Post I didn't want to write

[technical.angel]

First off, this is going to be short, and it shouldn't, but the darvocet and valium aren't ones to be argued with. So, I hope that GK and the chat crew can come in and fill in any information I might miss.

After my vicious case of vertigo in July, I've been bowled over weekly with migranes. They weren't the "someone shoot me know, oh gods" migranes, but they were daily, or weekly.

I started the specialist jump, and someone somewhere really liked me because I happened on to the perfect Ear/Nose/Throat doctor, who, after deciding that my ears, nose, or throat was not causing the vertigo or the migranes, I needed an MRI and a neurologist. She set me up with the MRI, and I had my doctor refer me to a neurologist.

The ENT got my results back, and found out that I have an Arnold Chiari Malformation 1. What this means is that my cerebellum, the bit of the brain in the back is not a cute little ball like it's supposed to be, but more of a backwards comma. The "tail" which my darling GateKeeper likes to call it, sticks down in the hole that the brain stem goes into. There was a battle for space, and the brain stem is losing. It got kinked, and a kinked brain stem just aint no good. Since the brain stem controls all the involuntary things that keep me alive, this aint so good, and a reason why I've been only haunting chat, rather than the boards for the past couple of months.

The answer to this, of course, is surgery, during which they'll make the hole (foramen magnum) in my skull bigger, and make the bag around my brain a little bitter. The surgery lasts roughly 3 and a half hours, and it's about a month's recovery time.

IF... I get to have surgery right now. There's a small chance that since the only solid food I've able to get down all weekend was after I took a Darvocet, that I might have a problem with my gall bladder. If that's the case, then the gall bladder will have to be removed before I can get the decompression surgery.

In short, I am freaked out beyond the telling of it. And Pedialite sucks donkeys. That was disgusting, and it tasted like salt water.

If you would like to keep apprised of what's going on, there's a few options.

Sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jenni_updates/

My Mom will be sending out occasional updates (I made it out of surgery, I can wiggle toes, I'm about to commit harry karry if I can't get an internet connection...).

Ringman, Broomjockey, Puckishone, Gatekeeper, and Daddy Raps should have info and be posting.

and I'll be back online as soon as I can figure out how to get the muscles and the head to let me.

And I would appreciate all good thoughts, feeling, and prayers and request to each individual's higher power that I can get through this, and at least stumble in to work for a few hours on Nov 22, so I can get free food and 24 hours of vacation time.

But, hey! Plenty of time to get my Christmas cards out!

Jenni, scared to pieces.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

OUCH! :eek:

Hope you get better soon!

[Zombi]

Wow. I hope all goes well for you, and you feel much better really soon. *hugs*

[Greenday]

I'll be rooting for you! Good luck getting better. Hoping for a quick recovery so you can be back in action.

[Ryu]

I know I sent a message on myspace but I really hope the surgery goes well
While not nearly to this magnitude i know how much surgery sucks and how awful recovery time is so i hope both go as painlessly as possible

[RavenStarr]

lots of hugs. Hope you get better soon.

[Kiwi]

GOOD LUCK our wonderful tech! My thoughts and warm fuzzies will be with you!!!

[Ringman]

good luck Tech, I hope all goes well and your feeling better soon. and I will be making a thread about her updates starting shortly after i recive the first update from techs mom.

[Barefootgirl]

Oh Jenni, all the very best, love. I have all extremities crossed that you get better soon. Big hugs to your mum for agreeing to keep us updated.

[symposes]

All my thoughts, and prayers are with you Jenni. Here is to a speedy, yet not to speedy, recovery!
:cheers:

[XCashier]

I'll be praying for you, Tech. May you have a safe surgury and a speedy and thorough recovery.

[stormtreader]

It always seems to happen to the nice ones :(

From what ive read about you, karma has you covered, youll be fine.
Im sending good thoughts your way though, just in case karma needs a little shove ;)

[Dreamstalker]

Good luck Jenni and I hope all goes well *HUGS*

[sportsmom]

It got kinked, and a kinked brain stem just aint no good.


Jenni has a kinky brain?!?! That explains so much!!!!:)


Seriously though, sweetie, I am sending you lots of hugs and prayers. I know you are a trooper and you will be fine.

[NightWolf]

Yikes!! GET WELL SOON TECH!!!!

:hug: and plenty of warm fuzzies headed your way.

[Sphinx]

I know everything will turn out just fine, I will keep you in my prayers. :)

Besides I need my Sphinx Pineapple Co. VP!!!!!!!!!!:D

[PuckishOne]

Tech, you and your kinky, tailed brain are in my thoughts as well... :hug: I'll miss my pineapply partner in crime for these next few weeks in chat, but look forward to a better, stronger, healthier (dare I say bionic??) Tech.Angel when it's all said and done.

