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^^^^^^GREETINGS FROM^^^^^^^^^^ Ivan Suzman 47/10 [log in to unmask] Portland, Maine land of lighthouses 55 deg. F cooling *********************************************************** Oh, Ida , we are all so happy that things seem to have gone so well! Every one of these pallidotomy stories is SUCH a drama, and yet you are handling the situation with such grace, and courage. Thank you for writing us, and lots of luck for continued improvement. .....from across the Atlantic.... With warmest regards, :) IVAN :) On Fri, 26 Sep 1997 16:45:06 -0400 Ida Kamphuis <[log in to unmask]> writes: >Hello all listmembers, >Thanks to all those who did send me best wishes and so on. It really >helped and >now the results: > > > >MY Pallidotomy > > >I am home again and fine. I have slept the two last nights in the >hospital very >well and am not awakened, as happened every night during the last >years, by >muscle pains. It felt like a great relief when he surgerie was done. I >was >during the night before rather nervous. But it was not really that >bad. I >suppose I have often had some dental treatments who were more >disagreable. The >whole proceeding was finished in 2 and a half hour. And all that time >three >neuro surgeons scrutinized me and talked to me.After a very light >breakfast I >was brought in my bed to the surgery room. I did have my last meds >more than 12 >hours before, so I was stiff and had a tremor in my left side, but I >was not >dyskinetic. They put me on the treatment table and started to give >local >anesthesia on the places were the frame had to be screwed. That was >not >painful, but the framework being so tight didn't feel nice either. >Than there >was a little waiting because the anaesthesia had to do more work >before the >hole could be drilled. The drilling of the hole was the worst and I >must say it >was the first time i was glad having dental prothesis because it felt >like all >my (virtual)amalgam fillings were drilled from my ( non less virtual >dents ). >The surgeon who did the drilling was communicating verballty too. At >moments >like these it really helps. people saying now we are half way and yes >it is >nearly done, just one moment than it is over. THe next step was >bringing some >contrasting liquid into the ventricels and than the rontgenologist had >to come >to take a picture. after some waiting he came. wHen he picture was >ready they >all were going to another room to do some math or arithmetic. Two >nurses stayed >with me and talked. I suffered from a very dry mouth and they gave me >a piece >of wet gauze between ny lips, after they were back one of the surgeons >took >care of this. Soon the surgeons came back and the blanket had to be >taken off >me so they could see my whole body and tey put their hands on my legs >and arms >because that way they could detetect any movement better. And than the >testing >started. They asked wether I saw lIght flashes , but I did not see, >but my legs >reacted by movements which I knew as forerunner of dyskinesia. They >asked me to >count from 1 to 10 just to see if my voice was normal. And there was a >moment >one part of y face was vey stiff and I could hardly talk, but that >disappeared >completely. Then on a moment that I did not expect that yet, they >said now we >are ready. Only the stitching had to be done. THe Scar I now have is >not a >hole, bur a cut in the skin, well stitched. IN public i'll be wearing >a >buautifull silk shawll. which I bought some years ago for this >already.I have >been without any dyskinesia till now and slept better than in the last >years. >The surgeons said too al had gone well they had known during the whole >procedure exactly what they were doing. I realized my speech was not >slow or >slurring or too soft. >The impression this surgical equip made on me was conscientious. >professional >and nice,really doing what they could to diminish suffering. I am sure >that if >it turns out i'll have to let the other side been done I"ll looking >forward to >that not with pleasure but lighter than i did the first time. >