WADA results

[Porkette]

Hi Travis,

I'm glad to hear things are going well for you. I think the worst part of my surgeries is when they did the 2nd surgery and had to pull out 42 staples from my head. Things have changed a lot since then and I'm not sure but they may not
use staples anymore. I hope and pray that they will allow you to have your 2nd surgery with no problems. As far as the winter weather here in central NY where I live we had a green Christmas and yesterday the temp was up in the 40's. This
is the kinds of winter that I like. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Travis from MN]

I tell you, I KNOW I would not have been able to take a 4 mile walk in MN wearing just a T-shirt! I would have worn shorts if I brought any down with me it was that warm. Having this recovery, and hopefully post surgical recovery down south is DARN NICE. No ice, no snow to deal with where I am. High's are guessed to be upper 60's the next couple of days. Growing up in MN, That doesn't happen this time of year up there.

Just heard back from clinic #3. Sounds like they will be able to yank the stitches there. It'll be a lot cheaper than needing to do it in an emergency room as it was sounding like I'd need to do after talking with the first 2 clinics.

Thanks Sue! You have a great New Year as well.

--Travis

[Porkette]

Hi Travis,

I'm glad the clinic will get the stitches out for you soon. Can you do me a favor Travis and send some of that warm air to NY because starting Monday we are supposed to get hit with an artic blast with bitter cold
temperatures and a lot of snow. I was lucky and had my green Christmas and warm temps. I wish you only the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Heres' wishing You a Happy Healthy New Year!

Sue

[Travis from MN]

WOW. I was at a local clinic's ER to have the stitches removed. While in the waiting room the secretary (coordinator maybe) for the Neurosurgeon called!! I have 2 possible dates for the pre-surgical appointment, and she penciled me on for Valentines Day for the operation! Then about 7 days later followup and either hang around in the cold weather to have the stitches pulled at that clinic the following week, or head out end of the week back to southern weather and have them pull it here again.

The team of doctors has yet to meet even. I am blown away.

--Travis

[Porkette]

Hi Travis,

That's great news that you will be able to have the surgery done. You might want to get it in writing from your surgeon that they are willing to do the surgery on the 14th then they can't come back on you and tell you
that they never okayed the surgery. I wish you only the best of luck and my prayers are with you. May God Bless You!

Sue

[Travis from MN]

I said penciled for a major reason. The Dr's have yet to conference. So nothing is set in stone right now. It could all change today. But it sure made the sitting in the ER wait room go faster!

--Travis

Oh, one funny bit to add. Least I see it as funny. The RN who removed the stitches MISSED ONE. I had my dad take a quick look at it before heading off to sleep. Thankfully it was cut on both ends so it was easy to remove.

[Porkette]

Hi Travis,

I wish you the best of luck when the Drs. have the conference. I had to go through the same thing and wait to get approval from all 3 of my Drs. as well as my insurance co. before any surgery was done.
I can't believe that the nurse missed a stitch that really surprises me. I will be praying that everything goes your way and you can have the surgery. Wishing You the Best of Luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Travis from MN]

Should have posted yesterday. The doctors met, and they called that morning. Surgery is in fact a go. Same date as she had penciled in. She said it was an "Anterior temporal lobe lobectomy". I needed clarification on a few things. Rather than seeing the surgeon the week following surgery, and flying out as I had understood before, I will now be seeing the surgeon 3 weeks later for post-op followup, and have stitches pulled same day.

Appointment with my Neurologist is canceled due to being shortly before the surgery. Need to rebook that. Pre-op had been mentioned on 2 different days, now have that clarified...

So all I need to do is get back home to dreary winter weather for over a month (close to 2) before escaping again for a few weeks until we should be having spring back home.

--Travis

[Porkette]

Hi Travis,

I'm so happy to hear the great news that they will follow through with the surgery. I had the right temporal lobectomy and take my word you are going to have to eat some soft foods
for awhile. It hurt my head when I laughed or tried to chew food. What bothered me more than anything was I couldn't sleep on my right side for 6 months. It's up to you but you might
want to tell your neuro. to give you antibiotics before the surgery is done that way you don't have to worry about getting any infections.

Old man winter is headed our way tonight with snow, sleet, and freezing rain. I'm not looking forward to it at all and I hope the storm misses us. I wish you only the best of luck
and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Travis from MN]

Great :( . I already have slight jaw pains when I open it all the way. That is the same side they opened up in December. Not nearly the limitations I had right after the procedure, but still.

Thanks for the warning. Guess this means I need to buy a blender for home and stock up on applesauce.

Sadly I tend to sleep on my left, and that's the side they will be going into. The Tempur-Pedic pillow should help a little bit.

I know I had a tetanus (sp?) booster a year ago, and (thinking) not the flu shot, but some other along those lines when I was in this last December; just to be safe. The University is VERY careful, so it wouldn't surprise me if they would have that in an IV on me.

I know, I've been keeping an eye on Minnesota weather. They are guessing high less than the teens, and low in the single digits tomorrow I think. Then highs less than freezing. Should make the fishermen happy. Lakes have been unsafe most of this winter.

I'll try to keep this and CaringBridge updated.

--Travis

[jingle]

Hi Travis .... I had a terrible difficulity trying to chew after surgery in my left temporal lobe. I don't think I ate anything for 10-14 days.Nancy scar1.JPG

[Travis from MN]

I already had the lovely question mark from the surgery in 81. So they used that scar to implant the electrodes. I don't know if I will have a new scar, or if they will reuse the old one again.

Well, if I can get nutrition and not eat for 2 weeks I'll lose most of my spare tire I'm trying to get rid of.

Thanks everybody for the warnings.

--Travis

[jingle]

Hey Travis .... that photo is from the 2006 surgery. 2007 they went in again and used the exact same scar.
But they do have to make a new incision through the bone, don't they?
I can't understand any of it.

[Porkette]

Hi Tavis,

Just like you I had the depth electrode surgery done first and then I had the temporal lobectomy done. The incision they made on me with the lobectomy was in the shape of a question mark.
One thing that really change with me after the surgery was my taste for foods. Foods I never liked I started to like and food I used to eat I couldn't stand anymore. According to others I have spoken
with that have had this type of surgery they have had the same thing happen. I could never figure out why my tastes changed but take my word I lost a lot of weight over the yrs. since my tastes buds
have changed.

Old man winter is headed this way tonight (Jan. 11th) with snow, sleet, freezing rain along with winds for the rest of the week and weekend. I think it's time to head down south where I don't
have to put up with the winter months and the cold weather. Would anyone like to join me? Here's wishing You Well and May God Bless You!

Sue

[Travis from MN]

Sorry Sue, I'm already down. Starting the trip out to The Alamo tomorrow. Will tour San Antone Friday, then head out to see relatives I have not seen in ages (or ever for the little ones!). I have to come back up north around the end of the month, so I'm going to be the one suffering "climate change". Didn't even haul a winter coat with me. Just a vest, insulated lab jacket, and a thick hoodie for when I return. Down here thickest I needed was the lab coat!

If I recall from the first meeting with the neurosurgeon, she did say they would need to make a larger opening on the skull than the previous one. I think in part that's why they wanted a minimum of 4-6 weeks between intercranial electrodes and surgery. Possible they already made a larger opening.

Wonder if the taste change effects people who had this type of surgery done no matter which hemisphere. Guess I'll find out. Who knows, I may start to like Spam and Eggs, and liver (I can't stand Hormel or liver; never could) as well as asparagus and collard greens. (ok, now we all are feeling sick after I said that).

--Travis