MVD #2 Diary - Bonnie Burnham

Surgery performed by:    Dr. David G. Piepgras
Surgical Location:          St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, MN (USA)
Surgery Date:                 May 25, 2006

Diary prepared by:         Bonnie Burnham
Date diary finalized:       July 23,2006

 

Wednesday, May 24, 2006 – Day of Departure & Arrival:

 At about 11:00 AM we depart from Black River Falls, Wisconsin on our way to Rochester, Minnesota (home of the Mayo Clinic). Following a brief stop for some new glasses for my husband and lunch for us both, we arrive in Rochester about 4:30 PM. After checking into our hotel room we go for a walk to St. Mary’s Hospital, to look around.

As instructed, in the evening I called the hospital to get my arrival time for tomorrow, my MVD Day, and I'm told to arrive by 5:45 AM

 

Thursday, May 25, 2006 – "MVD-Day":

 I'm out of bed at 4:30 AM. Following a shower and a cup of black coffee, we head across the street to the hospital.

Upon arrival, we waited with the others having surgery that morning and then we all were taken up to pre-op. There they asked me questions, weighed me and started an IV line. Now, wearing my lovely blue hospital gown and robe, I said good bye to my husband and walked to another area of pre-op, a large room with many gurneys. As I lay there, a nurse came to talk to me as the Anesthesiologist started an IV line in my left hand. I was very calm and just watched everyone come and go, as they very efficiently performed their varied duties.

Later the R.N. came and advised me that she would stay with me for the rest of the time and she would be my eyes and voice until I went to ICU. She also had my husband’s cell phone number and advised that she would keep him informed in person or by phone, if he wasn’t in the waiting room. At about 7:53 AM I was wheeled into the operating theatre where I was covered with a warm blanket as they hooked up the machines and got the equipment ready. Very soon thereafter I was out cold, sound asleep.

I was later told that when I went into surgery, my husband was given a number that corresponded to me, which he could use to follow my progress on a lighted board in the waiting room.

At 9:10 AM they started the incision, by 10:45 AM they were in the problem area, and by 11:03 AM they were closing. In my first MVD in 1999, two pads were inserted for one vessel. This time they concentrated between the 7th and 8th nerves and at the base entry area. I was in Recovery at 12:10 PM and in ICU at 2:00 PM. When I woke up in ICU, the previous night, the first thing I said was “something is wrong!” I awoke with very severe facial weakness on the left side. My husband came to see me right away, followed by the surgeon, and then my daughters. They all left and the family came back again, then the girls had to head home and I told my husband that since he had a harder day then I, he should go rest, make phone calls, and that I'd see him in the morning. I sleep well, except for the nurse checking and giving me medications, and I slept until about 6:00 AM on Friday.

 

Friday, May 26, 2006 - The Day After:

After waking, I sat in a chair, washed up and got a clean gown. At around 7:30 AM I was taken to another floor, where both breakfast and my husband arrived.

After breakfast, I wanted to take a shower and wash my hair. After getting out of the shower I looked in the mirror and said “my God, what have I done to myself”. The facial weakness I first noticed in ICU was continuing and when I saw it I was shocked. After MVD #1 I woke up in full spasm, now this. I was rather bummed out.

Along with the facial palsy my taste went also, so my favorite Dove milk chocolate tastes very bitter, like poison! I still eat but not many sweets, or if I do eat sweets I just say, “I know it is supposed to be good” I sure am hungry for the taste of chocolate though.

 

Saturday, May 27, 2006 - Day 2 Post-Op:

Woke up about 6:00 AM asking if the coffee's ready? No, it will come with your breakfast was the reply. So I got up and walked down to the waiting area and made coffee and then while waiting for it to brew I got on the PC, checked, and sent some e-mail. Granted they were very mixed up and contained many typos, but I didn’t notice! Went for a number of walks and then about 1:00 I was released from the hospital but we still needed to stay in town for one more day. Since I had a blood clot that went to my lung on the first MVD, I was started on Heparin and had to stay an extra day to make sure there were no problems with that.


We got a sandwich in the evening and went for a ride to a very nice park. We ate and watched the kids play and the ducks in the water. I was so tired as I had not slept well Friday night. I think it was the steroid they put me on. I was just like a jack in the box, crash for a few minutes, then jump up and go like my pants were on fire. I thought I would sleep well on Saturday night, but it was only a few hours at a time

 

Sunday, May 28, 2006 - Day 3 Post-Op:

Got up again at 6:00 AM. I was alone so I figured my husband went to get me Starbucks (he did) I packed up, took a shower, rested, then we ate and headed for home at 9:15 AM. One stop for gas and we were home at 11:45 AM. Kids and grandkids came over; my husband tried to keep a lid on the phone. Still was hard to sleep or even rest much. The taste is no better and the palsy is the same.

 

Monday, May 28, 2006 - Day 4 Post-Op:

Rested and did a few things around the house. Tired and sore but no bad pain.

 

Wednesday, May 30, 2006 - Day 5 Post-Op:

Still feel very weak, tired and sore. Washed some clothes, made some phone calls, had company and RESTED.


 

Thursday, May 31, 2006 - Day 6 Post-Op:

Rested, did very little, still tired. Did sleep 6 1/2 hours last night, which felt GREAT.

 

Saturday, June 03, 2006 - Day 9 Post-Op:

Oh well, back to not sleeping! Had kids over for a birthday party. Rested.

 

Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 2 Month's Post-Op:

Still get very tired. At 4 1/2 weeks I went back for 2 days a week and then 3 days the next week and then full time. I am not a person that can just lie down and rest! It is hard for me, if there are things I want done then I WANT TO DO THEM, so I may be my own worst enemy! I am able to close my left eye when I close both eyes (makes driving a challenge) LOL. My eye gets sore because of the dryness, my face seems just a tiny bit stronger and my taste is still not back to anywhere near normal.

Now 2 months later I thank God everyday for the peace I am having WITHOUT THE SPASMS. Even if this is the way my face stays I am peaceful in rest and waking hours. I am hopeful that time will help the nerve to heal and I will have improvement. At least so I can get half a smile going! It has been many, many years since I have been able to smile. Now everyone just thinks I am grumpy, I’m not. Well sometimes I might be PMS, you know, we won’t even go there!!!

I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Best of luck to you

Permission granted the HFSA to post MVD Diary on website.
Bonnie Burnham, July 30, 2006

 

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