Donna and Bill had a restful night and are on their way home this morning. Donna continues to feel better and is looking forward to sleeping in her own bed. She was able to eat breakfast with no problem and her vision is clearly up nicely. The nausea has subsided and her shower this morning was the bomb!
This will be the final post. Donna and Bill want to thank everyone for your support and good wishes. It meant a lot to both of them. It was nice for them to have you cheer them on. Please feel free to contact Donna via email, phone or text. Life is getting back to normal even though I think it will take a little time for Donna to feel 100%.
As the writer of this blog I too want to wish you a fond adieu. I am thankful that I could do this small thing for my sister. If you ever have a need for a blog such as this, please contact me at bev@bevwall.com and I will send you my phone number so that we can discuss details. It's been a pleasure. Over and out!!
Friday, January 22, 2016
Thursday, January 21, 2016
More About Day After Surgery
Unbeknown to Donna she had 2 staples on the left side of her head right at her hairline. She felt something but was unsure what it was. Apparently the straps that were used to hold her head down during surgery to prevent movement caused a small incision. Staples have already been removed as well as all catheters and IV lines. She had a long walk down the hall, has peed on her own and is dressed and ready to go (Bill is pacing I hear), but must wait for discharge papers. We all know what that feels like, right?
Day After Surgery
Donna is doing really, really good this morning. I talked with her and she sounds nasally but that was expected. The poor girl can't blow her nose for 2 weeks! Egad! She also can't bend over or lift anything over 5 lbs for those 2 weeks. Can I hear a "Poor Bill" - he is going to be a busy guy as well as a thankful guy. I know he is glad this is ordeal is just about over.Donna was able to eat breakfast this morning - eggs, sausage, toast. I'm not sure if she was able to swallow her beloved Diet Coke or not (forgot to ask), but yesterday the carbonation bothered her already sore throat. Her throat however, is vastly improved from this time yesterday so if I know my sister as well as I think I do, she is enjoying a frosty glass.
And, now the really good news! Donna is being released today!!! Yep, she gets to go home, well, at least to her temporary home away from home - The Lodge of Gainesville. Because she is not sure what time she will be released and home is a 2 hour car trip, Donna and Bill have opted to stay one more night in the hotel. Probably a good call - she'll probably be way too exhausted to endure that long drive. She has no food or drink restrictions.
Once she is home, Donna will have to get blood work done twice a week to check her sodium levels. She is not sure why exactly, but will inquire. I am assuming since they are sending her home today, that a raised or lowered sodium level is a common occurrence after this type of surgery. The swelling in her hands and feet has subsided so it sounds like things are quickly getting back to normal. Her follow-up appointment is February 9th.
I was finally able to upload a copy of Donna's original MRI here. The little white dot is the tumor. The two things that look like holes are her eyes. These things give me the creeps, so you're on your own to figure it out.Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Post Surgery
Here's the latest on Donna's condition. Things went really well in surgery. The tumor was soft so it was fairly easy to remove. The patch that was on her nose has been removed so she is now able to breathe through her nose instead of through her mouth which is much more comfortable for her. Her throat is a little sore - likely due to the tube that was inserted during surgery. She was able to eat a little bit - some applesauce, a Wendy's Frosty and some Mac & Cheese. The doctors told her that she is producing some sort of hormone that causes her feet and hands to swell - this is something that will be addressed tomorrow morning. She remains in the ICU tonight where she will be monitored closely. Everyone expects her to feel much better after a good night's sleep. Hopefully that is a reality.
Surgery Today
Donna and Bill arrived at Shands this morning around 6:00 a.m. Surgery was scheduled for 8:00. I heard from Bill about 10:00. Surgery went well and Donna is in recovery where she will stay for several hours. The neurosurgeon said that the tumor was jelly-like and was easy to remove. There were no complications. Once out of recovery, Donna will be in the ICU where she will be monitored for 24 hours to ensure that there is no draining from the where the tumor was removed. We are all very relieved. Good work Donna.
Donna's thoughts this morning: "Up and ready to go to the hospital. My doctor, Dr Roper, looks like Paul McCartney. Great image for me!"
Donna's thoughts this morning: "Up and ready to go to the hospital. My doctor, Dr Roper, looks like Paul McCartney. Great image for me!"
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 206
From Donna - I had a busy morning. I arrived at Shands for pre-op testing, to fill out some paper work and to meet with my neuro surgeon. I found out several important things today.
1- My tumor is about the size of a quarter - about an inch in diameter.
2 - My surgery tomorrow will last about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. I don't know exactly what time it is scheduled for just yet. I have to call tonight between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. to find out. Kinda like Jury Duty. I have to be there 2 hours ahead of time.
3 - There is only a 5% chance of complications, (Sounds like good odds).
4 - After surgery I will spend 24 hours in the ICU where they will wake me every hour to see if I am okay, then I will step down to a private room. I don't know how long I will be there.
5 - The nurse ratio is 1 nurse to every 2 patients. I am getting excellent care here at Shands.