Since Ringman has kindly volunteered to post updates in a thread on this board :salute:, I will offer to send updates via e-mail to anyone who prefers to receive the news that way...e-mail me at puckishone@gmail and I'll put you on my list.

[digilight]

TA, I'm sorry to hear about this, good luck on the surgery and recovery. Godspeed and will be looking forward to seeing you back after a full recovery.

[Phoenix79]

TA, so sorry you are having such a hard time these days.

I will keep you in my prayers, dear!!

I've had major surgery for thyroid cancer (they cut me open like a pez dispenser), but that's about as close to the brain as I've gotten as far as surgery goes.

At least they know how to fix the problem you are having. Think of all the migraine free days you will have once the surgery is finished . . . you'll be a new Jenny! I think someone already said this, but it sucks when scary things like this happen to such nice people.

I'm sure you will be just fine, and you will be in my thoughts! {{HUGS}}

Phoenix

[The Gatekeeper]

I had booked a flight down to see our TA and give her mom a break for the beginning of December. I suppose I should have waited until the last set of MRI's were done first, because that is when they decided to move the surgery up from mid-November to this week.

I'm still going in December so I'll make sure I take plenty of pics of where they shave her head :devil: Oh and the scar(s)!

Sick and twisted, yes that's me. Somehow I think they would have stopped me at the airport in order to prevent me from going to the hospital.

GK - Hey what's this do? *pressing lever*
*Jenni flys across the room and hits the wall like a bug on a windshield*
*Jenni's dad goes to truck to get shot gun*
*GK begs to be deported*
:lol:

[officegirl]

Good luck with everything! Be strong (just like you are now :) ) and I will be sure to inculde you in my thoughts and prayers!

[NightAngel]

My thoughts are with you- hope you are back with us as soon as possible!!!

***Hugs!!!***

[MustangErin]

Good Luck and a speedy recovery.

[ZumZum]

Honey, if you can survive Claire's Hell you can survive anything!!
Be strong. I'll be thinking of you.

[Spiffy McMoron]

I know that it's been said a million times before, but that doesn't make it any less sincere, and it doesn't make it any less important:

Get better soon, and I hope that the surgery (and the delicious drugs-wheeeee!) goes well.

[Der Cute]

Great Googli-Moogli!!

That's one heck of a place to be operating on, and what it functions!

Here's good wishes for a speedy recovery and a better life !!:wave:

Cutenoob

[technical.angel]

Thanks everyone!!!

Sportsmom, you rock. I really needed that laugh!

What we were afraid was my gallbladder was probably a 24 hour bug I picked up from the "lovely" AAFH.

("I know Jenni has surgery coming up soon, but let's go stand right next to her and tell her all about my kids getting flu bugs from school! That sounds cool!")

I'll be in and out today, and will be totally out tomorrow!

I heart you all!

Jenni

PS: Don't worry, GK, I'm sure my Dad would use something better than a shotgun on you.

[protege]

Good luck, and get well soon!

[The Gatekeeper]

O.k., when you say "better" than a shotgun, what do you mean by the word better? Better as in, much more painful, or better as in say automatic weapons or grenades? Or better as in less lethal but still grusome, like say a board with a nail in it?


So is anyone interested in buying a plane ticket from Buffalo to St. Louis?

:wave:

Btw, it occured to me that some of you may have thought my comments to Jenni were insensitive. They were and they were designed to make her laugh, as they did. Our TA has a rather twisted sense of humour, just like me.

[technical.angel]

I don't have a twisted sense of humor, as Sportsmom pointed out, I have a KINKY sense of humor!!

I'm sure Daddy would pull out some of the autos on you. He likes you!

Jenni :angel:

[NightWolf]

Btw, it occured to me that some of you may have thought my comments to Jenni were insensitive.

Not at all. I thought they were rather funny and I kinda figured you and Tech Angel were friends. :)

Oh yeah,

and more warm fuzzies for T.A. for a speedy and healthy recovery. :D

[technical.angel]

Friends? with that weirdo? Pah! Roxie, I heart you, please don't kill me.

I'll be going in for my surgery at 9am Central.

Have a moment of silence for me. I'm sure the customers will understand! ;)

Jenni :angel:

[The Gatekeeper]

Your dad likes me? He really likes me?!?! (in the immortal words of Sally Field...sort of)

So if surgery is at 9, when do you go to the hospital and when is it too soon to call your mom?

[technical.angel]

I'll be going *IN* for surgery at 9am, which means if I didn't have to fill out the advanced directive paperwork, that's the time I'd have to be at the hospital.

