Section 1.1 Recover from Brain Surgery
Four days before the Brain Surgery, I do NOT remember anything that had happen.
But my wife has told me I can commutate while her and other friends. After talking with friends I did a lot of talking.
Tony and Kathy have some comments. Sometime before the surgery I talked with Tony. I do NOT remember him talking to me in ICU.
Kathy and Tony: When we first heard about Jim
"Between the appt and Borders I called home to update Tony and he told me that Georgiann had left a message on the machine. He said it mentioned something about Jim and a brain tumor and his brain stopped processing the rest of the message. He was afraid to try and listen again because he didn't want to delete the message by mistake. Once we replayed it we heard that Jim was in Norfolk General Hospital.
Tony had tried the house phone but there was no answer. Once I got home we found the hospital number and found that he was in NICU. Tony decided to try Jim's phone thinking that George would possibly pick up. He was quite pleasantly surprised when
Jim answered the phone. That made us feel a whole lot better - some of his words weren't quite right but Tony felt better talking to him.
We found out that surgery would be Thursday and we let them know that we would be arriving on Wednesday evening. And so began a journey where we would learn more then we ever wanted to know about how the brain works - and bring blessings galore!"
These are some thoughts about which I thing are happening during surgery. Between the per-surgery days and me waking up from the surgery I have three instances I will describe in this blog.I had some thoughts about which are going on. I know when I remember them, but bring the surgery and me waking up. These are the four times I will describe.
- Dead
- Submarine in the Ocean
- ICU care nurse
1. Dead
During my stay in ICU in an unconscious state or simply, I don’t know if I dead or alive.
In my mind, I must answer the question:
“Are you alive or dead?”
As you still in bed, your mind will wonder very hand.
I remember lying on the bed as I thought I was DEAD.
Is it maybe surgery?
In my mind, there were many closed doors.
We went to another room. I thought the place was a long way from surgery and that there was no one here. I am alone. This was the end.
But, the bed was moved.
How did some one find me?
Where are they taking me?
Then I hear the ICU Nurse say something. I do not know what she was talking about.
They I asked myself, Am I dead or alive?
I do remember going through many closed done again. Once again the bed went through many closed doors again.
I thought things were better!
I was not DEAD and I want to be ALIVE!!
2. Submarine in the Ocean
There is a large submarine and it is a lot like a space craft. The submarine was like a star-like body and it was submerged in the ocean and into the sand.
The submarine station is a place next to the hospital. We talk on the submarine to get food for the hospital.
I did not know what they were but I recall it was crabs and flounder. This is interesting, but I can NOT eat crabs.
As the end, we sailed back. I did not remember any of the getting of often the submarine.
I guess I got off the submarine at the end?
Before we left, the Head ICU Nurse was on the something like a phone or a computer? Who knows what he was doing, but they went to the ocean for food.
I knew that other people were around for me, and the ICU Nurses doing “SOMETHING” in the work for me.
As part of an article, I had an Oil Spill report in my Speech Rehab in the Gulf of Mexico. Part of the report is Deepwater Horizon oil spill. They were used Semi-submersible rigs make stable platforms for drilling for offshore oil and gas. The oil spill happen is April 2010. Do I have a “visioning” in April 2009? Is this a something I knew about a year before it occurred?
3. ICU Care Nurse
This is an ICU Nurse that I meet at my second surgery, and she told me that she was there for the Brain Surgery. She said me to name, but I do not remember name. This is a “Thank You” for caring for me.
I do not remember Tony and Kathy when I getting for Brain Surgery. But reading this is for very is interesting.
Tony and Kathy “Our First Glimpse of Jim Prior to the Initial Surgery”.
We arrived Wednesday evening (April 22nd) and were able to see Jim and Georgiann. Luckily the Neuro ICU allowed more then two in the room and was quite lax with regards to the visiting hours.
Jim was alert and talking but not quite on the mark with his words and thought processes.
Little Tony had called and talked to him for a minute or two and wished him luck but he couldn't really make out what Jim was saying.
That night Tony found out that him and Jim's brother Rick had already been and left but he would be back the next day. There is always a blessing hidden somewhere and this was one of them - Tony had not seen his brother Rick in 35 years or more. We went home with George when it was time to leave the hospital - had a much needed drink or two and then got some sleep as we would need to be up early to get back to the hospital to see Jim prior to surgery.
