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Questions on the left temporal lobectomy

Fri, 02/23/2007 - 18:59
I am scheduled to have my surgery on the 17th of April. At this point I am trying to get my affairs in order. I have a couple of questions for everyone. My first questions is how many of those who had surgery had to have their heads shaved completely or chose to do it? Secondly, How long was the recovery time at home after you arrived the reason I ask this is we are wondering if my dad should take a leave of absence to come up and stay with me and help out because I have a MIL and two teenage boys that I have to take care of? Then my husband had made plans to renewal on vows at the end of September is all goes well do you think that I will be up to doing that? I would appreciate everyones opinion thanks!!!! Shelly Maire

Comments

Re: Questions on the left temporal lobectomy

Submitted by Nylrad on Mon, 2008-04-14 - 13:56

I'll be having a left temporal lobectomy in June, 2008 and I'd love to communicate with anyone who has gone through that. 

How difficult was the surgery?

Was it succesful?

What did they do during your surgery? 

How long were you in the hospital?

How much of your head was shaved?

How long did it take for you to be able to return to work (or whatever you normally do)?

How successful was your surgery?

Are you still taking anti-seizure medication(s)?

What were the effect(s) . . . how is your speech and how is your memory, in compare to how it was before your surgery?

Any suggestions, thoughts, ideas? 

If you had the choice again, now that you know how it went for  you; would you do it again?

I'd really like to hear your thoughts/opinions.

 

I'll be having a left temporal lobectomy in June, 2008 and I'd love to communicate with anyone who has gone through that. 

How difficult was the surgery?

Was it succesful?

What did they do during your surgery? 

How long were you in the hospital?

How much of your head was shaved?

How long did it take for you to be able to return to work (or whatever you normally do)?

How successful was your surgery?

Are you still taking anti-seizure medication(s)?

What were the effect(s) . . . how is your speech and how is your memory, in compare to how it was before your surgery?

Any suggestions, thoughts, ideas? 

If you had the choice again, now that you know how it went for  you; would you do it again?

I'd really like to hear your thoughts/opinions.

 

Re: Questions on the left temporal lobectomy

Submitted by mamasaw on Mon, 2008-04-14 - 17:15

My daughter is almost 6 weeks post Left temporal lobe surgery. She is 26, had epi for 10 yrs we know of. She has shoulder length hair. They only shaved about 1 1/2" of hair, right along her hair line, starting at the middle part in the shape of an inverted "C" to just below her ear lobe. I know it sounds large, but honestly, you CANNOT see the incision now. She parts her hair on the side, and it covers the incision. She has not had a seizure since the surgery. She feels GOOD now. She's going back to work in about 2 week, so she'll have been off about 8-9 weeks. She was only in the hospital 3 days ( 1 in ICU, the rest in reg. room). Stay on your pain meds as they prescribe. Don't let the pain get ahead of the meds, but she only was taking Percocet. She only took them for about a week after surgery, then to reg. Tylenol for pain. Our Neuro says she will be on the same dosage of meds for 6 months. (Topamax and Lyrica) then will slowly start to wean off her least tolerated med till we get to a maintenance dose of one of them. She has only had a few minor "word finding" issues, but she knew us right away after surgery, knew the date, year, etc. She had 3 weeks of physical and speech therapy. Her back and upper thighs hurt more than her head, believe it or not. Also, 1 thing to note. Getting her bowels to move after surgery was tough too. It took awhile to get things "moving" again. Her memory is not affected at all. She remembers as much as she did before.

Right now she is believing that NO MORE SEIZURES are going to be a way of life. She always felt "tingly" in her neck (her words) and has not had any of that at all since her surgery. Right now, we would do it over again in a heart beat. It is a chance to have the best quality of life for her. Our surgeon put it this way " So many neurological problems have NO OPTIONS to correct or improve your life. Being a candidate is a CHANCE you can take to live your life to the fullest"

It was scary. I'm so proud of her that she decided this on her own, with our blessings. I took off 2 weeks from work to stay with her, but she was up and around within a week or so on her own.

Good luck! I hope and pray it works for you. Get as many friends and family to pray. It works!

My daughter is almost 6 weeks post Left temporal lobe surgery. She is 26, had epi for 10 yrs we know of. She has shoulder length hair. They only shaved about 1 1/2" of hair, right along her hair line, starting at the middle part in the shape of an inverted "C" to just below her ear lobe. I know it sounds large, but honestly, you CANNOT see the incision now. She parts her hair on the side, and it covers the incision. She has not had a seizure since the surgery. She feels GOOD now. She's going back to work in about 2 week, so she'll have been off about 8-9 weeks. She was only in the hospital 3 days ( 1 in ICU, the rest in reg. room). Stay on your pain meds as they prescribe. Don't let the pain get ahead of the meds, but she only was taking Percocet. She only took them for about a week after surgery, then to reg. Tylenol for pain. Our Neuro says she will be on the same dosage of meds for 6 months. (Topamax and Lyrica) then will slowly start to wean off her least tolerated med till we get to a maintenance dose of one of them. She has only had a few minor "word finding" issues, but she knew us right away after surgery, knew the date, year, etc. She had 3 weeks of physical and speech therapy. Her back and upper thighs hurt more than her head, believe it or not. Also, 1 thing to note. Getting her bowels to move after surgery was tough too. It took awhile to get things "moving" again. Her memory is not affected at all. She remembers as much as she did before.

