TWO WEEKS POST OP

It's now been two weeks since my MVD and the only only meds I'm taking for the post op pain are two paracetamol when I wake in the morning and it's likely I'll be able to stop them soon. I still have slight numbness on the left side of my face which is not causing me any discomfort and if it is to be permanent I can live with it. The hospital reduced my intake of Tegretol from 1600mgs to 600mgs per day. I'll continue to take that amount meantime while I reduce the Gabapentin and Baclofen to zero. After that, if things are going well, I will slowly reduce the Tegretol to zero and after that Amitiptyline. Impatience is the enemy just now. I would love to just stop the meds completely but know that it would be stupid to do so.

MVD Surgery

I checked into Ward 63 at the Southern General Hospital on Thursday July 28th. I did not feel in the least nervous about the forthcoming operation as the memory of the pain was still pretty fresh. I was eventually admitted to a four bedded side room. There were three other people there; one on his way home and two awaiting neurosurgery, both different procedures from mine. Blood samples were taken, blood pressure monitored and low and behold it morning the following day and time for my operation. Mr Suttner, my neurosurgeon had informed me that the micro vascular decompression was, in most cases, a three hour procedure. One of my companions from the previous evening, Paul, told me that his op was a 7 hour procedure and I can remember thinking how lucky I was.
So the appointed hour arrives and both myself and Paul were wheeled off to our respective theatres around 9am. The last thing I remember is the anaesthetics room along with the anaesthetist and the anaesthetics nurse. Friendly professionalism is how I would describe their approach. I don't even remember drifting off!
The next thing I was conscious off was being recovered in the recovery room, sweating profusely, but otherwise feeling great. I was provided with an electric fan which helped to cool me down. A large wall clock opposite showed the time as 3pm which by my calculations would have meant that my three hour op had lasted considerably longer than anticipated. Just as I managed to convince myself that the clock was wrong, remember Paul, seven hour operation, well he was wheeled into the recovery bay next to me. I realised then that something had not gone as planned although I was not overly concerned at that point.
Mr Suttner explained to me that the early part of the operation was straight forward and on reaching the artery all was what he would have expected. However, on pulling the artery aside to access the nerve, the complications started. There were hundreds, if not thousands of blood vessels blocking the way to the nerve. Some had already started haemorrhaging which in the massively magnified view of the surgeon looked like nuclear explosions. To cut a long story boring, the vessels were cauterised the necessary work completed.
I was released on Thursday August 4th and have beauty of a scar, an occasional sore head if I go to long without painkillers, the left side of my jaw is partially numb and a few other aches and pains which are not causing me any great concern.
Most people who have this op, I believe, are looking for pain relief. I differ in that I was looking to reduce the amount of medication I was on because my quality of life was fast approaching an unacceptable level. I have already started reducing my meds, which will continue over two to three months and only then will the outcome be measurable. The perfect outcome will be no meds no pain. A decent outcome will be reduced meds no pain so I am not hard to please.
This is a lay man's commentary and I make no apologies for technical inaccuracies.

MICRO VASCULAR DECOMPRESSION

The morning I did my last post has had a positive effect, or maybe he was going to call me anyway. Mr Suttner, my neurosurgeon, called me at home last night and said he could do my MVD next Friday, 29th July at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow. So that's it, the waiting is over. A good outcome for me would be a reduction in the amount of meds I'm taking. A fantastic outcome would be 10 pain free years and no meds. Fingers crossed.

LIMBO

Nothing much to report, especially on the TN front. I contacted my neurosurgeon's medical secretary and she told me I'm still on the list for an MVD, but not imminently which was disappointing. I feel like I'm in limbo at the moment. I can't really organise any holidays in case they try to contact me because the notice I'm given could be as short as a couple of days. However, things could be a lot worse, the pain could still be there.
I'm really struggling with the side effects of the drugs at the moment. Today has been particularly bad. I fell asleep in the shower after deciding that a shower would be the best thing to wash the cob webs from my brain. When I'm talking, mid sentence, I just cannot come up with the word I'm looking for. I also look at familiar objects, I know what they are, I know what they do, but I cannot for the life of me remember what they are called.
I had a brief meeting with my neurologist last Friday. She discharged me from her care as there is nothing more she can do for me at this time as I'm waiting for the MVD. I informed her about the side effects of the meds and she agreed that these were common side effects of Tegretol and Gabapentin. I asked her if they could be the reason for my bad gold to which she replied you're lucky you can see the ball taking that amount of meds. So hope for my golf yet then. There's always a positive for every negative.
I went to my favourite place for snaps at the Ballast Bank and was rewarded with a fantastic sunset albeit my very expensive digital shutter release went for a swim and has not worked since.

