Thanks Roz,

BTW: when did you do your surgery? Hoping that you are feeling just great now.

Lore and Cubbie......Joann said you are unforgettable and she loves you both!

Thanks guys you all really helped to make this a little bit nicer and easier for me.

I am slowly getting better and my headache level is tolerable now...so that is really a relief. They might release me to the hotel tomorrow in care of my sister who flew in last night to help me after dear Hubby had to go back home.

PS: the story behind the designer PJ's were the result of local designers and they had a big fashion show complete with a runway fashion show in the Stanford Hospital Atrium....the winner was Karen Nueberger. My sister ended up buying a set of her household line of Jammies in the gift shop! She loved the history of the Jammies....and besides, they are really soft and cute!!!

Who would have thought that you can enjoy hospital gowns so much....well, I guess California is ahead of it's time in a lot of things. Hmmm..designer Pj"s...daily visits from Jill, Joli, Joann and Theresa here at Stanford...what more do you need with major brain surgery?

The Kiddos are missing their mom...and I too am feeling the separation, but I am still weak. I will leave for Cleveland 9/09 so that should put me in a stronger position to travel. They removed my staples today from the right side, 8/29 1st surgery...and they will remove the staples from left, 8/29 surgery this coming Wednesday at my follow-up. They did a repeat MRI today for the swelling...and if that is alright..they can release me as planned. The steroids are a major double dose...I can't wait to get rid of them. I am taking both prednesone and decatrone?? Between them it is equivent to about 125 mg a day (converted to a prednesone formula my PharmD sister converted the amounts for me)......that's WAY Too much cortisone. The decatrone will be taipered out of the mix quickly which is great news. I look like a pregnant woman that has two black eyes and has been down on her luck! But we all know I must be the luckiest woman walking this earth! I have a second chance here....and was blessed in every sense of the matter.

Well.....I will hopefully touch base again soon.....you all really made it special....I thank you for being in my corner.

Hoping the cortisone doesn't make me eat my way through all of San Fransisco during my final week here! But if I do.....it'll be with great "mom and pop" eating establishments...and I'll be sure to enjoy every single bite of it!!!!!

Warm wishes to all......diane : )

Thanks Roz and all for popping in.

yesterday I was discharged (Saturday) to my hotel recouping. I went out to fill some meds and have dinner...but frankly was a bit worn out. Today, I will rest and try a slower pace.

My left side is swelling a lot.....if I push on the side of my head .....IT SQUISHES AND SQUEAKS....lotsa fluid in there. I am on the high doses steriods to relieve the swelling as is standard protocols....so it should steadily resolve over the coming days..but it is a wierd feeling!

The steroids make me look 7 months pregnant and topping it off with a puffy face and the black eyes....well, I could save some serious hotel $$$ and be warmly embraced by any battered woman's shelter! LOL

I took a local bus down the main street (El Camino Real) for the pharmacy and dinner run...and I wasn't understanding why people seemed to stare longer at me than usual....then I remembered the black eyes and it all made sense.

This has been a "colorful" summer. But all in all.....it has been a positive experience throughout, surrounded by the wonderful support of family, friends and caring medical staff. I believe after everything settles and becomes "my" norm......I will take a sharper interest in the true priorities in my life. My personal rainbow after the storm is just around the corner!

BTW: I saw the orlando photos.....you guys are Looking Good! And Trina.....I want an Orlando MM teeshirt! Let me know what I'll owe you. (Joann the doppler diva, said she is going to suggest the neuro dept buys a ton from you and will pass them out to the surgical patients....the dept certainly can afford the perk...but that is a future endeavor...so for now, I'll take care of my end of the shirt if you just let me know the price)

Happy Trails and Blood Flow to all.......Diane : )

Hi guys.....

Well it seemed too easy....all going so smooth and all.

I guess a little drama was needed to keep me in prospective. Last night I walked a slow 2 block walk to dinner (it was a lovely night) and while at the restaurant, after finishing my dinner, I went into Atrial Fibulation and flutters (rapid heartbeat). I presented at the ER with a heart rate of 168. (pretty high)

I knew it immediately, as I had it with my Pericarditis in June and in the ICU after the first bypass surgery.

I spent the rest of the evening (6hrs) in the Stanford Emergency Room while they tweaked the medicines to get me back into sinus rythm and a heart rate of around 80. Pretty much, I just needed to get back on a beta-blocker and I will fill a RX in the am.

Hmmm....does this mean I might get extra chocolate today?

Big hugs to all.....Diane : )

Thanks Lore,

I am doing fine....just plumb tired out! I think I am having a delayed post surgery fatigue! I first ran out of the starting gate....then tripped on my shoelaces so to speak!

Ok...so.....I'll start wearing slippers for the next week.

I am due to travel back to Cleveland on Sat morning, but I am debating whether to stay 2 or 3 more days until I feel strong enough to travel alone.

And besides....I havent finished eating my way through Palo Alto!

The steroid taper has been putting my head in the clouds.....I will be happy to get those off my long list of meds. I am definately going back much heavier than when I arrived.....pound per pound.....I will rate my surgery  LOL

Joli gave me an official "water" letter for the airplane....hopefully, they will take it seriously and I'll have priority water. Now...I will plan on my six month follow-up recovering and getting back to my family and my life.

Thank you all for making this an exceptional experience. The support of pure strangers.....bonding and coming together during a scary time in one's life.....it was all just a little nicer to go through .... and actually quite comforting as many of you "walked me through it" ahead of my surgery.

Smiles.....diane : )

Hi Diane,

Glad you listened to your "gut" feeling and waited a couple of days to travel. That traveling is an experience in itself. When I brought Kevin back the first time, he couldn't speak and had no abstract thinking. I was hoarse from screaming at airport security thinking when they asked Kevin a question and he couldn't respond that he was being  rude. As though they couldn't see the two scars and scabs from the incisions on both sides of his head!

On the second trip back, Kevin sets off the alarms because he has rivets on his jeans. You can only imagine what happened after that. I didn't think I had enough drugs on hand to calm Kevin or me down from the security interrogation and shake down! I had to scream some more! Thought at one point, I would be detained by security for going off like a ragging maniac! I say it's my German/Irish genes that make me fly off the handle. lol! I'm probably on a poster in every airport from Columbus to San Francisco!lol! Actually, I had an unknown gentleman come to my rescue who told security it is obvious Kevin had been through some trauma and I had my hands full. I thanked him but never got his name. I think he was as disgusted as I was at the treatment we received. I realize they have a job to do but apparently common sense and logic don't enter into the equasion.  The positive is Kevin doesn't remember any of the first trip.

I hope you're not going through Chicago. It never fails when I travel through Chicago I have a lay over even if it is not a scheduled lay over. Go figure!

You are coming back to some beautiful whether. lol! It is suppose to rain Monday and Tuesday but you know they change the forecast by the hour. What do they know? lol!

Candy wrappers? On the yellow brick road? lol!

Be sure and check in when you get home. I will be anxious to hear about your trip home and to hear how you are doing. I certainly hope your trip is better than the trips I have made with Kevin. I had to just keep thinking about how wonderful Stanford was to and for Kevin and it made it all worth it.

Hugs,

Lore

Hi Diane,

There's no place like home! 

Glad to hear you made it home without much inconvenience. Actually, sounds like you had very good treatment. I realize now that my tipping must have been the problem. LOL!

Take it easy and please don't let the "junk" mail stress you out.

Enjoy being home with your family.   

Let us know how your recovery is going.

Hugs,

Lore