Stories, comments, observations and opinions by a Texan who is happily retired in Sonoma, California. Once a Texan....always a Texan.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

DOWN, DOWN, DOWN AND UP, UP AND AWAY The last report about my Acoustic Neuroma experience...at least for awhile.... February 23 to April 5, 2011

All day I had a headache so I took a pain pill and rested.  By late afternoon I was bored silly and felt well enough to do something productive.  I put my cell phone in my pocket and ventured downstairs, being careful, to the kitchen.  Surely I was capable of making vegetable stir-fry for dinner.

I lined the veggies, wok, knives and such on the kitchen counter and began washing and chopping.  Like a bolt of lightning the earthquake struck, only it wasn’t an earthquake, just seemed like one.  The room spun around like the Titanic getting ready to go under.  I grabbed the counter.

My next conscious moment, I found myself sprawled on the terrazzo floor.  Someone had hit me over the head with a lead skillet. I tried to move but lost consciousness again, I think, re-hitting my head.  When I regained awareness I knew I was in trouble and had to get help but couldn’t remember how to do that.  “Oh, yes, my cell phone”.  Time after time I tried to move to get up and find it but I was so dizzy it was impossible.  I crawled around hoping to pull up on something and saw my phone across the room on the floor.  After scooting around, I had it in my hand.  “What do you do with a cell phone?”  I couldn’t remember how to use it.  “You must remember how to call for help,” I told myself.  My thoughts became more lucid.  I didn’t think I could get to a door to let 911 responders in so I called Mark, “Get home now.  I’m hurt.”  Then I hung up.  The next thing I knew Mark was rushing me to the local hospital.

That night the emergency room doctors in Sonoma, communicating with UCSF doctors, took care of me, made the pain go away and gave me a series of tests to determine just how much damage the fall caused.  There was a concussion, but not hemorrhaging or permanent injury. 

Over the next few days I continued to have tests and meet with doctors who determined the incident was caused by a low electrolyte and blood sugar issue, maybe.  My family was concerned and angry that I “over-did.”  The twenty-four hour sitters were back. I lived on pain meds and with ice packs around my bruised pumpkin-sized head.  My black eyes were impressive.  There was nothing to do but begin the healing process again and be grateful that the injuries were not life threatening, just painful and scary.

Knowing what I now know, I believe the incident would not have happened had I begun Physical Therapy as soon as I returned home from the surgery.  

 The rest of February and March were blurs. My only outings were to doctors and Physical Therapy.  Merek, my PT who works with brain trauma cases, has taught me methods of using my body and brain that have changed my life. The headaches are much better, my balance good and I am getting better each week.

I am learning to be patient, a real challenge.  The process of healing will take a year or more but 2 months out from surgery I am functioning well enough to walk two miles and can participate in most daily activities.  I am not driving yet so still depend on friends to cart me around.  I limit activities that over-stimulate the brain, like television watching, computer use, reading at length or being in crowds. I have problems with loud ear-ringing and a roaring sound coming from the right ear, really the brain since the right ear nerves are gone. The awful sounds sometimes drown hearing in my functioning left ear.  I have to concentrate on my balance and posture to avoid dizziness and headaches.

I admit this has been a hellacious last month, but it is past. I have made great progress with my health and get rave-reviews from all my doctors.

Now, I plan to stop all the “medical reports” and get back to writing my usual blog comments, working on my novel and marketing my family story book, “Stories for Emma.”