Pulling for your sister Debi! She's in my prayers.
Just got an update about 20 minutes ago. Surgery only took a couple of hours. It was removed "clean" and went well. Tumor sent to lab and they will get results in about a week. She will be in recovery tonight and moved to a regular room tomorrow, with plans to go home on Monday. She will need some post-surgery therapy, but I've no idea what that may entail right now.
I spoke to Julia, daughter-in-law, and found out the hospital has an on-site hotel for family members. CJ's husband, son, and DIL have a nice, comfy place to stay tonight; they dont' even have to leave the hospital and with this snowstorm, that is a big relief, too. (They live on the Ohio state line .... a 60-90 minute drive in GOOD weather .... although they had beds ready and waiting for them at my house and at my son's and daughter's houses!)
Thanks to all for thoughts and support ..... I totally believe the power of prayer helped all get thru this and I am VERY grateful to all of you.
Wonderful news Debi....I too will keep praying that her recovery is smooth and that the test results are negative.
Try and get some rest this weekend, I know you have a lot on your plate right now with school and your new job.
We're all thinking about you!
Spoke to my BIL. She is aware of her surroundings, can answer basic questions and follow commands ("Lift arm ... lift leg"). On lots of meds, very sleepy still ..... and oh yeah, has this little headache thing going for her! 
And small world of small worlds! Our own CC'er CakeRN (who is kinda related but not .... we are aunt-in-laws .... we share nephews but on different sides of the family! I'm the aunt on their mom's side .... she's the aunt from their dad's side! ) is the nurse who actually admitted CJ to the ICU last night! I spoke to CakeRN on the phone a few minutes ago, who is going to pop in and see CJ & introduce herself.
I'm always saying CC is just one big family, and it's SO nice to have "family" keeping an eye on my sis for me! 
yep it's a really freaking small world. I mean we have over 30 NEURO ICU beds on my unit so what are the odds with over 20 Stafff RN's that I would be the one to admit her....!! 
She has your sense of humor and when i went into her room tonight ( she was still in ICU when I came on) I said..." so I understand you go by the name of Aunt Weiner!" and she said " Oh God...how did you find that out. When I explained how we were related in a round about way she acutally understood but her husband didn't...lol. She is out of the ICU now an in a regular room.
She told me to tell you when I saw you just how IMPORTANT she is...She is SO IMPORTANT that they cancelled church on Sunday just because of her....
You and her are two pea's in a pod!!!
She told me to tell you when I saw you just how IMPORTANT she is...She is SO IMPORTANT that they cancelled church on Sunday just because of her....
You and her are two pea's in a pod!!!
Yeah! I'm sure the 8" of snow and the level 3 emergency issued by the sheriff's dept had NOTHING to do with it!
I signed on just now to find out about your sister, hoping for an update. I am so glad things we as smoothly as possible! Headache? geeze louise..I'm sure...Ask for more drugs..
I'm so happy to hear everything went well. I just read this. I am sending strength & prayers your way.
I too just found this thread - I am so glad that you sister is doing so great, that the surgeons were so confident and positive in their diagnosis and ability; and that another fellow cc'er was there to admit and visit with your sister! And how great that she was moved to your town for hospitalization! God is great!!
I hope you sister continues to improve as rapidly as she as so far!! Thinking of you Debi and your family and sending prayers your way!
Suze
I just found this, too, Debi, and was very happy to hear things are moving in such a positive direction! It's a terrifying experience. (Went through it recently with a very dear friend of mine.) So your sister and loved ones are in my prayers!
I saw her Sunday. Face a bit swollen, understandably. She's on soup and jello because her face muscles are bruised and the muscles have to "remember" where they are supposed to be and what they are suppose to do, so it's hard for her to move her mouth. She has 14 metal staples in her head and she said "they hurt". She was trying to hold an ice pack (or a 'warm' pack?) to her head and we told her if we could find a big magnet, it would stay on! Last update is she is walking around a bit on her own. She can remember and function ok.
