WOW Neal must be a miracle recovery. Ten fifty nine and you're back online.  Brain surgery must be easier than I thought.

            Potter

CKRS Report Part II - The Procedure

       I woke up, took my morning dose of the medrol. An hour before the procedure, I took the Ativan. The we went off to the CyberKnife facility. I arrived there about 8:45 AM CST.
       Since I had already had the MRI, CT scan, and had the mask already fitted, everything was ready and I was on the table right around 9:00.
        I got on the table, they fitted the mask on,  put some relatively loose-fitting straps on my arms and ankles down and they put the music in that I had brought (Bach's Brandenburg Concertos - the kind of music I expect is playing when you get to Heaven (but I digress)). They also gave me a foam ring thing to hold onto about mid-belly, also to help keep me from moving around. They then left the room and shut the humongous Cheyenne Mountain NORAD-type looking door.
        So they start the procedure.  I just lay there and the machine moves around here and there from time to time, stops for a while now and again and doses me with Gamma radiation. Did not feel a thing. After around an hour, they come in and take the mask off and get me off the table. My face looked like it had been in a waffle iron afterwards due to the net-type form of the mask! Now the pressure marks are gone. They tell me the neurosurgeon's office will send me a letter about the procedure and will also set up a follow up visit with him "in about a month." Remember, they said it would probably take several weeks for the nerve root to be deadened and for the full effects to be realized.
       Right now I don't feel anything different. As a matter of fact, The Beast came calling about an hour ago, and he was pissed! I suspect this is more due to the steroids than anything else.
        But anyway I hope this works and doesn't have any deleterious effects, as some of you have indicated. And I sure as hell hope The Beast doesn't do a switcheroo and start on my right side sometime in the future. In that event, and if we substitute "d" for "f", I would be "well and truly ducked", as the neurosurgeon said they can only do this once. However, I am aware of one
gentleman who had both sides done with the Gamma Knife (one side twice), because the first time it didn't work, the second time it did on that side, then The Beast switched sides. He told the neurologist and neurosurgeon that he would blow his brains out if they didn't do it (I think he even took the weapon to the neurosurgeon's office and said he would do it right there). They acquiesced to his demand. I guess an in-office suicide would not make for good press!
       The deed is done, and only time will tell if it works.
       I do want to say thanks to all of you for all for your support, and also to those who gave well-reasoned arguments against the procedure.
       I will keep you guys n gals posted.
       PF days & nights to all!

Guiseppi wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2010 at 3:41pm:


Ditto!!!!!!

Wow, that is faster than imitrex!  I hope your well kind sir!

PF & Cluster Free!

Hey, I'm down to 2 or 3 a day now, down from 7-8. I'm
feeling good, can get a few hrs sleep here and there.

Get Well Soon,
Boski

Oh, Dam!  Might just be the stiring of the brain!  Hang in!
I hope you feel better buddy! 

Keep a good out look!  It will get better!  It will!

Peace,
Boski

Quote:


Is the loss of a blink reflex a real possibilty???      I have to say, I never considered that if one side of your head was numb...that would naturally occur.  Wow.

Please keep us posted Neal.

Linda_Howell wrote on Aug 4^th, 2010 at 8:24pm:


     Not per the docs - but one or more people in this thread mentioned it.

My 2¢ Mask is well worth the $27.50!

Hey Imitrex is way high $$$ we all know that and now I know
why they only give us the 1 box a month limit. The smart
ones at GSK say imitrex is not a daily use drug and that is
why we suffer in pain.  So, yes in cycle or out, get your
imitrex every month and you should have enough when you need it.

CKRS Report Part III - Post-Operative Day 1 - Report #2

       Well yesterday I had a total of only 3 attacks. Last one was around 9:45 pm CST. That last one was the worst of the bunch, but not as bad as the 6pm one the previous day (the day of the procedure). My thinking on this is that maybe the Medrol, a steroid, is treating me (sort of) ike Prednisone used to. In the past Pred would, after a few days, virtuallly eliminate the attacks for maybe a week or 2, and then The Beast would come back with a vengeance. Perhaps I am having a similar effect here. So I won't be saying I'm cured if all of a sudden the attacks stop - I'll wait a couple of weeks after such cessation of cluster activity before I come to that conclusion, due to the introduction of the steroids into the mix.   
       I still cannot tell any losss of sensation from the procedure.

CKRS Report Part III -Post-Operative Day 2 - Report # 1

       Well so far today I have had one attack, around 4:30 - 5:00 AM CST. Worse than the last one yesterday (9:45 pm). Feel like crap, but we all have that effect after an attack.
       Still no loss of sensation.

Do keep the updates coming Neal, still praying for complete success!

Joe

CKRS Report Part III-Post-Operative Day 2 - Report Number 2

       Well, I had another attack at approximately 10:45 PM CST last night. Also experienced some "shadows" yesterday, but shadows are easier to deal with than full-blown attacks. But that's 2 attacks instead of 4. Not quite as bad as the others, but still pretty bad. 2 attacks in a day is a lot better than 4!

CKRS Report Part III - Post-Operative Day 3 - Report # 1

      Still had my 4:30-5:00 AM CST visit. Not quite as bad, though. Having some very mild shadows as I write this.
       I still cannot discern any change in sensation in my face. FYI - the methodology I have been using for this is that a) I test both sides by sticking (gently!) a pin on various spots on each side of my face, and b) I also run the end of a pen across parts of my face as well.

Neal wrote on Aug 6^th, 2010 at 11:59am:

Okay, I'll give you that.

CKRS Report Part III - Post-Operative Day 3- Report # 2

     Other than the previously mentioned early morning visit, I only had shadows off and on during the day.

CKRS Report Part III- Post-Operative Day 4 -Report #1

     Got hit around 12:45 am CST. Used Imitrex. Bad, but not as bad as some of the others. Also got hit by what has become The Beast's favorite time to play with me lately, around 4:30- 5:00 am CST. Took more Imitrex. Fairly consistent "shadows", easily dealt with with Lortab 5mg.
     Took the last of the Medrol today. Hopefully it won't treat me like prednisone used to - temporary relief then an increase in frequency and severity of attacks. Hoping the trigeminal nerve root will give way to the Gamma radiation beamed at it for about an hour during the procedure.
     Still no noticeable loss of sensation in my face and head.