Not only does my dad like you, he's dying to talk about kung fu with you.

Jenni :angel:

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

No moment of silence here. That's too morbid.

Just a big ol' "good luck and speedy recovery".

[technical.angel]

Of all the ideas I had, it seemed to be the most distracting. ;)

We're off! 2+ hour car drive and then being scalped! What a lovely day ahead!

Jenni :angel:

[The Gatekeeper]

Pics! I want pics of the new haircut!:p

[lordlundar]

Good luck Jenni! We'll be here hoping for the best.

A guardian angel for you.:angel:

[Phoenix79]

I second the :angel:

And third :angel:

And fourth! :angel:


Phoenix

[technical.angel]

As it's probably been told, I live!!!!

For those who are not faint of heart, check out my new-do!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/csmisgirl/1162079429.jpg

It's not the best picture, but yes, those are staples.

I'm actually doing quite well, except for the part where I can't turn my head.

I got home this afternoon, quite a few days before we would have thought.

Oddly, enough, according to my Mom, I have no brusing around in the incision site. My wrists, are a totally different matter. They had to put in a line into an artery to watch my blood pressure and such. They had tried my left wrist once, then 4 down a line on my right wrist till they got what they wanted. So, I have some pretty bruises there. Soon will be Monday, and I will be in chat!

Jenni

[The Gatekeeper]

I dub the Frankenjenni of the amazing powers of healing thyself!

Welcome back to the land of the living darling!

Woot!
:p

[Ringman]

SHE LIVES. Woot!! glad to know your doing fine tech, nice pic lol. see you in chat monday.

[Rapscallion]

Good to see you're up and about :)

Any relief of the other symptoms yet? Too early to tell?

Rapscallion

[Sphinx]

YAY!!!!!!<<<<<<<<<<<<<HUGS>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm glad everything went well, and cant wait to have you back in chat :)

[technical.angel]

Mom took the staples out yesterday. 38 staples. OW. I got a nerve that's freaking out from laying down too long on on a board runs under the cushion I was on.

So, Mom's taking me up to the mall to walk in a happy atmosphere. YAY!

Other than my leg, I'm doing GREAT! Since I got the staples out, and I have a wider range of movement in my neck. Walking is alot better too.

Jenni :angel:

[Plaidman]

:( Good luck! We're rooting for ya!

[Greenday]

YAY! She's better. The pic of the staples looked pretty cool. They way you wear it, it could be a new fashion statement.

[Ringman]

good luck TA. Chat is too quiet without you get well soon :)

[LostMyMind]

Is it safe to uncross the toes and fingers, yet? Getting kinda hard to type and walk ;)

Keep getting better, you're missed in chat. :D

[The Gatekeeper]

Keep those fingers and toes crossed everyone!!

I received a phone call from TA about 20 minutes ago. She is on her way to the hospital. She's been spiking a fever, and it's going up. She said it could be a hole in the dura. No reason to panic but she's feeling kind of crappy. Hopefully it's just something they have to pump her full of antibiotics for, and not open her back up.

I asked that her mother keep me informed. So I'll post if I hear anything, unless TA makes it back and posts an update herself.

Stay tuned.

[morgana]

I came into this late, but I have a candle lit now. Hang in there, Jenni!


Morgana

[RavenStarr]

I'm crossing everything that is crossable. I'm also not going to breathe again until I hear she's okay.

[The Gatekeeper]

No word yet everyone. I'll check in periodically through the day.

[The Gatekeeper]

Text message from TA's mom

This is mom
better now rough
night no lumbar
puncture may go
home today more
later when i know more

So there we have it folks. I'll post again when I hear from either mom of TA or TA herself.

[technical.angel]

It was a meningitis scare. Although, I didn't know it was until the doctor had mentioned that it couldn't be meningitis.

I was able to find out what's causing the leg pain. During the surgery, some blood could have gotten mixed in the the spinal fluid. Blood sunk down to the end of the spine, and irritated the nerves for my legs. Time should make it better. Until then, the pain pills that I really REALLY wanted to get off will still be my friend.

So, night at the hospital, a stop at home, and got the only bill I have to pay at home paid.

I know that other than this nerve thing, I'm doing really well. The hospital took more than enough blood to assure that. Without anymore bruises!! YAY! There was no clear reason why I was getting a fever, or the headache, but the percoset helped everything. So they sent me home yesterday morning.

I'll let you guys know more when I know it.

Jenni :angel:

[RavenStarr]

Oh I'm so glad to see you posting again. I was worried:eek: You rest well and take it easy. *Hugs*

[The Gatekeeper]

Good to see you home again!

I hope you're feeling better than the other night.

Cheers

((((non-hugs))))