It was odd that she told me, "It really hit me today .... wow, I had BRAIN SURGERY!" It's like it just became real to her. I'm guessing because she was feeling just fine before hand. The only "symptom" she had was the passing out at work. After that, she felt like, "Why am I in the hospital....I feel fine." Well, she doesnt' feel fine anymore. 
Her son who is in basic training was contacted and he was permitted a phone call to his dad after the surgery, so he's all filled in. His dad (sis's hubby) told me that son seemed very calm and seemed to take everything ok, "...but he only had a couple of minutes to talk, so it was "just the facts, ma'am" type of call."
A silly thing to ask her about was her hair. I knew not being able to wash her hair would drive her insane, but she said they gave her some kind of waterless shampoo that she could use. her blood sugar is doing great and is getting back down to normal. They didn't shave near as much hair as I thought they would ... she actually looks like one of those older ladies who has a receding hairline right where the part in her hair is. If it never grows out, it's really workable for her. (silly things ... but important!)
I never would have believed something like this could go so fast (from passing out to going home after surgery was all within 5 days!) and that she'd be doing so well. It's been an education.
That's great news! Her frame of mind will definitely help in her recovery.
Her hair should grow back fine. Most likely the only part that will be effected is exactly where the scar is and not where they shaved. Hey I can vouch for having 7 staples in my head and having it shaved from an accident. Tell her this though, the staples DO NOT hurt when they come out. Real stitches DO hurt. I had staples and stitches in my head at the same time, something about the way my scalp was torn couldn't do all staples. Anyway, the doc told me the staples wouldn't hurt coming out but the stitches might, I didn't believe him, but he was right. The reason is that skin actually attaches to the stitches sometimes but never the metal staples and it's numb where the scar is, mine is still numb. Oh one funny thing, when my patch of hair grew back.....it was CURLY, in my bone straight hair (at the time but now as I age my hair is getting wavy, go figure).
I'm sending warm thoughts for the speediest of recoveries!
Debi, I'm so glad to hear she is doing well.
Oh one funny thing, when my patch of hair grew back.....it was CURLY, in my bone straight hair (at the time but now as I age my hair is getting wavy, go figure).
Last year my grandma was having a horrible allergic reaction to something and it took us months to get it cleared up. During it her hair had started to thin. Now she has black hairs growing in to replace some of the hairs she had lost. She was orginally dark haired but that was before my time.
Tell her this though, the staples DO NOT hurt when they come out. Real stitches DO hurt.
Wow, I also would have thought the opposite to be true! Sending an email to my BIL right now to let him/them know this! Thanks SO much!
Tell her this though, the staples DO NOT hurt when they come out. Real stitches DO hurt.
Wow, I also would have thought the opposite to be true! Sending an email to my BIL right now to let him/them know this! Thanks SO much!
I disagree, staples are miserable. I've had both hips replaced, stitches on one staples on the other. I'll take stitches ten times over.
Mike
Tell her this though, the staples DO NOT hurt when they come out. Real stitches DO hurt.
Wow, I also would have thought the opposite to be true! Sending an email to my BIL right now to let him/them know this! Thanks SO much!
I disagree, staples are miserable. I've had both hips replaced, stitches on one staples on the other. I'll take stitches ten times over.
Mike
No, no I am talking about the REMOVAL of them. It doesn't hurt. I prefer the stitches too for the long haul but removing them is much more painful, they stick and blood gets dried on them and skin grows to them so when they are pulled out they really PULL. The staples Do NOT hurt when removed, you can't even feel them. I thought the exact opposite too Indy, but after having both in the SAME place, on my scalp, the Dr. Was correct. Also my friend had a tummy tuck and had 122 staples (sorry doc should have done internal stitches) but she said the same thing, no pain in the removal, but they aren't as comfortable to have in you from the get go.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%