Let's Book It...

The next surgery should be booked in the next day or so and hopefully before July 1st...or maybe the first week of July. My doc is great and is even willing to cancel his vacation so I can get my surgery since he knows how long I have waited. They will approach the tumor from my right nostril and then make a cut inside about 2 inches long to get to the pituitary. I may need some plastic surgery after but he doesn't really think so since my nose is of a good size...but he also said not large! I'll be in the ICU for at least the first 24 hours and then home after a couple of days...five at the most.

So what are the risks:

• Blindness
• Death
• Stroke
• Recurrance
• Infection
• Brain leakage
• etc...

I'll also have to have a lumbar drain put in so that my brain and fluids can drain out appropriately and it may be in only a day to months depending on how I do. I have my MRI this coming Monday so we have up-to-date pictures of the tumor. He indicated that mine is a good size and he will try to save my pituitary but could make no promises. I'll then be on 10 different hormones for the rest of my life. He said I should go back to my normal state if all goes well within the first couple of months then it's about letting my body rest and get strong enough to live a regular daily life and getting the medications balanced.

If it comes back then I'll need radiation and another surgery. But I trust him and know that he'll do his best. When he worked at University of San Fran he did six pituitary surgeries a day and while he admitted he's younger than most he also said I'm about 20 years younger than most pituitary patients...so I guess that puts us in the same boat. Anything I need post-surgery he'll do...he promised he wouldn't leave me hanging after he cuts me open which is nice to know.

Wel that's it for now...more later once I get a date!