Happy Endings Really Do Happen...

CAUTION...THE IMAGES POSTED BELOW MIGHT NOT BE FOR THE WEAK OF STOMACH :)


On October 11th I went in for a two part procedure brain surgery to remove a bleeding vascular malformation from my brain which has been causing seizures for the last 18 years of my life.
The first surgery they put monitors directly onto my brain, so that when I had a seizure the doctors were able to see exactly where they started, this way when they went in for the "resection" (removal of the bloody malformation) they weren't guessing, but could almost "pin-point" the spot and not remove too much brain tissue.
Cutting edge technology.

The first surgery was a success.
And don't I look hot?!
The first thing my dad said when he came into my room was, "Cool, Des! You look like a character off of Mario Kart!" (Toadie, maybe? I'm thinking he needs to lay off the Wii a little!)

I can't express the feeling/pain that comes with pressure on the brain. When I spoke to the doctor about that he casually mentioned, "Oh yeah. It's just like we placed a tumor in your brain."
Thanks doc.

I just laid in bed waiting, and praying for me to have seizures- sort of the opposite of everyday life. :)
The doctors needed at least three "big" seizures before we were able to move to the next surgery.
From Tuesday to Thursday I had a grand total of 25 seizures!
I felt like such an over achiever! :)
Luckily I only felt two of them, but it really takes a toll on the body.

Friday I went in for the final (resection) surgery.
The surgery was quick and easy, and thanks to the 25 seizures, the doctors were able to see that they were all starting in this same spot (P.S. I have 6 more vascular malformations thru-out my brain, but that's a story for another day ;)
Here I am post-surgery.
With a nasty "drainage" tube. Yeah, it's coming right out of my head. Sick.

The nurses in the Neuro-ICU were amazing.
After not seeing my girls for so long, I started to really miss them and I think knowing that they weren't allowed in the ICU made me want them there even more.
I was so grateful things went so well and Phil was with me every step, but we both wanted our little ones we love the most to share in this happy moment with us as well.
Well, day Phil arrived to the hospital with some paper flowers that the girls had made for me, and I couldn't hold it together. I was missing them so much.
The nurse looked at Phil and me and told us to bring them in, it doesn't matter if kids aren't allowed in the ICU because she was in charge and she wanted them to come in.
Now I was sobbing.
It was the best and sweetest visit.
This surgery has really made me realize what an amazing life I have, and what incredible people I have in it.

It's amazing what the doctors found in my head (insert your jokes here ;)
Apparently it isn't the vascular malformation that bothers the brain, but when it bleeds on the brain because the brain has iron in it.
And since iron is a chemical that doesn't absorb like other chemicals (I hope I'm saying this right. Just remember, I just had brain surgery and I was on MAJOR drugs) into the other tissues of your body, it just calcifies. Make sense?
So the doctors informed me that since the malformation had been bleeding for 18 years, and this iron had nowhere to go it just calcified itself on top of each other, creating layers.
So this is the best part...Doc A told me that there was SO much calcified iron in my brain, that it actually looked like it had GLITTER in my brain! Glitter!
Wish I could have seen that!
But besides the glitter, they removed a pebble-sized malformation and some mushy tissue that apparently wasn't doing me any good!

The doctors felt like they got it all, and then just stapled me shut with 45 staples. Just a few.
It's hard to see, but the incision goes in sort of a C shape right in front of ear.
But it is amazing how much hair I have left! I'd say about 98% of it left :)
You can't even tell because my hair covers it!
Pay no attention to the blood and iodine...

Find the scar :)

So what was amazing was the fact that I went straight from the Neuro-ICU to my own bed!
The morning after my final surgery, both my neurologist and neurosurgeon came in and ran little "neuro tests" on me to make sure my brain was working ok.
Next thing I know, they're telling me I'm free to go home.
What?!
They said that I was already recovering well, and rest was the only thing I needed and since I could get the best rest at home, they felt good about letting me leave...but only if I was comfortable with it. Uh?! Yeah! I was already looking for my phone to call Phil to tell him to come get me!!!

I haven't had a single seizure since my last surgery and I am feeling amazing!
My doctors were amazing...or as the nurse called them- "The A Team"
And we have had so much support and love and help from everyone and couldn't be more grateful.

Four weeks seizure free feels SO good!

Here's The Plan...

So...four months later I decide to post!
Please, don't judge :0)

But I wanted to share a few of my Halloween costumes ideas for me, with you...

POPEYE

BRITNEY SPEARS

Or my favorite...
JANE CURTIN
(from Coneheads)

Notice what they all have in common?
Or what they DON'T have, I should say...

Well, if you guessed that I will be bald by Halloween, you are CORRECT!!!
That's right, I'm shaving my head for fun.
I want to look just like Britney Spears did, duh.

