Hi there! I am having my MVD in 12 days. What can I do to prepare myself? How long will I be in the hospital? What about recovery? I go Friday to talk to the doctor about this but I can’t wait that long! I have a new born and my husband is always deployed ( we are military). I live in Massachusetts and have little friends (thanks to my TN) and my family is in Alabama. My mom is coming to visit for 11 days to help out but other than that it will be me my baby and my husband (sometimes) Please let me know what I can do to prepare myself for this! Thank you!
Also how is the ride home from the hospital? I’m having it done in Boston and have about a 2.5 hour ride home.
I can tell you, that mostly… One night in ICU, and one night in regular room…then go home and sleep as many days as you can!
A friend of mine had the surgery and she was instantly pain free. She even went to a birthday party the next day. She looked great and felt great! I hope it works out for you like that. Think positive! Good luck!
http://www.livingwithtn.org/group/mvds/forum/topics/questions-about-preparing-for-surgery
Prior to my MVD I read through this ^ entire link as well as most of the discussions in the MVD group.
This gave me an idea of what I could expect. We’re all different …
In my case, I was in hospital for 3-4 days and I spent the first 2 weeks home really exhausted. I had trouble sleeping at night so it was nice to be able to drift in and out of sleep throughout the day.
You’re restricted to carrying /lifting so that may pose a problem with you caring for your baby.
I had to rely on my husband or daughters to lift the 4L milk jug to pour milk in my coffee/tea.
Bring a pillow for the drive home to cushion your head, I found little bumps in the road felt like big ones…it was a bit uncomfortable but pillows helped.
Have food in the house that you would normally eat when not well…things like gingerale, soups, crackers, toast, jello etc I had no real appetite for a few weeks and existed on tea and toast.
Hope by reading the link you’ll feel better prepared as I did.
Best wishes for your surgery! Positive thoughts!
(( hugs )) Mimi
Thank you so much everyone! Mimi that helped me out a TON! Thanks!
A bday the day after surgery? Wow! That’s crazy!
Hi Katie,
First good luck with the surgery. I had mine done Aug. 15, 2013 at MGH in Boston with Dr. Eskandar. I live on the Cape so I had about a 2.5hr drive home. By the time you leave the hospital all you want is to be home so the ride can feel long. I had brought my own pillow and it helped SOOO much in the car. We had to stop for a bathroom break halfway and I was more uncomfortable walking than being in the car. I also had to keep reminding the driver that I was sore and to avoid the bumps. I just had a stiff neck. Once I was home I covered the lazyboy recliner with a sheet and made that my home for the next 2 weeks. At MGH they put you in an ICU room on a neuro floor for the first night and then on a normal neuro floor for a second and with no complications you can go home. The staff at MGH was amazing! I went home from the hospital on Tylenol and Flexoril (skeletal muscle relaxer for my neck). When you start to feel a little better go out for short walks with someone. I had my dad walk me daily around the neighborhood and my mom walked me in stores!
Feel free to ask me anything else.
Best of luck, Amy
Wow Amy thank you so much for your reply! I live on the cape and Dr. Eskandar is doing my surgery as well! I’m so glad to have talked you before going in. Makes me feel so much better! I just had my pre op done and they were amazingly nice! I have to be there at 6 and he will start at 8! I’m so scared but I’m only 26 so this surgery is a must! Did you have to go back to him to have the staples removed? If so how many days later? Just trying to set up rides since u won’t be able to drive! Does he shave a lot of your hair? I saw some pic where some ppl have half if there head shaved and some hardly have any missing! Silly question but I’m just so curious! So glad you found me! He seems like he is the best at this but a very dry personality!
Are you pain free now? Did you have any problems after the surgery with him? CF leaks? Infection? Do you know how long the surgery was? What foods did you buy for after the surgery? So sorry for all the questions I’m starting to panic. Mine is Feb 4th.
I had my local neuro take my staples out. I didn't have time or money to fly back to Michigan for that! LOL
I had no complications with Dr. Casey, and he found 2 compressions, and he fixed them in less than 2 hours.
Ice chips were my best friend in ICU... feels like an elephant on your head and neck....then the pressure goes away first, then the sore neck later.
