab my pants I’d put them on in the car, and ran (yes, ran as much as you can carrying a 21 pound dog) down the stairs.  By then she was wagging her tail thinking this was some kind of game.  I put her down and she was still unsteady, but getting back to her normal self.  I threw on a pair of sweat pants, a jacket some shoes, while Stuart was on the phone with the Vet and putting on his shoes.  We were out and to the vet in less than 15 minutes.

The verdict, my baby had a seizure.  They don’t know why.  She is 19 years old.  They took all kinds of tests (she was due for her annual visit anyway), and we are to take her resting heart rate a few times throughout the week.  It could be her heart, it could enlarge and then cut off the airway, or it could be because of the collapsed trachea, or the cancer could have gotten to her brain.  We just don’t know.

If the resting heart rate test is off, then they’ll start her on heart meds.  If she has repeated seizures, they may just put her on seizure medication.

The good news.  The vet felt all around her bladder and could not feel the tumors.  So they have not progressed as they expected.  She’s still urinating fine, and that all looks good.

When I say my dog is 19, and has bladder cancer, Alzheimer’s, cataracts, hearing problems….I just know people are thinking that we are cruel not to put her down.  But Sandy is a happy dog!  She’s not in pain!  The vet has never even hinted that Sandy may not be living life to the fullest.  She still chases the cat, runs around…

When we checked in at the vet yesterday, the lady behind the desk said, that she has an old girl too….then she looked at Sandy’s age and said, WOW! Well, not that old, she looks great for her age.

Sandy is so very special.

Yes, I paid for my adrenaline rush.  I came close to falling more than once, but I would not stay home and not be there for my dog.  (I can only imagine what they thought when I walked in…a t-shirt that’s way too big, sweat pants, Stuart’s blue jean jacket, I hadn’t brushed my hair or my teeth…ewww. and I was walking like I was drunk.)  But there was no way I was leaving my dog!!

I did collapse a little when I got down stairs because I almost fell and was very dizzy, and thought…I can’t even take care of my dog!

What if Stuart hadn’t been here?

Stuart has an interview in Birmingham, Alabama next Wednesday.  It’s for a telecommute job, one he really wants.  But we haven’t found anyone who could stay with me.  I really think I would be alright by myself, but what if there is an emergency?  What if something happens?  I can’t drive.

We’re going to try to find a neighbor who would be home during the day, just someone I can call on in an emergency.

Here’s hoping we can find someone!  And hoping Stuart is offered this job!

And please send healing thoughts to my precious little girl.

She is a huge part of our family!!

 

I am so ‘effing STUPID!

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness19 Comments
Picture by: http://www.theshamsband.com

OK, today will be day 9 since they cut my ear from top to bottom around the back, and pealed my ear forward (basically, off),  then they took a piece of skull from my head, and opened up the cavity a bit more, so my endolymphatic sac would have more room, and I, hopefully, will have much less vertigo.

That’s the jest of it, and as you can imagine, it takes some time to recover from this.  A bit more than 8 days.

For a week, I had constant vertigo, could not even get out of bed to go to the bathroom.  Then it started to settle down, I started to walk again, I believed I was on the mend (still do, but no thanks to me.)  Yes, two days of improvement, and I think I can conquer the world…or at least the bathtub.

I’ve had a very hard time hearing recently …the past couple of days or so.  I hear about every third word my husband says.  I sound like a parrot who only knows hot to say, “What?”  The TV sounds like it has a broken speaker.  The tinnitus has been going crazy.  I’ve been getting more and more frustrated.  Not only because my hearing seems to be all wonky….in my right ear…my better hearing ear, but also because I am so tired of being dependent on someone else for everything!

Yesterday, I think a lot of the sleepless nights, and being a constant caregiver started to take its toll on my husband.  He was worn out.   I wanted something so badly, but I wasn’t about to ask him for it.   I wanted him to rest, and I was already feeling bad about how I was treating him.  When I get scared and frustrated…well, I sometimes start a fight.  I think I just want to be in control of something.

So I got all hot under the collar, and got up and went in the bathroom.

