SURVIVING WHAT MOST SAID WAS “UNSURVIVABLE”

SURVIVING WHAT MOST SAID WAS “UNSURVIVABLE”
MY SURGERY
My elective ear and skull base surgery hit a point of necessity approximately 4 weeks ago. Having major difficulties with my vision, hearing, and dizziness gave me little options and was affecting every aspect of my life. I have a condition called, “Superior Canal Dehiscence”. Very rare, unique, and unknown to most doctors. I fell into the right hands though….a neurotologist in the Cincinnati area who specializes in skull base surgery and who understands this condition very well. I underwent surgery January 20th. Surgery went fairly well with one minor hang up. A tear in the Dura lining of the brain and subsequent CSF leak that required repair prior to the bone grafting for the surgery. Overall surgery was a success with an approx. 24 hour stay in the Neuro ICU. Prior to my departure I was eating and drinking, walking the halls, and having no complications.
MY RECOVERY
The first few days went well. I was resting and recovering. I was walking, going up/down stairs, eating, drinking, etc. After about 4 days I noticed changes. Every day the following was worsening: Rapidly declining stamina, increased work of breathes increased nausea and vomiting (mostly with exertion), worsening balance and gait, and the final kicker “pain”. I woke up the morning of the 28th with a runner’s cramp in my left side. It hurt to inhale. I thought it was a pulled muscle or I just slept funny. It was nagging pain. By that evening I was running a fever. I immediately called the surgeon’s office and was advised to go see my physician in the morning. The physician couldn’t see me until 5pm so we headed for the ER.
MY EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT
Breathing hard and in pain the ER doc. looked at me puzzled. Lungs sounded clear. He ran a BIG battery of tests. A couple hours later we hear….Mrs. Dreyer….YOU HAVE MULTIPLE CLOTS THROUGHOUT YOUR LUNGS. I’m trying to get in touch with your doctors b/c you need to be admitted to the hospital and on blood thinning medication asap. However, you just had skull surgery and a blood thinner will put you at risk for a head bleed. No one wanted to make that decision. However surprisingly, the risk of not starting the blood thinner was actually far greater than the risk of a head bleed. The decision was made to admit me to University and treat the clots.
MY HOSPITALIZATION
9 Days & Complicated! That is the best way that I can sum this one up. Complicated. I have been told I have many clots in my lungs. The clots caused an infarct to the lung tissue in my lower left lobe (explaining the site of my runner’s cramp pain). Most worrisome were the two very large clots (one in each lung). My hospitalization has been complicated by challenges with pain management, difficulty breathing and significantly increased work of breath, the blood thinning process, fighting dehydration, nausea/vomiting, a urinary tract infection, a flare up of ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease now putting me at risk for bleeding out due to the blood thinning medication), major challenges with my balance and gait making it unsafe for me to walk by myself, and O2 desaturation with all exertion tasks (i.e. walking 6 feet and desat. to the low 80’s).
MY CURRENT FIGHT
I was transferred to Christ Hospital for inpatient rehab this weekend. I do not know how long I’ll stay but it certainly will depend on recovery and progress. I’ll receive a minimum of 3 hours of therapy a day starting tomorrow. I’ll have OT, PT, Speech and more. I am ready for this. I do not know what’s to come, but I do know where I want to go…..and that’s all the motivation I need. The doctors tell me to expect it to take a minimum of 6 months for my body to break down all of the clots and not to be disappointed if it takes up to 1 year. I will be on blood thinners for a minimum of 6 months. My stamina and lung function will improve over time.
MY SURVIVAL
One medical professional after another stressed the seriousness of my situation and shared that this should not have been survivable. So, why did I? All say it was my level of physical fitness. To which I said….I should send Tony Horton and P90X a Thank You card for assisting in saving my life. I also believe I have a strong faith and have much too much to live for.
MY PLAN FOR REHAB
I currently rely on about 2L of oxygen support. I’d like to wean off the oxygen, improve my balance and gait to a level safe to move about my house, be more independent in my everyday ADL’s, and build up my stamina to where I’m not short of breath in simple conversation. I want to be able to play with my kids again, take a shower independently, etc. When appropriate, I want to drive, go back to work, ……… I’d like to have my life back!
So, I have BIG goals to achieve and taking one day at a time. You all have been a tremendous support. My family and especially I are so very thankful to all of you for offering support, assisting us, and sending prayers. The power of prayer is so important to me. THANK YOU. I love you all. I love that you love me. Word travels fast and my family does pass along all of the names and messages from all of you. Please continue to send your prayers as I enter this inpatient rehab stay. And please pray for Nash and the kids as they struggle with my absence and illness. THANK YOU!
Kelly