life's changing in 7 weeks...

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qtowngirl

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*deep breath* *tears*

it's on its way friends... friday august 9th i'm going in for surgery.
i have hesitated for some time talking about it anymore b/c i was so unsure of what was in store, but now, with the call i got lastnight, i can see ahead... 7 weeks. terrified (to put it lightly) one minute and happy the next (just need it done with!)... a very mixed bag of emotions.
the notes:
-left amygdalo-hippocampectomy, taking most of the amyg and part of the hippo.
-after 17 days in the unit and team analysis the neurosurgeon informed me it was lesional epilepsy, due to cortical dysplasia, which means i've had the lesion/will-happen-one-day epilepsy since i was in my mother's womb (gasp, couldn't believe it). i didn't start having seizures until i was 15, was diagnosed at 25, and the lesion was only found in 2011. to learn it all started happening 34 years ago was unreal.
-of all four levels of outcome (1 being no seizures again, 4 being no change/worse), he is certain i am in the number 1 category, is very confident i will come out seizure-free. i know E is incurable and will just keep riding on the fact that he says i'm in the number 1.
-on the heels of that positivity he is also one of the top neurosurgeons in canada - right now this is my silver lining and i tell myself (lol and anyone who'll listen) that every day. he is also a vascular surgeon so if there's issues with blood clots, etc., he's the man. thank fucking god.
-incision starts by my left ear and goes up across the hairline behind my forehead.
-5 days in the hospital, first 2/3 being intensive care.
-slight chance it's a tumor but if so they're very sure it's benign.
-their only concern is about loss of verbal ability after (can't find words etc.). i HATE that thought as it will affect my ability to run my business, however, it's better than the worst.
-he, nor this hospital, have ever lost someone in brain surgery (i had to ask that, had to know, may have swayed my decision).

this has been one long ugly road, and there's no way in hell i could have got through it without you guys. cwe was one of the best things that ever happened to me. thank you for all your help, advice, listening to mine haha, and for just 'knowing' what this hell feels like. to nak for knowing everything! and helping with everything, and to my best E friends - neil, mel, andrew, and chris - you mean the world and will be in my thoughts as i head into that operating room. i love you guys.... and thanks again ;)
 
Qtown,

So good to see that you have a date for your surgery, those 7 weeks will go quickly :).
It sounds like you have a fantastic neurosurgeon & you will be in very good hands :).

That is great the surgeon thinks you will come out of this seizure free. I'll be cheering you on from this part of the world. I speak to Mel on FB so if you don't mind, when the time comes for you to have your surgery I'll ask Mel if she would mind keeping me up to date with your progress.
 
Your surgeon will definitely feel all the CWE love and support coming right back atcha in the operating room.

More importantly, now that the big date is nailed down, should we schedule the CWE orgy for before or after they prune your brain? Or maybe there should be two orgies? And who what do you want in your Care Package?
 
Qtown your badass and you'll do great in surgery. I'm wishing you the best and I know i'd be really anxious with anything in regards to my brain. But it really sounds like you are in good hands.
 
You are going to do great! Please be sure to keep us up to date on how you are doing.
 
Whey,hey,hey Q,at last!!! Your gonna do just fine and be back amongst us in no time,wishing ya a speedy recovery when it comes!

Luved the pun,"As i HEAD into that operating room" Hehe,classic gold!!!!
 
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can someone remind me of the site to use to upload a picture?? I had written it down somewhere, and instead of wasting the next half hour of my life, I would appreciate the help :)
 
Hi Qtown,

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. Sounds like you have a wonderful surgeon who knows what he's doing, so I feel confident that things will turn out fine.

~left amygdalo-hippocampectomy, taking most of the amyg and part of the hippo'

~their only concern is about loss of verbal ability after (can't find words etc.). i HATE that thought as it will affect my ability to run my business, however, it's better than the worst.