And took a Bath!  Yes, this is the part where you can say…ARE YOU STUPID, or CRAZY, or just what ever word you want to use to show I was not using the best judgement.  But oh, the water felt so nice, I relaxed so much, I dozed off for just a moment…then Stuart came in to check on me.  (what a guy, I blow up at him for nothing, and he still comes to check on me.)  I thought, perhaps now would be a good time to soap up, rinse off, and get out of the tub while I have him there to watch over and help me.

All went pretty well,  until I started to get up and out of the tub.  Then it all fell apart!  Stuart always wants to help, but I’m not a small girl, he only has about 30 lbs on me.  So I’m always afraid he will hurt himself, or we’ll end up falling together.  Plus…I’m like a kid sometimes…”NO, I can DO IT!  Let me DO IT!”  you understand.

Stuart was close, and trying to help me as much as I’d let him, and I slipped.  My knee hit the bottom of the tub, both ankles bent under me, and I hit my head on either the wall or the side of the tub.  I lost it.  I completely broke down.  Not because I was hurt that much, but because I did something so stupid.  (When I say I completely broke down, I mean sobbing and heaving and not being able to catch my breath because I was so upset.  I started to get dizzy, I started to feel sick….I had to calm down, but I couldn’t.  I knew taking a bath was beyond my limits right now, but I just had to do it!  How many times have I encouraged others not to do what I did tonight?  To take care of yourself, to listen to your body?   If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to help others…  Did I practice what I preach?  Heck no.

So now I have two twisted ankles, a bruised and slightly twisted knee, and a very small sore spot on my head.  I’ve had my legs elevated and ice on everything.  It looks better…we’ll see how it feels in the morning.  (I really hope I haven’t sent my recovery backward.)  It really doesn’t hurt any longer, I’m hoping it will all just be a bad memory in the morning.

Then to top everything off, I started to put on this oversized t-shirt I like to sleep in, and caught the neckline on my ear!  Yes…that ear!  Hours later and it still hurt.  Luckily, I didn’t rip open the incision.  Sturart says it looks good.  A little red at the bottom, but I think that’s because it’s itching and I keep rubbing spot right under the incision so I won’t scratch it!

So the next time you think about doing something that you know your body really isn’t up to…take it from me…Don’t do it!!

Take care of yourself.

I hope my husband can have a little off time tomorrow or some day very soon.  A friend is coming to visit soon, she wants to give Stuart a little time off….at least a few hours.  (thanks Linda).  I hope he will take it.

What bothers me the most about all of this.  Stuart was already exhausted, then he had to save me, and take a lot of time taking care of me, all because I was just dumb.

 

 

Day 8 – Much better than yesterday!!

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness7 Comments

Today I can get up and go to the bathroom on my own!!!  Well, with a little help, and it wears me out every time…but walking those 10 feet is a great milestone after being stuck in bed for a week.  To go from not being able to lift my head, to being able to walk those 10 steps to the toilet…what joy!

With Stuart’s help, we even brushed my hair today.  I do believe a little family of mice were about to move in, they’d already made big nest!  Thank you to whoever, invented the detangling spray..  Perhaps, Johnson and Johnson – No More Tears detangler…I have an off brand, but still no tears!  It did wonders.  The mice will not want to take up residence now!

The pain is minor to moderate, depending on the time.  The headaches are still there, sometimes much worse than others.  Pain medication or Maxalt seems to be helping with those.  I’m still seeing blood from my ear, but nothing yellow, and it appears my temperature has returned to normal!

I really didn’t expect to have such strides so fast, but I’m thrilled that I was wrong.  I know, I may have some set-backs.  Especially since the feeling in my ear still isn’t completely back.  Let’s hope that the severe vertigo stays away!  (we even got my ear ring back in.  I thought I wouldn’t see that ear ring back in.  When I turned 35 I had my upper ear pierced, sill I know, but it meant a lot to me.  So we took advantage of my ear still being a bit numb and put it back in!)

To close…a drawing I colored last night/today.

Christmas Tree - by w. Holcombe

 

…Welcome Christmas bring your cheer
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome all Whos far and near….  
                                                                                                                                                                           
an excerpt from Dr. Seuss’ “Welcome Christmas Song”
Happy Holidays to all my friends – far and near.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update for Week 1 recovery! it turned out to be a better day!

