MVD Diary - Sylvia Harmon
February 13, 2003:
I had an appointment with Dr. Rob Parrish, Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX. I took a report of a MRI of my head that was done in San Antonio, TX in April of 2002. This MRI showed that my left vertebral artery was much larger than the right artery . It also showed a loop close to the exit point of the left seventh and eighth cranial nerve bundles. Dr. Parrish said he knew the minute I walked through the door that I had HFS. He explained MVD surgery to me and I asked lots of questions. He asked me how I became so informed about HFS and MVD surgery and I told him about HFSA and that I had done a lot of research. We agreed on a date for the surgery and he turned me over to his very well organized assistant and she explained all the tests that would be needed before surgery.
February 27, 2003
I went back to Houston for tests. I had a chest X-ray, a general physical, blood test and completed lots of paperwork.Dr. Parrish made me an appointment to be evaluated by a general practitioner in case I had any unrelated health problems while in Houston. It was determined that I was anemic and had to start on iron supplements.
March 9, 2003:
My friend, Christine, who lives in Houston drove to San Antonio and picked me up and we drove to Houston and spent the night in a Motel. We met my daughter, two brothers and their wives at Methodist Hospital at 6:30 am. The next morning we visited and soon I was taken to a side room and vitals and blood, etc was done. I had felt good up to this point, but when I don't eat I get shaky and I started to feel faint. My visitors were asked to leave and I rested and started to feel better. Dr. Parrish came to visit with me and was very attentive. He spoke with my family and I was taken to a room with several other patients being prepared for surgery. The anesthesiologist came and spoke to me and I explained how I was usually made very sick from anesthesia. She asked me several questions and said she knew what to do to keep me from being so sick. This really made me feel better.I was taken to the OR and was left alone for about ten minutes. I panicked and was afraid for the first time. Someone came and injected me with something and before they were finished I was out.
When I awoke I felt a little sick and woozy and threw up just a tiny bit and from that point on I felt fine. I stayed awake all night in ICU as I am a light sleeper and it was real noisy there.
March 11, 2003:
I was taken to my room and felt fine, but was hungry and wanted a shower. I was soon brought breakfast and I woofed it down. I kept looking in the mirror and I had no spasms. I was delighted. Dr. Parrish came in and said I did just great through surgery. He explained to me that I had some thick membrane between my 7th and 8th artery and it had to be cut away. There was a loop around one of the arteries and Dr. Parrish placed five Teflon pads to separate the arteries from the nerves. He said my hearing was monitored the whole time and my hearing was intact. I asked him if I could get a shower and go back to the motel and he said yes. This was a very good day for me. He ripped off the bandage (only pain I had) and I was screaming. Re said I could shampoo my hair. I felt so wonderful that I got dressed and called the nurse to discharge me. My daughter drove us back to the motel and I took a very long nap.
March 12, 2003:
Just rested, read, talked on the phone and with visitors and napped and watched a little TV. Had a great appetite.
March 13, 2003
Had lots of company. Ate well and napped well. I called Dr. Parrish's office to see if I could come in for an appointment on the 14th and she said he would not be in the office. I did not want to stay any longer at the motel so I asked her to call him and ask him if I could go home on the 15th. She said she would call back.
March 14, 2003:
Dr. Parrish's nurse called back and said I could go home the next day. I was so excited I couldn't sleep very well.
March 15, 2003:
My brother and his wife drove from Ft. Worth and picked me up. When we got home I took a nap and woke up feeling great.
March 16,2003:
My sister-in-law was taking very good care of the house, the cooking and me and wouldn't let me do much. I had lots of company and visited and napped off and on.
March 17, 2003:
Was walking trough the house and felt my eye twitching. I was very much alarmed. Several times during the day it twitched again. Then I started to have brief spasms.
March 24, 2003:
Went back to Houston to have my stitches removed. Dr. Parrish was not there as he was deployed to IRAQ on TDY. His nurse removed my stitches and I was a sissy as she was pulling hair with them and I was yelping. I cancelled my appointment with Dr. Parrish on the 3rd of April and rescheduled it for May 8th.
May 8, 2003:
I was still having some mild and infrequent spasms and Dr. Parrish was very disappointed but said he thought they would be gone in another two or three months. He said this happens sometimes and rarely will they not go away and another MVD have to be done. He said he would not consider doing another MVD for at least one year post op. I told him I would not consider it unless they get bad again.NOTE: It has been one year and nine months since my MVD and I am still having mild and infrequent spasms. I have noticed that weather changes and my allergies seem to make them worse. I am trying to be more diligent about taking my allergy shots and meds and I am taking Slo-Mag (magnesium). I have noticed that if I stop taking the Slo-Mag my spasms seem to be more active.
Was unable to continue with Dr. Parrish as he was redeployed to Iraq. I have been seeing Dr. Bill Davis in New Braunfels, TX., he is wonderful. He thought that perhaps if I had Botox® every three months for a while that the spasms would calm down. He was right as I do not have any more real spasms, just a hint maybe once or twice a day. I feel like a new person and I have my life back and I am enjoying every day to the fullest. I never would be where I am today if it had not been for HFSA and I love the HFSA friends I have made since beginning this journey.
I will continue to read ALL the post on this web site and hope that whatever I may input will help others as I have been helped.