Home Again.

Thanks for all the comments folks. The support is very much appreciated.

They sent me home yesterday around 11am. I was a little worried about coming home, but it has been great! Sleeping in my own bed last night was amazing! It is still really tricky to get comfy, but not having interruptions every couple hours was wonderful. Last night was the first night no one woke me up to take blood between 3-5am, my least favorite interruption, other than the crazy loud code blue announcements followed by lots of running to the elevator. They want you to rest in the hospital, but it is next to impossible!

So I'm home, weaning myself off some of my meds (pain meds, muscle relaxer, steroids) and trying to keep my noshing under control (steroids make me hyper and ready to eat ALL THE TIME). I'm trying to get back into the swing of walking again. It is amazing how easy it is for me to get wiped out. I can do a mile or so walk, but then I need a break.

On a separate note, I must say this whole thing is so surreal- I am having a hard time wrapping my head (no pun intended) around what has happened in the last week. I went from having a great set of scans, to a horrible headache, to a possible brain tumor and an ambulance ride across the Bay Bridge, to brain surgery, to home again in under a week. Wowza! I will say I feel lucky that things went so quickly and that we live so close to UCSF. I am very confident that I got the best care possible (nice that I'm not haunted by "what if's"). I know I said this before, but everyone I dealt with there was so helpful, professional and kind. More on some of the quirkier personalities to come :).

Next steps for me...
First, I've got to get Keith to get some rest, poor guy is completely exhausted. My mom is coming out tomorrow, so that should help. I don't need too much help right now but I can't drive for a bit and I can't lift anything more than 5 lbs.

Second, get in to get my stitches out. I've got to call tomorrow and get an appointment with the surgeon's nurse practitioner for the end of the week.

Third, get brave and wash my head. I need to soak off some of the glue, blood, etc. They told me I could shampoo as of yesterday but I'm not ready!! I may chicken out on this part and just wait until after getting the stitches out. Right now, a hood does a nice comfortable job of hiding my crazy wound (too bad Halloween is so far off, because I've got a GREAT look right now!).

Fourth, tie up some loose ends at work. I've decided that as much as I like working, there is no reason for me to rush back to work. Between follow-up appointments from surgery, the inevitable radiation treatment that will follow, it just makes sense to take some time off.

As if this little tumor issue wasn't enough to worry about, Keith's mom's trip down to the Mayo Clinic happened on Friday. Sounds like the verdict is that Mayo wouldn't change anything about her treatment at this point, and the Duluth doctors are doing the right thing. It's great to know that she's been looked over so thoroughly, and we'll continue to hope for her improvement to continue (albeit slowly).