6 - I have to scrub down tonight and tomorrow morning with special soap that am to pick up at the pharmacy this afternoon.
7 - My surgery is considered brain surgery!!! Whoa!!! I wasn't expecting that.
From Bev - at this writing (Around 2:00 p.m.) Donna is finished at Shands for the day. She and Bill are heading to the Ale House that is close by for fish tacos and a beer then back to The Lodge for some rest. More to come tomorrow. Also, Donna is trying to send me a really cool copy of her MRI. I will post it as soon as I receive it. Cheers, Donna and Bill.
1- My tumor is about the size of a quarter - about an inch in diameter.
2 - My surgery tomorrow will last about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. I don't know exactly what time it is scheduled for just yet. I have to call tonight between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. to find out. Kinda like Jury Duty. I have to be there 2 hours ahead of time.
3 - There is only a 5% chance of complications, (Sounds like good odds).
4 - After surgery I will spend 24 hours in the ICU where they will wake me every hour to see if I am okay, then I will step down to a private room. I don't know how long I will be there.
5 - The nurse ratio is 1 nurse to every 2 patients. I am getting excellent care here at Shands.
6 - I have to scrub down tonight and tomorrow morning with special soap that am to pick up at the pharmacy this afternoon.
7 - My surgery is considered brain surgery!!! Whoa!!! I wasn't expecting that.
From Bev - at this writing (Around 2:00 p.m.) Donna is finished at Shands for the day. She and Bill are heading to the Ale House that is close by for fish tacos and a beer then back to The Lodge for some rest. More to come tomorrow. Also, Donna is trying to send me a really cool copy of her MRI. I will post it as soon as I receive it. Cheers, Donna and Bill.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
The Back Story
The other day (Tuesday, Jan. 12th) I was having lunch at my friend, Jalna's house. Suddenly and quite unexpectedly, I could no longer see her sitting to my right. I'm like, "Wait a minute. What is going on here?" My friend and everything to my right was in complete darkness. Jalna walked me into her living room where we sat for about an hour. Slowly my vision improved and my friend and I went about the business of working in her sewing room for a couple of hours. While I didn't feel great, I felt well enough to drive myself home.
The next day was my birthday and I really didn't feel well enough to see the movie and have dinner as Bill and I had planned. Instead, I decided to made an appointment with my optician. My vision was checked, but nothing was discerned. I was sent on my way with a strong suggestion that I see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. I called my primary care doctor, Dr. Guy Nicolas, instead and was given an appointment for the following morning.
Dr. Nicolas gave me the once over and suggested that I might have a tumor on my pituitary gland that is pressing on my optical nerve. Whoa, wait. What?? Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I sure wasn't expecting that. He told me that when there is pressure on the left side of the optical nerve it affects vision on the right. He made several calls and was able to secure an appointment for me with an ophthalmologist about 45 minutes away. Bill and I set out on this unexpected journey not knowing what the outcome would be. After the ophthalmologist examined me he said, "If I were you, I would go directly to the emergency room." Another assault to my already wounded sense of well-being! Still blurry-eyed and feeling a little nauseous, we were off to the emergency room.
After a two hour wait with no cocktails being served, I was met with the usual barrage of blood tests and probings. A CT Scan was performed, an MRI was ordered (which they finally did at 3:00 a.m. on Saturday). I was admitted into the hospital although they had no rooms at the inn. I spent the night in the emergency room in my jeans and sweatshirt - cold and uncomfortable. In case you don't know it, emergency room beds are much shorter than regular beds so my feet hung over the end. I managed to get a few hours sleep. By the next morning everything was confirmed. I do indeed have a tumor on my pituitary gland that is pressing on my optical nerve.
What Is A Pituitary Gland?
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland that is located at the base of the brain. If you put your hand on the middle of the top of your head and a finger between your eyebrows, the pituitary glad is located where those two lines would intersect inside your head. While it is small in size, the pituitary gland is the major endocrine gland that controls the growth, development and function of many other glands. Endocrine glands are glands that secrete their products directly into the blood rather than through a duct. As the master gland of the body, it produces many hormones (think growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, etc.), that travel throughout the body, directing certain processes or stimulating (causing) other glands to produce other hormones.
Going Forward
Monday, Jan. 18th - Bill and I will be heading to Gainesville, Florida which is about 2 hours north of Orlando. I will be checking into Shands Hospital. Shands is a world-renowned teaching hospital associated with the University of Florida. I could have opted for a local Orlando hospital, but we needed a vacation so were decided on Shands. Besides, the doctor that I saw at Orlando Regional is based at Shands. I am scheduled for some more tests, will meet with doctors, and will have the distinct pleasure to dine on delicious hospital food. Lucky me!! Bill will be checking into The Lodge - luckily for him it has a full bar. Their website says it offers free drinks, but I don't believe them!!!
Wednesday, Jan. 20th - I am scheduled for surgery. The procedure is fairly simple, I think. They will go up through my nose and suck that tumor right out of me. Sounds gross, I know, but at least they don't have to cut my head open!!! I will have blurry vision for a few days up to about 3 weeks and then I will return to normal, ready to have a cold beer with my friends.
