Dr. Nussbaum has performed all of my surgeries  - total of 4 so far - he is an excellent young surgeon, a "phenom" - he is a neurovascular specialis who is  not only brilliant but remembers details such as the fact that every time I have surgery I get extremely ill afterwards from the anesthesia, but that I heal remarkable well

I trust him implictly and recommend him without hesitation.

When my neurologist first recommended him to me, she said she would send me to him before sending me to the Mayo Clinic, "as a matter of fact, I'd send my own mother to him, that's how much I think of him."

Hi Roselyn,

Is your name pronounced Rozlyn or ROSElyn?

Either way it's a pretty name.  My first surgery was November 21, 2002, which was a bypass on the left side (my left internal cartotid was 100% blocked)  About a week after I got out of the hospital  - in a record 3 days!! I had TERRIBLE head pain, so they did a CT scan that showed one (or more, I still don't really know) subdural hematomas from the 1st surgery that they watched for the next few weeks.  When the pain did not go away, they repeated the CT scan and saw the subdural(s) had not reabsorbed as they had expected.  In the meantime, I was on Darvocet every 4 hours, round the clock, stilll clutching my head, then spiralled into a deep depression during December - barely breathing, let alone functioning.  So they added Oxycontin.  It worked like a "background" drug - did not maked me high, but helped me function through the pain;  my surgeon said let's get through Christmas , then operate.  So finally, January 21, 2003, I had my 2nd surgery, he evacuated the hematoma(s) and as long as he at it, did another kind of treatment for MM, where he cut across the top of my skulll, laid titanium mesh on the duram , then left tiny burr holes in the skull for my scalp to grow in and form additional arteries through the mesh.  I cannot tell you the RELIEF I felt when I woke up after the surgery and the two months of headpain was GONE!!!  Not even a month later, my husband and I were at Target, I was bending over to pick up my gloves, and when I stood up, I hit my head soundly on the handle of the cart.  I rang my clock, it hurt for a few minutes, but I seemed to be okay.  Two days later, I drove to the grocery store, and when I came out, I'd left the visor half way down on the driver's side.  When I got in, I slightly bumped the right side of my head on the visor and IMMEDIATELY the same pain I'd had from the hematoma started in.  I met my husband for dinner, and had such a sick headache we went home.  When the pain wasn't gone the next morning, I drove myself to the local hospital, they did a C/T, the next thning I know they're transferring me by ambulance to the hosptial I had my other surgeries in - since the local one doesn't have a neurology department - and I had emergency surgery one month to the day I had my second surgery!  Dr. Nussbaum said later that the C/T had shown more strokes deep in my brain, and he did not want to wait too much longer before doing the bypass on my right side, so I had that done on May 21, 2003.  Four surgeries in 6 months!

Whew, aren't you glad you asked?

I'm meeting w/ the doc Aug 11 to see if I might need further surgery - I just had an angiogram done and my bloodflow on the right side is not good.  I'm have numbness and tingling - painful at times - in my left hand and lower arm.

Take care!

ginabean ;

Hi Ginabean,

Thanks for your response. My name is pronounced Rozlyn - thanks for the compliment

Sorry to hear you've been through so much with your surgeries. With my first lot, I was in and out of hospital in 4 days - felt really good, with absolutely no pain at all but with the second lot, I had a subdural haematoma too. I completely understand what you mean about the pain - I hated it - I'd never had such severe pain before - it was worse than any bad headache I'd had before surgery. As soon as I woke up, I felt it. The swelling and black eye (that I didn't get the first time round) didn't help either. I was put on Codeine and Volterol (painkillers) and Phenytoin (anti fitting stuff). I was lucky because the clot did dissolve but it was four months (and a few CT scans later) before my doctors were happy that it had. After recovery, I was so worried about the pain coming back that I carried my painkillers around with me for years (even though they probably went out of date after a couple). It felt good on the day I finally chucked them out - felt like some kind of closure - sorry if that sounds a bit overdramatic but I guess that's what that level of pain does to you.

Re the burr hole treatment, I have heard of that surgical technique being used before but didn't know about the mesh being involved. I just thought they were holes made in the skull to encourage arteries from the outside (in the scalp) to grow in through the gap, hook up to and supply more blood to the brain. It's amazing how these arteries 'know' where to go and how to attach themselves.

Just want to wish you all the best for your appointment on the 11th. I hope everything works out for you and that you are feeling much better soon. I am so much more better having had my surgeries done (touch wood) and want to wish you the same after whatever the doctors decide with you.

Best wishes,

Roselyn  

PS. Have just read your message on the guest board so sorry if you felt you were repeating yourself in reply to my question. You sound like such a positive person and I know this will help Take Care