A little surgery
12-29-2018, 05:53 PM
#11
12-29-2018, 06:28 PM
#12
So dumb question Bill, why is the surgery in February and not like, oh I don't know, maybe tomorrow?
Or does the surgeon have to pick out a boat first so he knows how much to charge?
Or does the surgeon have to pick out a boat first so he knows how much to charge?
12-29-2018, 07:02 PM
#13
Thread Starter
Thank you Lainey. I'll ask Barbara to give that a shot.
Patty, that's a lot of questions. It is hard to tell how long this one has been in there. I had a colesteatoma removed about 12 or 14 years ago. I last went back for an examination in 2015 and they didn't see anything, but without an MRI, you can't be sure what is in there. My hearing is pretty bad and the last cyst did a good bit of damage. This one is probably making things worse, according to the doctor. I'll be getting at least one hearing aid after I recover from the surgery. New Years eve and everything else will be the same as usual. After the surgery, I can't fly for six to eight weeks. It would be awesome if I could look like that guy. But I'll probably have titanium mesh used to hold the skull plugs in place until the bone knits.
Jerry, I'm with you. I was ready to go after I talked to him. But this is Mass Eye and Ear and they are booked way out. The Doc says it needs to come out, but there is no hurry. He said March would be fine. I said ASAP and I got early February. I hate the idea of that thing eating away in there. Cysts are called "benign" but they are not. They dissolve surrounding, healthy tissue to make room for growth.
If this was thing was located elsewhere in my body, I wouldn't have a care about the surgery. But electric cutting tools inside my skull... One slip and there goes law school! Post-op infection? Common occurrence. It wouldn't normally be a big deal, but in my brain?!?!
My biggest concern is that one of 10 or 12 "risks" takes place and I end up with some problem that means I can't go out in my boat anymore, or drive anymore, or walk anymore.
Patty, that's a lot of questions. It is hard to tell how long this one has been in there. I had a colesteatoma removed about 12 or 14 years ago. I last went back for an examination in 2015 and they didn't see anything, but without an MRI, you can't be sure what is in there. My hearing is pretty bad and the last cyst did a good bit of damage. This one is probably making things worse, according to the doctor. I'll be getting at least one hearing aid after I recover from the surgery. New Years eve and everything else will be the same as usual. After the surgery, I can't fly for six to eight weeks. It would be awesome if I could look like that guy. But I'll probably have titanium mesh used to hold the skull plugs in place until the bone knits.
Jerry, I'm with you. I was ready to go after I talked to him. But this is Mass Eye and Ear and they are booked way out. The Doc says it needs to come out, but there is no hurry. He said March would be fine. I said ASAP and I got early February. I hate the idea of that thing eating away in there. Cysts are called "benign" but they are not. They dissolve surrounding, healthy tissue to make room for growth.
If this was thing was located elsewhere in my body, I wouldn't have a care about the surgery. But electric cutting tools inside my skull... One slip and there goes law school! Post-op infection? Common occurrence. It wouldn't normally be a big deal, but in my brain?!?!
My biggest concern is that one of 10 or 12 "risks" takes place and I end up with some problem that means I can't go out in my boat anymore, or drive anymore, or walk anymore.
12-29-2018, 07:31 PM
#14
Hey Bill,
I don't like the sound of this, but I know that you're a tough old guy and you'll get through it without a problem. Besides, you've got a new boat to enjoy so you have to stick around.
All joking aside, we're all saying a prayer for you. You'll be fine.
Rob
I don't like the sound of this, but I know that you're a tough old guy and you'll get through it without a problem. Besides, you've got a new boat to enjoy so you have to stick around.
All joking aside, we're all saying a prayer for you. You'll be fine.
Rob
12-29-2018, 09:38 PM
#15
Wow, this explains your non-stop interest in drills. Sounds scary as hell but in the medical world such things are done as routine. Good health beats all the toys and money in the world..... here's to your good health! 
12-30-2018, 03:36 AM
#17
I'll throw in the calming voice.
I suspect what you have is a bacterial cyst. The good news is once it's out, you're good.
Did he put you on prophylactic antibiotics?
Second, technically while working on the skull they are not actually in your brain which apparently your's is stored in some zip-loc bag.
I'm guessing they will avoid breaking the bag.
So the rest is just carpentry. so think of it as fixing a rust spot. cut back a little to solid stock, slap some mesh across it and go to town with the bondo.
The boring part will be sitting around waiting for it to dry to sand down.
You could probably do it self with tools you already have.
All you need is a dremel and buffer/grinder combo but it would be real hard to see what you're doing. A shop vac would probably help there.
They'll want to get it smooth since you won't have any hair covering it up.
Make sure they are putting you out for this and not some local anesthetic, there are certain sounds you don't want to hear from inside your head.
You can take my word for that one. trust me. no really.
if you want you can borrow my go-pro and post it up later.
or invite me to watch. and i'll shoot it.
should be in and out, in about an hour and a half.
probably the hardest part will be getting your ear pointing back in the right direction. Getting trim work right is always a pain in the ass.
The good news is if it's February, it's not like he'll have a tee-time that he wants to get to.
and it will be too late to go skiing.after all Dr's don't ski wachusett.
I suspect what you have is a bacterial cyst. The good news is once it's out, you're good.
Did he put you on prophylactic antibiotics?
Second, technically while working on the skull they are not actually in your brain which apparently your's is stored in some zip-loc bag.
I'm guessing they will avoid breaking the bag.
So the rest is just carpentry. so think of it as fixing a rust spot. cut back a little to solid stock, slap some mesh across it and go to town with the bondo.
The boring part will be sitting around waiting for it to dry to sand down.
You could probably do it self with tools you already have.
All you need is a dremel and buffer/grinder combo but it would be real hard to see what you're doing. A shop vac would probably help there.
They'll want to get it smooth since you won't have any hair covering it up.
Make sure they are putting you out for this and not some local anesthetic, there are certain sounds you don't want to hear from inside your head.
You can take my word for that one. trust me. no really.
if you want you can borrow my go-pro and post it up later.
or invite me to watch. and i'll shoot it.should be in and out, in about an hour and a half.
probably the hardest part will be getting your ear pointing back in the right direction. Getting trim work right is always a pain in the ass.
The good news is if it's February, it's not like he'll have a tee-time that he wants to get to.
and it will be too late to go skiing.after all Dr's don't ski wachusett.
12-30-2018, 06:36 AM
#19
Good luck, Bill!. We'll keep you in our prayers.
