Where we left offf

Ahh yes, where were we. That’s right they had come to take me to the O.R. So much for one hours notice. But looking back that was probably a good thing, it gave me way less time to worry and think.

Sitting in the O.R holding pen (well that’s what I like to call it) I was surprisingly calm. Well then again I had four wonderful people around me to help me stay that way, Mom, Dad, Trey and Wes. I still could not get over that Trey had surprised me and driven all the way to Baltimore. What an awesome thing to do. He is just an awesome kind of guy and brother. I talked briefly with Dr. D and she gave me her calming words that everything was going to be okay, I was going to be okay and that it was time to get the infected shunt out before it had time to do more damage. Next up was the Anesthesiologist, he was a riot and I remembered that I’d had him from my last surgery. The only reason that I remember him was the way he referred to the medication that actually puts you to sleep. He called it “Jackson juice”. Yep, I kid you not this is what he said. That with some other hilarious things made him hard not to forget. This is actually a welcomed thing when you are about to go into surgery and are nervous as a tick as it is. Before he leaves the O.R. pen he says he will come back about ten minutes before it’s time to go to the O.R. to give me some relaxation medication. This way I won’t be so anxious and won’t even remember going into the O.R. Remember this little tid bit….it’s important in a minute.

So we wait what seems like an eternity but is not and then it is time for me to tell everyone bye and give hugs and kisses. I get a shinny silver surgical hat to wear and off we roll. As we are rolling pat O.R. rooms, I am thinking “Wow, I have never seen this part of the surgical side” we finally get to O.R. room 8 and in we go. Wow, it’s bright in there and it looks like there’s a party going on! The radios blasting a Beatles song and for a moment I think I have died, why else would I be witness to this strange site?! Then it dawn on me, the Anesthesiologist never gave me the “happy” shot. LOL He comes barreling through and saying something to the effect that they took me back too soon. To that a surgical tech in the room says “well that’s fine you just owe her a double dose of the happy shot” Over all no harm done. So I lay on the bed and here come this huge mask of blue. It looms over me and I know I am about to surrender. The Tech tells me to take deep breathes and count backwards from 100. I think I made it to 98.


Since coming out of surgery I won’t lie and say that everything has just been wonderful. Let’s face it; I had a piece of equipment in my head that even though it may have been barely working it was doing something. My head fills like a helium balloon expanding. This may be due to the Intracranial Pressure building back up. This almost leaves me at times feeling incapacitated and shaking in pain. Since the surgery my Doctors have been trying to pin point a medicine that can help control the pain (nothing is going to rid me of it). The main problem they are having is that what works comes in I.V. form and I cannot do that at home.

Another issue that has brought is ugly head to the surface is nausea. It is almost constant and sometimes it follows through. For the sake of all, I will not go into anymore detail

My eyes have never given me a lot of problem unlike many patients with Intracranial Hypertension, and I am thankful for that, but since the shunt has been removed my eyes have decided to play games. I have two black dots or “floaters” in my right eye and have experienced several episodes of tunneling and double vision. While in the hospital I had an Ophthalmologist examine me twice. He did not see any swelling (the main concern in someone with Intracranial Hypertension) but did say that my eyes have become lazy.


The infection in my shunt they cultured and grew to determine what type of antibiotics I would need. Lucky me, this has sent me home with a PICC line and I.V. antibiotics for two weeks.


So did you fasten your seat belt for all of that?

Now what’s the game plan?

I go back in 10 days to have the staples removed.
One week after stopping the I.V. antibiotics I will have a Spinal Tap done to make sure the infection has cleared.
Then I will meet with Dr. D. and Dr. W to discuss options.

On a really good and fabulous note: One way to relieve to symptoms of a headache is to get a great big hug from a nine and seven year old.