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Surgery Worries Comments Suggestions Feelings

Fri, 06/23/2006 - 18:20
Hi My Name is Stacy My husband has been having seizures on and off since he was a baby. More so now than ever, but was just diagnosted with epilepsy a few months ago. He has partial seizures, and nothing was showing up on any scans, so they would never actually say "epilepsy". He had been through numerous doctors and numerous medications, and finally his neurolgist refered him to the Cleveland Clinic. We started seeing the doctors there in February of this year, he went through all sorts of tests and scans and monitoring and in August (only 6 months after his first visit) he will be having a left temporal lobectomy. He is very excited to finally be seeing some results in all of the doctor visits and testing. My feelings... The surgery it self does not scare me. I am greatful that we are going to be in good hands with the Cleveland Clinic. The actual surgeon was rated 3rd in the country for Neurosurgery. The outcome is what is scaring me. He is already depressed, he cannot drive, he is not working, he cannot do things with our children that he would like to (take them swimming ect..), I would just hate to see him so excited for this surgery, and then come out of it with poor results. Have any of you had this surgery or are going to have it, and can tell me your feelings, good or bad, outcomes, anything. Thanks ~~ Stacy

Comments

Re: Surgery Worries Comments Suggestions Feelings

Submitted by mommy2kyra on Fri, 2006-06-23 - 22:58
Hi Stacy, You have every reason to be concerned and frightened. Brain surgery is a big thing! I had surgery on my left temporal lobe in mid-March of this year. My outlook, going in, was that I didn't have much to lose. I was having a few s.p. sz's a week, couldn't switch off my med (due to increased sz activity- cp and tc) and had major med side effects, so I was running out of choices. I felt that I really didn't have a thing to lose. That being said, the surgery was not easy (physically or emotionally). The headaches were incredibly intense, and no meds worked--lasting around 6 weeks--somewhat uncommon. My left eye and right eye didn't want to work together, and it took 2 1/2 months of constant work to get my eyes back to normal. Exhaustion was very strong for about a month. Emotion has been one of my toughest challenges. At the beginning, I started off SO teary. I cried (hard) many times. As time passed, I was a little "snappy" with those that I love. And, now, I am facing moderate depression. The emotionas have been a complete roller coaster. I am seeing a therapist to help me get through, and am considering adding an anti-depressant to help me get over this. It is a challenge, because so many things in me have changed. I am not the same person (in ways). While I look perfectly normal to most people, I feel quite different on the inside. My case is a little more complicated by the fact that we had moved to this area shortly before everything happened. I don't make friends easily (never have, due to shyness) so I feel VERY alone, which complicates matters. I hope that this post doesn't scare you! What I hope, is that you are prepared for possible effects of the surgery. Your hubby may have a piece-of-cake surgery, I hope and pray that he does. I don't regret my decision to have surgery. I have been seizure-free ever since, but there have just been physical and emotional effects of the surgery. It takes a lot of loving, understanding, and patience from you (and other close friends & family) to help hubby get through this. I hope that everything works out well for your husband and family! Best of luck to your hubby and family!! Heather :)

Re: Re: Surgery Worries Comments Suggestions Feelings

Submitted by sm92798 on Mon, 2006-07-03 - 18:25
Thank you so much for your response. I am well aware about the effects that the surgery will have on him as well as the rest of the family physically and emotionally, that is one of the first things that the psycitrists discussed with us. He is already having depression and emotional trauma from his physical state and not being able to work, so we have been through some hard times from the disorder from the begining of our realtionship. I am willing to deal with all of this, I am just so afraid that it is not going to work and it is going to make him snap.I really dont know what to think right now, hopefully, as you said, everything will go smooth, and we will not have to deal with the emotions that you have had to. I hope that you are feeling better, physically and emotionally, and please if you need to talk, I know that I am a nobody to you, but I can always try to be a friend. :) Stacy

Re: Surgery Worries Comments Suggestions Feelings

Submitted by mscarmex on Sat, 2006-06-24 - 00:20
Hi, I had the same surgery done at the University of Virginia, on May 9, 1994. It was very successful for me. When I was given a choice of hospitals Cleveland Clinic was the other one but I was closer to UVA since I live in the southern West Virginia. Let me know what you would like to know about the surgery. You may email me if you like at miss_carmex@yahoo.com mscarmex

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