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness7 Comments

Every day since I started having the constant vertigo, I have tried to slowly raise myself in bed to the point where the vertigo wouldn’t stop then I’d got back flat.

This evening, I slowing got myself on an incline, then scooted up some more…and more….and I was sitting, without the world spinning.

Not only that, I pushed it even further!

I couldn't help singing..."Put One Foot In Front of the Other...."

I went to the bathroom without falling, or spinning!!  I made it back to bed too!

I giggled the whole time!!!

I still have a lot of disequilibrium, and couldn’t move very fast, but the vertigo stayed away.  It might not have if I hadn’t taken it as slowly as I did…but it’s much better than yesterday!

 

One week after surgery… So, recovery day 7.

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness7 Comments
ReCOVERY - w. holcombe

I must say, if I didn’t know other’s who have been through this just as bad as I’m going through it now, I would be VERY discouraged.

I’m nauseous most of the time, I still can’t lift my head, can’t get out of bed…every day I think…well, this is the worst day so far.

I’m anxiously waiting for a day when I think….Oh this isn’t as bad as yesterday!

The pain in my ear has increased, can someone please remove the ice pick that is being jabbed in my ear!

I’m also having intense pain down my neck, I can’t open my mouth as wide as I should, the whole left side of my throat hurts ….  You know, I feel like I have the mumps, on just the left side.

I’m grateful that the worst of the pain is a sharp pain that doesn’t last very long.  The aching pain in my ear, is always there, but it’s not nearly as bad as the “Out of the Blue, Slam me in the Head” type of pain.

My fever seems to be less than it was, but I’m still achy all over, and the swelling is almost gone.  (see there is some good news!)

My ear still isn’t draining like it did the first time, but it is still bleeding a bit.  Not a lot, but ick, blood coming out of your ear…need I say more?

So why is it that whenever I’m sick, things always get worse at night?  I run a higher temperature, the pain is more intense…  Stuart thinks it’s so very odd, but I remember as a child, whenever I was sick, I would always be worse at night.  Is this strange, or do other’s have this happen too?  Is there a reason for it?

I think that’s about it.  I’m sad that this recovery is so taxing.  I’ve mentioned before, when I close my eyes the vertigo gets more intense.  It’s so very, very hard to fall asleep, or to sleep well.  I am completely exhausted.

While I’m awake it’s a bit easier to deal with, but when I’m asleep, I’ll start to roll over, and Whoosh! goes the Vertigo (yes, you must say that to the tune of Pop! Goes the Weasel!)

Perhaps tomorrow will be a …. “this isn’t as bad as yesterday” – day!

Endolymphatic Sac Surgery – Recovery Day 5

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness11 Comments
PAIN - by W. Holcombe

Today is about the same as yesterday.

Still can’t move my head without the world spinning.  I tried to ease myself up…first slowly into a sitting position, waiting a long time each time I raised a little more.  I thought I was at the point of sitting up, but boy was I wrong.

Dr. Kaylie said this kind of thing is possible, and to take more Valium.  From the people I’ve talked to who have had this surgery, I think it’s a bit more than possible, I’m thinking it’s pretty common.  The Valium helps a little, I can move my head a little bit, and don’t feel like I’m going to barf all the time…thank you to whoever invented Phenergan!  I’m glad to hear this will end, if I thought I had to live like this all the time, I think they would have to lock me away because I would go crazy.

Stuart and I have are handling things pretty well.  I’m less horrified by him having to help me with all my personal needs.  (I must say, I never realized I peed as much as I do, I knew I drank a lot, but wow!  You really notice it when you have to ask for help with it, you become acutely aware.)  My husband has such a wonderful attitude, and is so generous and compassionate.  It’s funny how we never seem to see the virtues other’s see in us.  Stuart does not see that he is a very good person!

My ear is draining now.  The swelling is less, I’m wondering if that’s why it wasn’t draining?  Too swollen?  The drainage is very bloody.  And I have to change the cotton in my ear about every hour.