When I had my surgery years ago, they took part of my hippocampus, but they couldn't get all the damaged area. It was deep in the hippocampus that did effect my language abilities. If they did a 2nd surgery on me, I would have ended up like an Alzheimer patient. I do have aphasia (difficulty finding words) now and some memory loss, but some of it is from recurring seizures and meds too. Things have improved greatly since I had surgery years ago, so your surgery will go well. Keep us posted!
 
CQ: oh are you ever right. i'll be putting that gown on yesterday already. :eek: and yeah good to ask mel, she's a two-time surgery veteran and also a close friend so she'll likely be the first person i get in touch with. i'm having the same surgery as her also, just different sides, so her level of understanding is amazing.

Nak: LOL, prune my brain. good one. you go ahead with that orgy, it's just that now, b/c my mobility will be quite limited, you guys all have to come here, to hell with the states haha, canada it is (sorry everyone in scotland/ireland/britain/australia... just the way it is :)) as for my care package, who? ryan gosling please.

Muay: haha, a guy with fighter in his name telling me i'm badass, now that's something. remind me of that the last time we talk k? it will help lol.

Huskymom: thanks love for the well wishes.

Crash: i so wish i could take credit for that but i must admit, didn't even realize what i was saying ;) good on you for noticing lol.

Cint: thank you for the info. i actually took your situation and adapted it to my own possibilities. had questions for the surgeon ie: any chance you'll get in there and it will be too deep, can't remove it all etc.? his exact answer: "it won't be deeper than we think." well okay then :)
 
May we never seize again, my good friend. Now it's time for you to go kick E's ass! :)
:hugs:
 
Will be thinking and praying for you.

I hope these 7 weeks go by fast for you and you awake to a better life.

:hugs:
 
Will be thinking and praying for you.

I hope these 7 weeks go by fast for you and you awake to a better life.

awake to a better life, wow, can't imagine.
lol does that mean no seizures and teenagers that never fight ?? :pop:
 
qtowngirl

What can I say except I am very happy for you and I will be thinking and praying for you up to and including the time. Everything will work out good for you, whatever chance you have you have none when it comes to teenagers that never fight. You be good and mind yourself.
 
Qtown.
Been meaning to ask who your neurosurgeon is.
When i had my surgery there was a neurosurgeon from Canada who assisted with my surgery.
The Canadian surgeons name was Keith McDougall & he spent 12 months working here.
 
Qtown,

I am glad you finally have your date. That time will fly. When all is said and done you will have come out kicking E's ASS!!!
 
The Canadian surgeons name was Keith McDougall & he spent 12 months working here.

nope sorry cq, not him. thanks for asking tho, and wouldn't that have been just too crazy if we actually had the same one helping us.
how you been anyway, 2+ years and no szs right?
 
nope sorry cq, not him. thanks for asking tho, and wouldn't that have been just too crazy if we actually had the same one helping us.
Yeah that would be funny if we had the same surgeon especially living on the opposite side of the world lmao. I think Dr Keith McDougall is now based in London Ontario.

Just after I had my VEEG (4 months before my surgery) I met a lady who just had right temporal lobe surgery at the same hospital I was going to & Dr McDougall also assisted with her surgery. This lady was telling me how her surgery went & she was saying how wonderful Dr McDougall was but when I met him I didn't like him that much as I found him a little bit arrogant.

Out of all the specialists involved with my surgery (including nurses, technicians etc) the only person I didn't really like was Dr McDougall (nothing to do with him being Canadian, just didn't like him being arrogant :pfft:), everyone else including the head neurosurgeon were really nice.

how you been anyway, 2+ years and no szs right?
Epilepsy wise I'm going really well & yep I am over 2 years seizure free.
I now just have to get this other issue (blood in urine) sorted out :pfft:, I saw the urologist last week, he isn't to concerned about it but wants me to have a flexible cystoscopy anyway which I am booked in to have done 10th July.
 
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You know how I feel Q. You'll get there soon and all will be good! : )

....and when in doubt let the jello lama guide your way :ridem:
 
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