Kidding.
I'm going to be having brain surgery again October 11.
Last time they shaved a small patch (without telling me- and I ended up looking like a Samurai),

but this time I'm committed to shaving my entire head.
It grows back.
See...
(one year after surgery)

Who knows, maybe it will come back curly or darker. It's a mystery!
Plus, my grandma says she is going to bring me some of her wigs!
Thanks Grandma!

Va.Ca.Tion.

We just recently got back from our vacation to San Diego.
We went to Sea World, Disneyland and the beach.
Wonderful.
Relaxing.

Here are a few pictures of our fun trip...

The girls loved the dolphins.

The pink flamingos looked thru Phil's hair for food.
Nothing there. But a great picture.

Macy could use some help with 3D glasses.

We rode a Surrey bike around Coronado Island.
Whenever we passed someone, the girls had to say "Hello", or sometimes, "I love you." Whatever they were feeling. (:

Coronado Island was BEAUTIFUL!
The color of the sand in the water was gold. It looked like glitter.

The girls LOVED the beach.
We didn't love having to wash the beach OFF of them though!

We weren't planning on going to Disneyland on this trip, but we knew we would be bummed if we didn't.
The girls knew about Sea World and the beach, but they had no idea about Disneyland.
We waited to tell them until we were in the parking garage of Disneyland.
Needless to say, they were more than excited!

We were worried that Macy wouldn't be too excited, but she was in Heaven!
Just look at all of her facial expressions when she meets a character.
She would run up to them screaming their name and hug them so tight.
Both Alex and Macy LOVED it!

Ariel was one of the Princesses we met, and Alex was more than thrilled (she's her most favorite)...they have the same color hair, don't you know?!?

We Love, LOve, LOVE Toon Town!
Look at Macy squeezed these characters!
Love it.

Alex and Macy LOVE Tangled.
Disneyland made a tower into Rapunzel's tower where you can meet Rapunzel and get your picture taken with her. She was so cute!
Macy, once again, was in Heaven!
(and maybe i waited in line for 90 minutes to meet her, but it was worth it!)
Macy couldn't take her eyes off of her.
I mean, look at that hair!
She was adorable!
We had such a magical time!

Didn't realize Macy was so tired...

She slept like this for 45 minutes.

Happy Birthday Phil!

Happy birthday babe.
Hard to believe it's been over 13 years that we've been together.
And you are still as cute as ever.

I couldn't ask for a better husband.
And the girls couldn't ask for a better dad.

We love you and hope you have a happy birthday!!

Two Loves

I don't have just two loves.
I have several.
But Alex posed a question the other day that made me laugh.

Alex: "Mom, I love you more than my cheese blanket."
Me: "I love you more than my blanket."
Alex: "That's nice. But do you love me more than Diet Coke?"

Hah!
Just something to think about....
I would hate to admit that I may have a problem.

(Between you and me...I like to blame the need for D.C. on how drowsy my drugs can make me. Poor me. :)

Poor Baby....

First big injury in our family!

Sweet Macy was attempting to pull a heavy metal chair out to sit on it, but it was a bit top heavy...oops.

She cried a little bit, probably since the chair went straight to the skull, but after we got her into the car she calmed down quite a bit.

Phil and I tried to stay very calm as to not upset her anymore than she already was.

When we got to Primary's the nurse was shocked at how deep the wound was because of how calm we were and how happy Macy was acting.

He said that usually parents come in FREAKING out about how "bad" their child's cut is, but most the time it isn't too severe. So we surprised him with Macy's wound. We just like to keep people on their toes. :)

It bled a lot at first, but when the doctor went to flush it out before stitching she was surprised that she didn't have to clean it too much.

Macy did a great job while they were working on her. They had to sedate her a bit. That was fun to watch :) (I have video I need to upload of a conversation we had with her after the doctor sewed her up). Classic.

She just sat there staring at the doc and all the nurses quietly wondering what was going on. Finally she squeezed out a "Hhhhhiiii" with a little smile. The doctor asked her to sing her a little song, so of course it was the "Hello, hello" song from Primary (her absolute favorite). Then she sang "Follow the Prophet" and by the time she got to "Twinkle, twinkle Little Star" She was out of breath, but kept mouthing the words to the rest of the song. She had us all laughing pretty hard. I have a feeling she is going to be a bit of an entertaining person as she grows older. Can't wait to see!

So, 11 stitches in all.

I hate to see my baby in pain, but it was all taken care of well. The cut was very jagged, but how well it was sewn together you wouldn't know. The doctor was very careful about it since it was a face wound and she didn't want to scar to be too noticeable when she grows older. The spot isn't too bad. She will just have bangs for the rest of her life...not such a bad deal!

I love my baby!