CYCLING

I finally repaired my bike, or rather my father did, and plucked up the energy to go for a ride. I hadn't really thought about where I was going when I set off so I just followed a cycle path which passes near my house.
I eventually came to Whitelees Wind Farm, a journey of almost 10 miles, most of it uphill. Maybe I shouldn’t have been as ambitious because at that stage my legs and bum were sore.
I took a few snaps and sat for a while just admiring the view back down into Ayrshire and enjoying the fine weather. It was good to see that a fair number of cyclists were also making use of the tracks. Some of them looked very serious in their Lycra. Mind you, if I got into Lycra it might make me look serious; seriously stupid that is.
As I set off for home it occurred to me that much as I bemoaned the fact that most of the outward journey was uphill, the return leg was downhill. And so it was; ferocious speeds, cornering too fast and home before I knew it. In all, a really good day out.
Still no pain from my TN, but the continuing movement under the skin on the left side of my face lets reminds me that there's still something going on there. Still no sign of my MVD.

Stranraer Golf Club

The golf outing to Stranraer Golf Club was a great success. A very good turn out from the old duffers made it a really great day. The weather was superb with fluffy clouds and a light westerly breeze. The club provided us with a breakfast prior to playing and a lovely dinner after our round all for a very handsome price. We'll definitely be back there next year.
On the TN front, the crawling sensation under the skin on the left side of my face has returned with a vengeance. In fact, I can't remember it ever being as bad as this during the previous sessions. No pain, it's not really that uncomfortable, however it has set me wondering if its a sign that the pain is going to return.
My eldest granddaughter age 3 has the chicken pox.

Loch Lomond

The trip with my new caravan to Loch Lomond was fairly uneventful. One day it poured with rain for the whole 24 hours, and I mean poured!! When it was dry, the midges came out. Only an insane person would wear a short sleeve shirt and shorts when these beggars are about. Yep, you're right, that person was me. You should see the state of my arms and legs with bites. Not even my India Tree Insect Repellent (with neem herbal extract whatever that is) bought at great expense, offered an ounce of resistance. Saving grace? all this happened in a truly beautiful place.
Anyway, back home now and the only positive thing I can see in the news is the petrol price war that has kicked off with the supermarkets. Long may it continue! 15p per litre reduction in some cases.
I'm going to Stranraer to play golf with my old work chums tomorrow. I hope the weather is a bit better than our last two outings when we received a right royal soaking.
Still no hospital appointment which is disappointing.

PAIN RETURNS

Yesterday morning, while drying myself after showering, I had two sharp bolts of pain centred around my left eye. How do I feel after having experienced no pain since 28 December 2010? Well frightened is the foremost feeling I have at the moment closely followed by depression. I suppose I should be thankful that I've had such a long period pain free, but I want to be pain free for ever!!! In saying that, I'm fully aware that the chance of that happening is zero. The best I can hope for is a successful MVD which can give up to 10 years of pain relief. On the upside, I picked up my new caravan yesterday and am off to Loch Lomond later today for a few days.

Just to Let you Know I'm Still Alive

Life has been proceeding in a pretty orderly and mundane fashion, just the way I like it if I'm 100% honest. No sign of my MVD surgery although I am fully aware that it is imminent, probably within the next three weeks. I am reliably informed by my neurosurgeons medical secretary that, all being well after the operation, I should be home in around two to three days.

I've still not had any pain since 28th December last year, or even a hint of it. The only thing that reminds me that I suffer from something relating to my face is the strange crawling sensations that appear from time to time, the most recent one being the strangest of all. If I touch my left eyebrow, it feels as if I'm touching between the left side of my nose and top lip. Weird or what?

I'm still taking industrial strength doses of medication which ultimately do not agree with me so the quicker the operation comes the better.

I bought myself a new caravan (I think that's a trailer for my American friends) and take delivery of it next Thursday.

My youngest granddaughter has started crawling and she still has the worst hair ever. It is still growing out the way with no sign of it conforming to the normal conventions of hair style, even for a baby. Truth be told, she's all the better for it. Eldest is an absolute gem. Sharp as a tack, creative and beautiful. I'm not saying that just because I'm her grandfather. She takes after me.

I visited my doctor this morning regarding the last set of bloods and everything was back to normal except for the fact that I was slightly anemic, which I have been for the last few years, probably as a side effect of the drugs I take. So back in three months for further blood tests.