*Chiari Malformation Decompression Surgery*

*Chiari Malformation Decompression Surgery*
It’s been a long few days and I haven’t been writing for a while. I found myself overwhelmed with everything I had to do to prepare for my surgery. I finally did it though. Surgery is done. I can honestly tell you that it was nothing I was expecting and that there was no way to prepare myself for it. Before I get ahead of myself let me bring you back to the beginning. I spent the days leading up to my surgery with my family. The kids mostly. The night before surgery I had to fight myself to put Taylor down for bed and found myself wanting to rock Carter to sleep forever. I finally got the kids in bed with only sheading a few tears and finished getting all the last minute things done. Jordan got home from work around 11pm and I stayed up with him until almost 1am. I surprisingly slept well and awoke to the sound of Carter crying AND my alarm going off at 5:30am. Jordan headed for the baby while I headed to get ready. The house was quiet and I had a knot in my stomach. I kept wishing I could climb back into my bed and wake up in a few hours and realize all of this was a dream. I couldn’t believe I was leaving for brain surgery. Jordan’s mom (Janice) came over to stay with the kids when we left since it was to early to get them up. My dad, Jordan and I all climbed into my dads car and headed to the hospital. It was a short ride that seemed to last forever. Especially since my dad is used to being awake so early and was attempting to start conversations with a less than enthusiastic me. When we arrived at the hospital we all walked into the main lobby and were brought to the surgical waiting room. Being in the room is like going to jail… everyone looking at each other and you can just see the thought bubble above everyone’s head with them thinking the question “What are you in for?” I managed to mind my own business and not ask anyone why they were having surgery and after a few minutes my mom walked in, Then the nurse to bring me to the next stop on the surgery trip. Next was height and weight. 125lbs and 5’5” tall. Check. Next we went into the surgery prep area where they listened to my heart, breathing and checked my vitals. I had a pregnancy test done (Negative by the way ;) ) and then got to change into one of those adorable hospital gowns. They should call them hospital rags not gowns . While I sat with my parents and I fiancé I decided it was time for some pictures just in case I died (Yep slightly dramatic but if I survived I wanted pictures anyway) After a few eye rolls from my family and a few shots of the camera I was back to being bored. I was trying to think of anything else besides surgery. My nurse was so nice and for some reason she reminded me of my Grandma. It was comforting.

Me and My Fiance:


Me and My Dad:


Me and My Mom:


The time quickly came to bring me to the Surgery holding area. This was my last chance to get off the surgery train but I stayed aboard. Hardly showing any fear aside from my continuous questions of … “Do I really have to do this?” and “Can’t we just go home?” My surgeon came in and talked to us, My Doctor’s name is Lynn Hedeman. He is the most amazing Dr. I have ever met. All of the nurses in the hospital said that same thing about him. They all said that if they had to have a brain or back surgery they would all have him do it too. (I am so thankful that I went against my own doctors referral and found my own Doctor.) Dr. Hedaman’s assistant and the anesthesiologist also came in. They hooked up an IV, gave me a shot of anxiety meds and I was on my way. This is where my mind gets fuzzy so bare with me while I attempt to remember what happened. They rolled me into the operating room. I remember the bright lights and listening to a woman speaking. That was it. Next thing I remember I was in a darkened room surrounded by shadowy figures that I later came to realize were my family. I was in the Intensive Care Unit and you couldn’t really wake me up for anything. I remember seeing Jordan and I remember My mom and Janice’s voices. The rest of the night was a crazy, sickening blur. I had such a headache that no amount of medication could help. They started with the Morphine and that didn’t work, next came the Diludad, vicodin, flexeril, a steroid, Tylenol 3 and motrin. Head was still pounding. I hadn’t thrown up since I was 6 years old and all of a sudden… yep. Apparently I still could. Over the course of the next 24 hours all I remember is waking up enough for a nurse to ask if I was ready for more pain meds and I would say “yep” next I would feel the injection rush course through my veins and then I was out until the next time. I couldn’t eat, I couldnt do anything. Anytime I would sit up I would get a throbbing pain in the top of my head that felt like a hammer wailing down on me. I choose to stay laying down to avoid it. Day 3 in the ICU I started to come alive a little bit. I was finally able to get up to go the bathroom but had to lay back down right away. A physical therapist came to my room and had me go for a walk with her. I had to walk up and down a flight of stairs too. My head hurt so bad and I had to hold my neck to position my head in a certain way to avoid the shooting pains. I did so good that they transferred me to a normal room out of the ICU. I spent my night watching a movie (With a ton of breaks) and then heading to bed. I was so out of it. My eyes couldn’t focus on anything, I was dizzy, I was weak and had trouble walking and I was so nauseous!

Day 3 Post-Op:


Jordan:




My big bandage:


I got to go home on day 4. My dad came and got me and I was able to get up a little and walk to pack my stuff up. The ride home sucked. I had to put the seat back and hold my neck.

My Incision 4 days Post-Op:


I managed to get home and climb into bed where I parked myself for the next 24 hours. It has now been 5 days since brain surgery and today has been my best day. I still have a headache. Im still tired, dizzy, nauseous, and just generally feel like crap but I made the best of it. I spent my day lounging in the sun in my bikini listening to my IPOD and watching lifetime movies all day. I finally was able to take a shower which I can honestly tell you was not my favorite thing to do. Part of my head is numb to anything besides pain so I didn’t feel the water on it but when I touch it, it hurts!. Washing my hair was not fun but at least I was finally able to wash the hospital off me. I felt disgusting. My brother, his girlfriend and my nephew stopped by today and that brightened my day a little since my nephew is so stinkin cute! Ill update more as I recover. Ill try to make this daily thing for a while .

*My family has told me that my Neurosurgeon came and talked to them after my surgery and informed them that In his 43 years of doing this, I had one of the worse Chiari Malformations that he had ever seen. My MRI didn’t even show how bad it truly was. We had thought it was only herniated to my C1 vertebrae and apparently it was down to my C2. He said that I would have had to have this surgery done no matter what because If I didn’t I would have become paralyzed. *