I checked into Ward 63 at the Southern General Hospital on Thursday July 28th. I did not feel in the least nervous about the forthcoming operation as the memory of the pain was still pretty fresh. I was eventually admitted to a four bedded side room. There were three other people there; one on his way home and two awaiting neurosurgery, both different procedures from mine. Blood samples were taken, blood pressure monitored and low and behold it morning the following day and time for my operation. Mr Suttner, my neurosurgeon had informed me that the micro vascular decompression was, in most cases, a three hour procedure. One of my companions from the previous evening, Paul, told me that his op was a 7 hour procedure and I can remember thinking how lucky I was.
So the appointed hour arrives and both myself and Paul were wheeled off to our respective theatres around 9am. The last thing I remember is the anaesthetics room along with the anaesthetist and the anaesthetics nurse. Friendly professionalism is how I would describe their approach. I don’t even remember drifting off!
The next thing I was conscious off was being recovered in the recovery room, sweating profusely, but otherwise feeling great. I was provided with an electric fan which helped to cool me down. A large wall clock opposite showed the time as 3pm which by my calculations would have meant that my three hour op had lasted considerably longer than anticipated. Just as I managed to convince myself that the clock was wrong, remember Paul, seven hour operation, well he was wheeled into the recovery bay next to me. I realised then that something had not gone as planned although I was not overly concerned at that point.
Mr Suttner explained to me that the early part of the operation was straight forward and on reaching the artery all was what he would have expected. However, on pulling the artery aside to access the nerve, the complications started. There were hundreds, if not thousands of blood vessels blocking the way to the nerve. Some had already started haemorrhaging which in the massively magnified view of the surgeon looked like nuclear explosions. To cut a long story boring, the vessels were cauterised the necessary work completed.
I was released on Thursday August 4th and have beauty of a scar, an occasional sore head if I go too long without painkillers, the left side of my jaw is partially numb and a few other aches and pains which are not causing me any great concern.
Most people who have this op, I believe, are looking for pain relief. I differ slightly in that as of recently, medication reduction became my main objective because my quality of life was fast approaching an unacceptable level. I have already started reducing my meds, which will continue over two to three months and only then will the outcome be measurable. The perfect outcome will be no meds no pain. A decent outcome will be reduced meds no pain so I am not hard to please.
This is a lay man’s commentary and I make no apologies for technical inaccuracies.
THat’s a nice scar in…deed.
Jim, my son Jake just recently had surgery on his ankle 2 weeks ago broke his fibula tore both ligaments and broke the back of his ankle. He had to have a plate put in so there are 8 pins inside to hold the plate in place. I took him to the doc Thurday to have his staples removed. There are 18 of them. One heck of a scar. He keeps telling me it’s a chick magnet. So there you go, if you are single??? LOL
I was a chick magnet anyway;-)
Thanks for the story Jim. What I like most is that you have realistic expectations for what the future may hold for you. I think some people rate their MVD and other procedures as failures because they may have unrealistic expectations.
I have never heard of clusters of blood vessels as you have described. Does anyone know if blood vessels like what Jim has described has any relation to TN - is it possible Jim's TN experience may have been worse because of these blood vessels?
Take care Jim - I hope your recovery continues to go well.
Elaine
That’s a fine scar. I hear chicks dig scars.