On Sep. 28, 2020, after a night at High Point Medical Center, they load me up in an ambulance to head to Winston-Salem. I recalled wishing that they will use the sirens and lights to head to the hospital. The EMT said I should have mentioned it and they would have accommodated me even if for a minute or two. Upon arrival, they brought me the neurosurgery floor where I stayed for 7 days.
They hooked me up on steroids (dexamethasone – made me gain weight), protonix (to help protect my stomach lining) and kepra (anti-seizure meds – which I found out I’m allergic). I met with my neurosurgeon the next day and he told me they will be doing a brain craniotomy. Since my tumor is nowhere near my speech center, they will be doing a general anesthesia. After, I’ve been put to sleep they will use a gadget to put my head into place, shave a portion of my scalp, cut it, open the bone, get the tumor, put the bone back, put some screws to hold it in place and staple my scalp. (Phew! That’s the short summary) After I got out of surgery, I will be placed in recovery and then to the Neuro ICU.
So for the next two days, I was enjoying my stay at the hospital and put the surgery out of my mind. The night of the surgery, the Pinay nurse told me to take a shower and enjoy my sleep as I won’t be able to take a shower for the next couple of days after the surgery and I will be woken up at the ICU every hour by the nurses. When the clock struck midnight of Oct. 1, I was told not to eat or drink anything prior to the surgery. I was scheduled for surgery at 9am. I slept like a baby and was eagerly awaiting my surgery when I woke up. Partly because I was envious of my husband’s breakfast and I was thirsty. I also wanted to get the surgery out of me and get on with my life.
Claudine on the Go 