My biggest challenge now is sleeping.  I have a very hard time falling asleep because when I close my eyes the world spins even more.  Finally, when I’m so exhausted I will drift off.  Waking is even harder on me.  Every time I wake up I feel worse.  The vertigo is worse, the pain is worse….

I sure hope this starts to level off soon.  At least to the point where I can get to the bathroom.

Wouldn’t it be a great Christmas present to have this surgery work, and have my vertigo greatly reduced?  (I hope I’ve recovered to a manageable state by then!)

I do so wish Stuart had some help.  He keeps getting mad at himself because he can’t get more done.  Taking care of me, looking for a job, cleaning the house, doing laundry, taking care of all meals, taking care of the pets…but he feels he’s not doing enough.

Yes, we need to get some things on eBay, the sooner the better, for Christmas.  (he has some very expensive Lego sets that could make someone very happy, and us a little more solvent.)  We also need to put the Honda up for sale.  That would help our finances a lot.  These things are important, but he can’t do it all.  Yes, he’s a super man, but he’s not Superman.  But you know, I can’t see Superman actually cooking and cleaning, or being a nurse maid.

I have been running a low grade fever, usually at night, but it’s not high enough to worry about.  I’m pretty sick of TV, and I can only look at the computer for so long.  Reading is alright, but again, I can’t do it for long.  Words just start running together.

Like now….

 

 

Recovery Day 4

On By WendyIn Chronic Illness15 Comments

This has been the worst day yet.

Wendy with Headache and Vertigo - photo and manipulation by W. Holcombe

I knew it could be this bad, I’ve talked to many who had a very rough time with recovery from this surgery.  But I had it before, so I thought my recovery would be about the same as the first time.  Much pain, but not so much vertigo.  Boy was I wrong!

If I move my head at all the world spins, very violently.  This vertigo isn’t like most attacks, it will be calm, if I keep my head still.  I can’t lift my head, I can’t turn my head, I can’t sit up, I can’t get out of bed to the bathroom…that’s right I said I can’t walk the 10 steps it would take for me to get to the toilet.  I’m very lucky that my husband is so very supportive, and is not squeamish.

(caution for those of you who get grossed out…do not read this if you do.)

To be very blunt, you spouse should not have to empty your bed pan, or clean you up afterward, especially when your tummy has not been happy. To add insult to injury, I started my period yesterday.  You cannot imagine how hard it has been on me to need my husband to help me with female sanitary issues.

The pain is better at times, and much worse at times.  I keep getting very sharp pains through my ear.  And I’m pretty sure the feeling is coming back in the ear itself, so the cartilage pain is beginning.  The headaches, have been many, and harsh.  Other times, I feel very little pain at all.

The swelling is MUCH better.

I have a call into Dr. Kaylie, unfortunately he wasn’t in the clinic today.  Stuart has talked to another doctor, and they feel certain this is just one of those things that can happen.  I’m not running a fever, the site is not red or hot.  So we are not worried about infection.  I keep thinking, if Dr. Kaylie said he wants to see me, how would I get there?  There is no way I could get up, get dressed, go down the stairs, and terror of terrors ride in a car!

I had a tiny bit of drainage today.  I still feel, if the ear would drain, things would get better.  It appears my tube is either clogged or fell out.  But even if it fell out, I would think the hole would still be open a bit.  I know it was open the day of surgery, I closed my nose and blew air out the hole just to check.  I admit, I was a bit scared of going through this without a drainage hole in my ear.  Every person I’ve spoken to who had a rough time of this, did not have a tube.  I was convinced that was the reason I didn’t have vertigo before.  The fluid did not build up.

Here’s to a better tomorrow, and many days vertigo free.

I told you that you may get tired of these posts, I want to make sure to keep up with all the details of my recovery.  As confused as I get right now, I want to make sure if a doctor asks me anything about this, I have a reference.

(sorry about 2 posts coming out today, I had the post for the PFAM carnival written before the surgery.  Just had to proof read it.  Not sure I did the best job of that, considering.  However, it’s due today, so I thought I should post it too.)

Now, I will get off of here before I over do it!