Re: Update from - Thuersday Jan 15th 2009 - copied from facebook

[Guest guest]

Good Luck, My cousin had the surgery and it helped her a lot

Dawn

>

> There is so much that I want to say. First off I am absolutely

elated and

> petrified to tell you all that I will be having surgery on

February 3rd to

> fix my Chiari Malformation. The surgery is called posterior fossa

> decompression. *graphic part* They will remove a piece of my skull

and the

> first vertebrae in my neck. Then they will cut open the sac around

my brain,

> called the dura. They take a piece of tissue from under my scalp

in a

> different area and sew it on to the dura to create a larger space

for my

> brain. Then they put on a titanium plate and sew the dura,

muscles, and

> scalp back to it.

>

> I will be in the ICU for a day or two and then in the hospital

until I can

> walk, eat, and use the rest room by myself. The surgery will be

done in

> Aurora, Colorado with Dr Oro. He is a very well known

neurosurgeon and

> his specialty is in Chiari and associated disorders.

>

> I know that this sounds terrifying and it kind of is but it will

make me

> better. All the pain and heartache I have been through for so long

will be

> fixed by this surgery. I was so nervous that Dr Oro would not be

able to

> help me. I have seen over a dozen doctors in Nebraska and 12

doctors at the

> Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. I am ready for this to be fixed.

>

> I met with my primary care doctor, Dr Brown, today for my

pre-op

> physical. She said I am good for surgery and she joked around and

asked what

> I would do with all my time once I am not going to doctors all the

time

> anymore. LOL She is awesome.

>

> I am not able to update my caringbridge site. My internet and cell

phone are

> not working because my mother in law ran up the bill and they got

shut off.

> I am not sure when we will pay that off because now we have to

raise money

> for another trip to Denver and, well, brain surgery isn't cheap,

lol.

>

> I am excited and so are my kids. I told that by this summer I

will be

> better and we can do fun stuff again. He was so happy to hear that.

>

> I will keep you updated via facebook and caringbridge when I can.

Prayers

> are MUCH appreciated.

>

> >

> >>

> >> To send a message to melissa and family goto;

> >>>>>> http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/melissahall

> >>>>>>

> >>>>>

>