Bridget's Surgery Updates: Grape popsicle

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Grape popsicle

Hi folks,

I write this post from home. Sheila is subbing for me tonight and will sleep in the NCCU with Bridget. After 4 nights of poor sleep my body is begging me for 1 good night of solid rest at home!

The super exciting news for today is: the plan is now for Bridget to move to a regular care room tomorrow! After two extra nights in the NCCU without worsening of symptoms, and more importantly for us, with improvement of symptoms, they've decided they probably don't need to monitor her so closely anymore.

However, I think this is contingent on the results of another CT scan that she'll get tomorrow (maybe in the wee hours of the morning again). Let us all hope that this shows that the swelling has reduced, and that the pressure in the ventricles is down. If the swelling has not gone down, it might be a sign of other problems, and Bridget doesn't need any more problems right now!

Improvements for today:

1) Bridget's slightly slurred speech is definitely better today, which means there might be additional improvement in her swallowing muscles.

2) Bridget was a little more energetic today, She might not have agreed with that, since she slept so much, but when she *was* up she had a little more kick and was a lot more with it!

3) Bridget's coordination and dexterity also seems slightly better, at least to me.

4) Bridget took significantly less pain meds today, which is also really awesome.

Unfortunately Bridget still didn't pass her swallow test, but she is so VERY close. Hopefully tomorrow puts things over the edge and she can enjoy some real food. She did get to try some crushed up grape popsicle today, which she was really happy about!

It's the little things :)

3 comments:

Emily NeuhausJune 17, 2012 at 8:14 PM
Grape popsicle! I remember when B got me that snow cone maker with grape flavoring. :) Sounds like a great call to sleep in your own bed for a night. Here's hoping tomorrow brings real food and happy ventricles!
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MeredithJune 18, 2012 at 4:21 AM
Since I'm three hours ahead of you and awake already, I can volunteer for the "positive thoughts about Bridget's ventricles prior to her early morning CT scan" shift. They are being crafted and projected westwards as we speak.
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Alicia CravenJune 18, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Popsicles and the tantalizing prospect of a non NCCU room--good things to look forward too. Really good news about all the improvements-- fingers crossed the CT scan reflects all the positive outward signs of healing.
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What is a cavernous malformation, and why does it need to be removed?

A cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) is a vascular abnormality shaped like a raspberry, that sometimes can develop spontaneously in an otherwise healthy brain. Bridget has one in her brain stem, on the left side of her pons.

These CCMs will sometimes leak out blood, and when they do, they cause neurological problems, sort of like having a small stroke. Bridget's has bled twice now, and doctors suspect that it will continue to bleed. To try to prevent future neurological problems from developing, it makes sense for it to be surgically removed.

What will surgery and recovery be like?

Surgery will cause Bridget to have some neurological problems like facial numbness and vertigo. There is some chance that she will also have facial muscle weakness, double vision, weakness/numbness in one arm and leg, or hearing loss after surgery. Hopefully most or all of these problems will go away with time.

She will also have a lot of fatigue, and will have to heal from the incision and from the removal and replacement of a "bone flap" in her skull.

If everything goes well, she will be feeling good enough to be out and about after a month, and closer to normal after 3-6 months.