Daily Journal
From Donna today, Monday, January 18, 2016 - our drive to Gainesville was uneventful. That's a good thing I suppose. I have a pain behind my left eye that means that the tumor is pressing on the right side against my optic nerve. My vision is blurry, but thankfully my headache is mild. When I am awake I am fine, but when I lay down to sleep my mind is still fully awake thinking about all kinds of things. I dislike not being able to call each and everyone of you but I simply don't have the energy and my vision is still blurred. Sorry you had to read about this on Facebook. For that I apologize. I have spoken to my siblings and my friend Susan came to visit me at home the other day. I was scheduled to have my hair colored on Wednesday so when you see me expect to see my roots growing out. Sorry Jimmy, I will be in the operating room. More to come later.
Monday Evening - Arrived at the hotel. It is rather plain, but the lobby is beautiful with a huge central fireplace. Happy Hour is indeed free from 6-7 and there is an Ale House across the street. I don't have much of an appetite. Tomorrow is another day.
The next day was my birthday and I really didn't feel well enough to see the movie and have dinner as Bill and I had planned. Instead, I decided to made an appointment with my optician. My vision was checked, but nothing was discerned. I was sent on my way with a strong suggestion that I see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. I called my primary care doctor, Dr. Guy Nicolas, instead and was given an appointment for the following morning.
Dr. Nicolas gave me the once over and suggested that I might have a tumor on my pituitary gland that is pressing on my optical nerve. Whoa, wait. What?? Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I sure wasn't expecting that. He told me that when there is pressure on the left side of the optical nerve it affects vision on the right. He made several calls and was able to secure an appointment for me with an ophthalmologist about 45 minutes away. Bill and I set out on this unexpected journey not knowing what the outcome would be. After the ophthalmologist examined me he said, "If I were you, I would go directly to the emergency room." Another assault to my already wounded sense of well-being! Still blurry-eyed and feeling a little nauseous, we were off to the emergency room.
After a two hour wait with no cocktails being served, I was met with the usual barrage of blood tests and probings. A CT Scan was performed, an MRI was ordered (which they finally did at 3:00 a.m. on Saturday). I was admitted into the hospital although they had no rooms at the inn. I spent the night in the emergency room in my jeans and sweatshirt - cold and uncomfortable. In case you don't know it, emergency room beds are much shorter than regular beds so my feet hung over the end. I managed to get a few hours sleep. By the next morning everything was confirmed. I do indeed have a tumor on my pituitary gland that is pressing on my optical nerve.
What Is A Pituitary Gland?
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland that is located at the base of the brain. If you put your hand on the middle of the top of your head and a finger between your eyebrows, the pituitary glad is located where those two lines would intersect inside your head. While it is small in size, the pituitary gland is the major endocrine gland that controls the growth, development and function of many other glands. Endocrine glands are glands that secrete their products directly into the blood rather than through a duct. As the master gland of the body, it produces many hormones (think growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, etc.), that travel throughout the body, directing certain processes or stimulating (causing) other glands to produce other hormones.
Going Forward
Monday, Jan. 18th - Bill and I will be heading to Gainesville, Florida which is about 2 hours north of Orlando. I will be checking into Shands Hospital. Shands is a world-renowned teaching hospital associated with the University of Florida. I could have opted for a local Orlando hospital, but we needed a vacation so were decided on Shands. Besides, the doctor that I saw at Orlando Regional is based at Shands. I am scheduled for some more tests, will meet with doctors, and will have the distinct pleasure to dine on delicious hospital food. Lucky me!! Bill will be checking into The Lodge - luckily for him it has a full bar. Their website says it offers free drinks, but I don't believe them!!!
Wednesday, Jan. 20th - I am scheduled for surgery. The procedure is fairly simple, I think. They will go up through my nose and suck that tumor right out of me. Sounds gross, I know, but at least they don't have to cut my head open!!! I will have blurry vision for a few days up to about 3 weeks and then I will return to normal, ready to have a cold beer with my friends.
Daily Journal
From Donna today, Monday, January 18, 2016 - our drive to Gainesville was uneventful. That's a good thing I suppose. I have a pain behind my left eye that means that the tumor is pressing on the right side against my optic nerve. My vision is blurry, but thankfully my headache is mild. When I am awake I am fine, but when I lay down to sleep my mind is still fully awake thinking about all kinds of things. I dislike not being able to call each and everyone of you but I simply don't have the energy and my vision is still blurred. Sorry you had to read about this on Facebook. For that I apologize. I have spoken to my siblings and my friend Susan came to visit me at home the other day. I was scheduled to have my hair colored on Wednesday so when you see me expect to see my roots growing out. Sorry Jimmy, I will be in the operating room. More to come later.
Monday Evening - Arrived at the hotel. It is rather plain, but the lobby is beautiful with a huge central fireplace. Happy Hour is indeed free from 6-7 and there is an Ale House across the street. I don't have much of an appetite. Tomorrow is another day.
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