Right now she is believing that NO MORE SEIZURES are going to be a way of life. She always felt "tingly" in her neck (her words) and has not had any of that at all since her surgery. Right now, we would do it over again in a heart beat. It is a chance to have the best quality of life for her. Our surgeon put it this way " So many neurological problems have NO OPTIONS to correct or improve your life. Being a candidate is a CHANCE you can take to live your life to the fullest"

It was scary. I'm so proud of her that she decided this on her own, with our blessings. I took off 2 weeks from work to stay with her, but she was up and around within a week or so on her own.

Good luck! I hope and pray it works for you. Get as many friends and family to pray. It works!

Re: Questions on the left temporal lobectomy

Submitted by mamasaw on Mon, 2008-04-14 - 17:49

My daughter is almost 6 weeks post Left temporal lobe surgery. She is 26, had epi for 10 yrs we know of. She has shoulder length hair. They only shaved about 1 1/2" of hair, right along her hair line, starting at the middle part in the shape of an inverted "C" to just below her ear lobe. I know it sounds large, but honestly, you CANNOT see the incision now. She parts her hair on the side, and it covers the incision. She has not had a seizure since the surgery. She feels GOOD now. She's going back to work in about 2 week, so she'll have been off about 8-9 weeks. She was only in the hospital 3 days ( 1 in ICU, the rest in reg. room). Stay on your pain meds as they prescribe. Don't let the pain get ahead of the meds, but she only was taking Percocet. She only took them for about a week after surgery, then to reg. Tylenol for pain. Our Neuro says she will be on the same dosage of meds for 6 months. (Topamax and Lyrica) then will slowly start to wean off her least tolerated med till we get to a maintenance dose of one of them. She has only had a few minor "word finding" issues, but she knew us right away after surgery, knew the date, year, etc. She had 3 weeks of physical and speech therapy. Her back and upper thighs hurt more than her head, believe it or not. Also, 1 thing to note. Getting her bowels to move after surgery was tough too. It took awhile to get things "moving" again. Her memory is not affected at all. She remembers as much as she did before.

Right now she is believing that NO MORE SEIZURES are going to be a way of life. She always felt "tingly" in her neck (her words) and has not had any of that at all since her surgery. Right now, we would do it over again in a heart beat. It is a chance to have the best quality of life for her. Our surgeon put it this way " So many neurological problems have NO OPTIONS to correct or improve your life. Being a candidate is a CHANCE you can take to live your life to the fullest"

It was scary. I'm so proud of her that she decided this on her own, with our blessings. I took off 2 weeks from work to stay with her, but she was up and around within a week or so on her own.

Good luck! I hope and pray it works for you. Get as many friends and family to pray. It works!

My daughter is almost 6 weeks post Left temporal lobe surgery. She is 26, had epi for 10 yrs we know of. She has shoulder length hair. They only shaved about 1 1/2" of hair, right along her hair line, starting at the middle part in the shape of an inverted "C" to just below her ear lobe. I know it sounds large, but honestly, you CANNOT see the incision now. She parts her hair on the side, and it covers the incision. She has not had a seizure since the surgery. She feels GOOD now. She's going back to work in about 2 week, so she'll have been off about 8-9 weeks. She was only in the hospital 3 days ( 1 in ICU, the rest in reg. room). Stay on your pain meds as they prescribe. Don't let the pain get ahead of the meds, but she only was taking Percocet. She only took them for about a week after surgery, then to reg. Tylenol for pain. Our Neuro says she will be on the same dosage of meds for 6 months. (Topamax and Lyrica) then will slowly start to wean off her least tolerated med till we get to a maintenance dose of one of them. She has only had a few minor "word finding" issues, but she knew us right away after surgery, knew the date, year, etc. She had 3 weeks of physical and speech therapy. Her back and upper thighs hurt more than her head, believe it or not. Also, 1 thing to note. Getting her bowels to move after surgery was tough too. It took awhile to get things "moving" again. Her memory is not affected at all. She remembers as much as she did before.

Right now she is believing that NO MORE SEIZURES are going to be a way of life. She always felt "tingly" in her neck (her words) and has not had any of that at all since her surgery. Right now, we would do it over again in a heart beat. It is a chance to have the best quality of life for her. Our surgeon put it this way " So many neurological problems have NO OPTIONS to correct or improve your life. Being a candidate is a CHANCE you can take to live your life to the fullest"

It was scary. I'm so proud of her that she decided this on her own, with our blessings. I took off 2 weeks from work to stay with her, but she was up and around within a week or so on her own.

Good luck! I hope and pray it works for you. Get as many friends and family to pray. It works!

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