Thursday, April 23 Day of Surgery
As I started before, I do NOT know about this. This is blog notes Georgiann, Kathy and Alice talk about for the brain surgery. WOW -- what a thing for my friends to go through.
Georgiann: The brain surgery on April 23, 2009 took approximately 16 hours to complete. A surgery that started at 8:40 am ended around 1:00 am. Those long hours were the longest hours of our lives.
Dr. Rodrigue came to our waiting room on the 6th floor where Jim’s brother, Tony, his wife, Kathy, my sister, Alice and myself, Georgiann had held vigil all those hours. The doctor was very tired as she had done the entire surgery herself. She still remained very hopeful. Her first words were that it was a difficult surgery. That it was a large tumor but it was the best kind of tumor to have when it came down to types of brain tumors. It was identified as a Meningioma probably Grade 2 and was approximately 6 inches by 2 inches. Usually mengingioma tumors are spherical, whereas this one started at base under left ear running over his left ear to under eye on left side of face.
Kathy: Kathy recalls the doctor had to remove Jim’s orbital bone and thought she was going to have to remove his jaw bone in order to get the entire tumor but luckily she did not need to do this. Blood vessels did begin to share blood that supplies the outside surface of the brain and the tumor. She had to determine and redirect vessels to feed the brain again. Not the best case, but Doctor feels they will reconstitute themselves.
Georgiann: Georgiann remembers her saying the swelling was so severe that it pressed the brain toward the center and the “Butterfly” in the middle of the brain was distorted. No room between bone and brain for any bleeding because brain is so swollen. The surface of his brain is raw but she feels will heal.
There was a great deal of blood loss but no transfusion was needed at this time.
Alice recalls the doctor telling us they kept Jim “dry” during surgery so swelling was minimal relative to what it could have been.
Georgiann: There was lots of fluid containing cells that were collected and sent to pathology along with the tumor that extended toward the center of his head. Pathology report would be ready within one week. Every time the doctor thought she was finished she saw more tumors to pull out, but feels she did get the entire tumor out.
If there are any issues, they may include aphasia speech impediment and/or loss of right hand and arm movements.
Legs should be okay.
He will have a huge black eye due to the fact she had to remove his orbital bone to get the tumor behind his eye area.
He now has staples in his head and would have those removed in about a week.
Infection, if any usually appears within 5 days to 2 weeks.
He will have pain medications and probably stay in the hospital for at least a week.
Dr. Rodrigue wants to wake him up now to make sure he can move his arms and that I could see him in about a half hour. I did finally get to see him in ICU at around 3 AM. I was so happy to be able to see and touch his arm. He was groggy but I did tell him he was “okay and that I love you” and I would see him tomorrow. I think he smiled.
Kathy: We left and found that our cars were about the only ones in the parking lot. We were glad to get back to the house and relax for a bit before getting some sleep to prepare us for the next day.
I was in the hospital and I was in the ICU section and my friend and family were able to go the house after a long, long day.
Day after Surgery
Kathy & Tony recall:
Wow!! I have never seen a black eye the likes of the one that Jim had - I mean WOW! It was so swollen and blue and black and it just looked like it was going to burst - it must have stuck out at least 3 inches. The rest of his head was wrapped in gauze. I've been told that boxers get black eyes like that but this was a first for me. It was difficult not to stare at it. OK enough about the eye!
The Eye (see the photograhs in the beginning)!
Georgiann remembers:
Day 1 April24, 2009 Our First day of Recovery
Ventilation tube stuffed in Jim’s mouth.
Very big purple black eye. White turban style bandages wrapped around Jim’s head.
Eyes are open.
Around noon ventilation tube is removed. Turban bandages are removed as well. White cotton gauze taped to his skull where incision is. Three “pins” in head.
Pins were used in surgery to keep his head still. One pin on forehead and two in the rear of Jim’s head. He was shaved completely bald. Beard and mustache are A-Okay!
He can move hands, arms and legs. Can only speak simple words like “yes, no”. When Kathy & Tony showed him weather report on TV, that temperatures would be 90 degrees, he said, Oh my God!”
Jim received morphine intravenicaly. Then later Jim was able to swallow Vicodin pills for the pain .His dinner consisted of Ensure vitamin chocolate drink. He drinks lots of ice water and is laughing.
A very good sign!!