SURGERY

On Monday I attended my appointment with the neurosurgeon at the Southern General Hospital. He was a Mr Suttner who spoke with a South African accent. He described in great detail how the operation was carried out and described in even greater detail what the risks were. He then said he could do the operation probably within a couple of weeks. I nearly fell off my seat. I did not expect him to offer the procedure so quickly. It is called micro vascular decompression or MVD and involves an entry behind the ear, draining cranial fluid and then micro-surgery to stop an artery pressing on the trigeminal nerve. He told me to take my time to think about it and get in touch if I was up for it. I don't know why I was so shocked. I mean why else would I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon.

The difficulty I have in arriving at a decision is that I have been pain free since the 28th December 2010 as the medication appears to be doing its job with little or no side effects. I almost wish I was in pain as it would make the decision so much easier. So it’s down to me and the family to work it out. Logic says I should have the op as I know there is no cure for TN. I can well remember the pain I was suffering last October but somehow the memory is not as raw as it was. If only life was simple.