After surgery

Continued - Day 2 

While the doc had initially informed us hubby would spend the night in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) after the surgery and I would stay on in our room, the nurse told us we can't 'keep' the room and I'd have to go home first.  Hmm not an ideal situation as how then would I get news of hubby?  Also some logistics problems as we didn't drive there and had brought a lot of things so it would be difficult for me to transport everything out and back.  And I would need to take a Covid swab again.  There wouldn't be cost savings either as the room cost of RM238 would be offset by the Covid swab of RM95 and Grab rides back and forth.  Finally... phew they agreed to give us a room near the HDU.

The anesthetist visited at night to explain a bit about the surgery.  There would be a breathing tube so hubby might experience a sore throat when he wakes. Should there be excessive bleeding, he would be taken to the ICU first in an induced coma.

Day 3

He was taken from the room about 9am.  I moved to the new room a couple of hours later.  It was near the HDU so I could easily walk over to look through its glass walls for hubby.  No visitors were allowed in.  At 130pm, surgery was over and I was very happy when he appeared in the HDU - yay, he did NOT need to go to the ICU!  First hurdle of many cleared.

Zzzzzzz

When he woke up, he appeared totally himself (very important after a brain surgery).  We could message and call to communicate.

 

Talk, talk

Unfortunately, our relief soon ended.  Hubby discovered he couldn't feel the right side of his body.  His right arm was totally unresponsive. Doctors visited and said that wasn't supposed to happen, he was supposed to be able to lift the arm right after surgery.  Tried waiting for some time and still the numbness continued.  He could move the right leg although it didn't quite function properly.  He could move the right thumb slightly if he concentrated - we took this to be a positive sign he wouldn't be permanently paralysed.  But he couldn't sit up as half the body was a deadweight.

It was a bleak evening and night indeed. 

So it was a pleasant surprise to be greeted with this sight the next day.... 

He was vertical and he was actually taking some steps with the help of the physiotherapist.

Days 4-7

However our hope for a quick return to normalcy wasn't fulfilled.  Hubby didn't wake up and suddenly regain normal usage of his right side.  The next few days were of ups and downs.  There was definite progress - he got limited movement back in his right index finger and later the wrist.  Some numbness subsided from his face and chest.  He had good appetite and none of the other complications explained by the doctors.  However progress wasn't always upwards. Some days he'd say his mobility had actually gotten worse.  He kept saying the neurosurgeon must have cut too much and kicked himself for choosing this doctor.

Day 8

Discharge day.  Things could have been worse but they could definitely have been much better.  His right arm remained useless.  He could only walk like a stroke patient - very slowly and uncoordinated - and got very tired from moving.

Going home

 At least, going home.