4 Months/ 19 Years
4 Months/19 Years April 15, 2014, 4:49 PM
4 months/19 years. Two significant periods of time for me to celebrate in this update.
4 months: It has been 4 months since my brain and spinal cord surgeries and the results have been nothing short of a long-awaited and prayed for medical miracle. My pre-surgery medications numbered 21 and supported the function of nearly every organ system in an attempt to keep me alive as well as attempting (poorly) to manage my excruciating pain. As I posted in my January update and continuing to now, all of my organ systems are functioning excellently and normally on their own to the dismay and disbelief of my numerous specialists. I have had some intermittent issues with muscle spasms in my neck from where the muscles were cut during surgery and then also stretched an inch for the fusion. This has caused some pain and resulting headaches with nausea and vomiting. Overall, resolution has been achieved with muscle relaxers and physical therapy. As of the last two weeks, no medicine has been needed for these issues. I remain free of pain medicine for the first time in over two decades. My biggest issue right now is severe insomnia. It has been 26 years since my brain has not been influenced by a potent cocktail of medications. My medical providers feel the problem is that my brain is trying to figure out what existing in a natural state is all about. It is trying to learn the natural rhythms of day and night that have been compromised for so long with medications and unrelenting pain. I am in the process of trial and error with some sleep medicines to bridge the gap until natural functioning can occur. I am thrilled to report that this is the only medicine I am taking. The only other hiccup I am experiencing is some recent pain and numbness in my arms and hands/fingers as I become more active. Current opinion is that this is due to muscle spasms and inflammation along the cervical nerve tracts. We will continue to watch this development. Hence, to emphasize, I am essentially medicine free for the first time in 26 years (minus a three month stretch after my first brain surgery in 2000) and functioning without the numerous deficits or pain with which I presented before surgery.[...]
