Chihuly Illuminated

Yesterday we went to Chihuly Illuminated at the Columbus Museum of Art. It's a great show and I would recommend it to everyone. Above are a few of the pictures we took. Actually, I think Mary Ann took all of the pictures except for one.

It Will Never End

Yesterday I saw three doctors and am scheduled for another surgery. One of my vocal cords was paralyzed during surgery. The tumor was wrapped around the Vegus nerve. When they were removing the tumor this nerve was damaged. It paralyzed my vocal cord and has caused me to have quite a bit of trouble swallowing. I am going to get some swallowing therapy and go ahead with a "Vocal Cord Medialization Laryngoplasty." I will have an implant beside my paralyzed vocal cord that will push it to the middle of my voice box to reach the working vocal cord. It is outpatient surgery and I should only be out of work for about 3 days. I should have immediate results and am looking forward to speaking better. So you see...this will never end. I guess this is why some people never go to the doctor. Once it starts you just can't stop.

Keeping Busy

I still haven't gone back to work and I might not go back for a little while. I have a pretty bad cough that has developed due to my paralyzed vocal chord and it is hard to speak. Since I am on the phone for 90% of my job, I think it would be hard to work. I hope that there is something else there I can do because I am getting bored. This morning I woke up and baked an apple pie. Yesterday I dried some apple chips. They are great to reconstitute and make fried pies with. Those will make a great winter time treat. I wonder what I will make tomorrow.

Tonight I have to have another MRI. I hate those things. This time however, my doctor has given my a valium to take before I go. I really hope it makes the time easier to deal with. I never thought I was claustrophobic until I had my first MRI.

Recovery and Laughter

I am recovering well from my surgery with a couple of speed bumps that are frustrating. After the surgery one of my vocal chords was paralyzed and I also have trouble swallowing. My voice is getting a little better, but it is a very slow process. The swallowing issue is hard for me to deal with. I love to eat and now I have to be very careful with what I consume. One thing that I've found easy to eat is pie. I've included a picture of a butterscotch pie I made the other night. I had a big craving and had to make it happen.

One thing that has helped in my recovery is Mary Ann. If it weren't for her I don't know what I would have done. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay her or let her know how much her presence has meant to me. I am sure the pictures I want to include probably aren't the right way to show this, but they are great pictures.

The Scar

Here is a picture of my scar 5 days after the operation. They got a lot of the tumor out but it was intwined in a lot of nerves so they couldn't get it all. It looks as if I will have some more decisions down the road. Right now I am just enjoying being at home and sleeping A LOT!!!
Thanks for everyones cards and support!

13 days

It's only 13 more days until the big day. I can't believe how much I am looking forward to getting this over with. For the longest time this tumor has seemed surreal, but the closer I get to the date of surgery, the more real it is getting. I hope I don't have a major breakdown/reality check the morning of.
I've noticed that I haven't been able to sit around and do nothing like I used to. I used to be satisfied to sit around and watch TV in the evenings, even if there wasn't anything worth watching. Now I have the need to fill these evenings with worthwhile projects or running errands. Monday night Mary Ann and I picked out a new recliner and last night I built another dresser that we got at Ikea. I still have cakes to bake for my parents 50th wedding anniversary party. Hopefully I will be in the mood to do that soon.

My Brain

The last few months have been interesting to say the least. I haven't been able to ride as much as I've wanted to because of a distraction. After hearing tests, a CT, an MRI and consultations with a surgeon, I've been diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor. It is a benign tumor and my surgery to get it removed is Sept. 1. Even though there are quite a bit of unpleasant scenarios that can happen if all doesn't go well during the surgery, I feel very positive that it will be a success. I have a lot of confidence in my surgeon and am very lucky that I live so close to The Ohio State Medical Center. I also feel fortunate that my symptoms aren't as extreme as so many others with this diagnosis. I noticed a loss of hearing in one ear and after testing they found the tumor. I also have some dizziness and blurred vision when reading smaller print.

So it looks like I will have a lot of time in Sept. for blog entries. The surgeon says I will need to stay home from work 4-5 weeks. I already have books on cd reserved at the library. I guess I can also catch up on some bad afternoon tv.

My family and friends have been very supportive and I love and appreciate them dearly. I'm including a picture from the MRI. This shot is taken from the perspective of looking up from my chin. I've tried to draw around the tumor. When I see the surgeon next I hope to remember to ask him if I can have a picture of the tumor.