Tuesday night, Dec. 15th

It’s been almost three weeks since the surgery and each day just gets a little better. Last Tuesday we went to the Drs. for a follow-up. They removed the staples and checked a couple of other issues and determined that the recovery is coming along fine. I had anticipated some discomfort in the removal of the staples, but it was a piece of cake. Dr. Cueva pulled a remover out of a sterile packet and it felt as though he was simply lightly tapping the side of my head as removed all 26 staples. It was a quick follow-up and they told me I could start driving whenever I felt up to it.

It just happened that the headaches stopped the night before the follow-up. When I asked about it, the Drs. offered that I may be “over the hump” and it would only get better. I still need to take the Ibuprofen tablets three times a day and a high-powered antibiotic for another few days. That eliminates any alcohol consumption and still keeps my appetite in check. But food is beginning to taste good again, especially breakfast.

I’m still a little uneasy on my feet and get an occasional dizzy feeling if I move my head (or eyes) too fast. I’m having fun getting outside and working around the church with my buddy, Bill Large. He keeps me from overdoing and we still have fun.

We still have plans to try to go to Indio after the New Year for a motor home rally. We’re not sure about Quartzsite yet, but we’d like to go for a few days to check out the vendors and see a lot of old friends that will be there. We’re thinking about finding a spot in Yuma for the month of February to spend some time there looking at possible lots to buy. Things are still up in the air, but we hope to be mobile by the end of the month.

Once again we both appreciate all the phone calls and emails we’ve received. It’s been an interesting experience and we’re grateful that it’s almost over!

Monday afternoon, Nov. 30

I can’t express my humble thanks for all the emails, phone calls, prayers and positive thoughts that came our way during and after the surgery! There is real power in prayer - and I truly felt it! Dottie and I have so many wonderful friends and they have kept us going through this entire ordeal. I’m going to attempt to type this out in spite of my headache and dizziness, so here goes.

On Wednesday we checked in to the hospital at the appointed 2PM hour. The Pre-Op didn’t waste any time getting me ready. They had just finished a surgical procedure and I was put on the “Git ‘er done!” list to get the surgery started. I remember being wheeled into the operating room around 3PM, but nothing after that. The next thing I remember it was 9PM and having my paper surgical gown being removed and a cloth gown being put on in the recovery room. The ladies were telling me that I am a “sweater” - the gown was soaked and I felt wet from perspiration. They rolled me in to ICU where I stayed for the next 25 hours. Every hour the nurses would come in to check blood pressure or blood sugar, usually resulting a few units of insulin. They were dumping antibiotics and pain killers into me as fast as they could. I was so groggy that I would just turn over and go back to sleep. I had a bandage that looked almost like the Phantom of the Opera - it covered my whole left side. And I was fighting numbness on that side.

The Drs. told me it was a good sized tumor and was nestled up next to the brain. Everything went textbook perfect in the surgery and last almost 5 hours. They were able to save the function of the facial nerves, but I’ve lost all sense of hearing on my left side. Right now that left ear is just numb and has no sense of feeling at all.

On Thursday night about 10PM they moved me to a room with a guy that left his TV on all night. The volume wasn’t the problem; it was the steady light all night long. I didn’t sleep well that night, either. Then on Friday morning the neurologist came in and recommended I be discharged. I wasn’t really excited about it, but after he mentioned the lousy hospital food, uncomfortable bed, plastic covered pillows, and susceptibility to hospital germs, I was ready to go. He removed the big shell bandage exposing the 25 stainless steel staples holding my left side intact. Dottie gathered up my belongings and we were off to the coach. Major brain surgery and only two days in the hospital!

Since I’ve been back I’ve done a lot of sleeping. Daytime TV can motivate a person to recover quickly, but it’s going to be a long and slow road to normalcy. I can’t lift anything over 10 lbs. for at least a month, and probably won’t be able to drive for two months. I doubt that we’ll be going anywhere until March. Getting the balance back in the inner ear on the left side will take several months. I mostly feel like there’s an axe embedded in the left side of my skull, but the heavy drugs every four hours help to alleviate that pain. I can’t move my head too fast or I get extremely dizzy.

Dottie has been wonderful taking care of me, and I know she must tire of it at times. She’s off washing clothes right now and I have a little caretaker parked at my feet watching every move I make. It’s amazing how they know that something is different. At night she tucks herself tight against my legs so she can feel if make any movement. It’s been a challenge sleeping with the C-PAP machine and positioning that so it won’t catch on any of the staples.

I want to emphasize the importance of all the emails and phone calls and what they mean to us. We have some wonderful, caring friends and those contacts meant a lot both of us. Both of us thank all of you for those thoughtful messages and all the prayers that we’ve felt through this ordeal!