The BIGGEST problem with us women, is that the do not lay in bed for two weeks in my opinion.... don't pick up the dog, empty the dishwasher -- do nothing! Let everything settle.... you can eat whatever you feel like eating....just have somebody else cook or deliver!
I stayed on the pain pills for several days so I would heal faster and sleep only!
Me, after 2+ years only 1% twinge once in a while. Changed my life for the better!
I had my MVD in 4/11/2013 had problrms with pain pain afterward atayed in ICU for 3days. Question for the ones who had thier surgery. I have only a scare behind my lt ear going down my neck . .Just passed my ear. I have my long hair. My hair was not shaved behind my ear around the scar where the the sugery was done. Is this normal. The way the surgery is done. The Dr. who sent me home did not have lisence for my prescritions meds he wrote out for me. During my surgery I had a mini stroke. I am still in pain. I don't know where to go for help. I really can't afford to go far. Sorry for my spelling I am also onset Alzhers.
He is very dry but he is great! I had met with a Dr from Tufts first and am so glad I found Eskandar. I just saw him Jan 6 and he cracked a smile! He loved how I was off all my meds and had a beautiful scar. I was on 3200gabapentin and 600 tegretal daily before the surgery. I get headaches from my neck sometimes but nothing too bad. I didn't get any headaches after the surgery that he said I would but I had a very sore and stiff neck. The last thing Eskandar said to me was that I didn't need to see him again but he's there if I need him and I absolutely will use him again if I need to. Feel free to ask anything. You're going to be so happy you made this dicision. You're in fantastic hands!
~Amy
Katie said:
Wow Amy thank you so much for your reply! I live on the cape and Dr. Eskandar is doing my surgery as well! I'm so glad to have talked you before going in. Makes me feel so much better! I just had my pre op done and they were amazingly nice! I have to be there at 6 and he will start at 8! I'm so scared but I'm only 26 so this surgery is a must! Did you have to go back to him to have the staples removed? If so how many days later? Just trying to set up rides since u won't be able to drive! Does he shave a lot of your hair? I saw some pic where some ppl have half if there head shaved and some hardly have any missing! Silly question but I'm just so curious! So glad you found me! He seems like he is the best at this but a very dry personality!
Katie, my hair is shoulder length, so could hide it, mine was not large patch of hair gone
Iike some here! Normal hair will get 6 inches long very soon.
I am pain free and off the meds. I didn't have any problems with the surgery except a sore neck which is common. No CF leak, no infection. My surgery was 5 hours with 5 Teflon pads (remember that for you the surgery will feel like only 1 second passed by. They put you out and you wake up.) Eskandars surgeries are generally 3 hours with only a couple pads. I ate normal foods after but I wasn't very hungry. Relax your in excellent hands!
Katie said:
Are you pain free now? Did you have any problems after the surgery with him? CF leaks? Infection? Do you know how long the surgery was? What foods did you buy for after the surgery? So sorry for all the questions I'm starting to panic. Mine is Feb 4th.
Wow thank y’all so much for replying! And thank you Amy a TON you have really put my mind at ease n I am not nearly as scared for Tuesday as I was before talking to you! After I recover (hopefully it won’t take to long) we should do lunch and talk about all of this. It’s soooo amazing how I met you before my surgery and you live right down the road! God works in mysterious ways 
thank you again for all your wonderful help! I am beyond grateful!
Hi Katie I am having MVD with Dr. Eskander on Tuesday...what day are you going? I am about 2 hours away too and was wondering about the car ride also...thank you for posting this.
2 words, stool softeners, lol the drugs for surgery really messed up my system so that part was a bear. the surgery is a breeze, your asleep. i had never had surgery so really had no idea what to expect, and it was not that bad, the drugs for pain made me want to throw up but they can give you something for that as well..good luck
Hey Kristin! I just saw your post on here! That is sooooo crazy! Mine is on Tuesday at 6am! I guess we will be in ICU suffering together! I will say a prayer for you:) so glad that you found my post! Good luck with everything!
Haha thank you mace! I went out and bought a bottle last night and some fiber! Thank you for the suggestion!