My Pet Head-Rock

Today it has been exactly six weeks since my surgery. Though fatigue from a craniotomy may last up to two months, which is probably standard for many surgeries, the 6-week mark ends the recovery period for most craniotomies. If it weren’t for the fact that it’s disruptive to switch teachers right before the end of term, I might have gone back to work this week. The physical and mental issues that have plagued me since the craniotomy have also cleared up for the most part. If I take any painkillers now, it is usually for a garden-variety migraine or other “non-skull-based” issue. My incision is still scabby in spots and my hair , which was so quick to reemerge, is still only very short stubble. Some of it is growing in the wrong direction, so I may come out of this with a new cowlick at the top of my head. I no longer fatigue from having to look at and listen to somebody/something at the same time, and multi-step processes and complex decisions are getting easier to do. (See post...

This time of year, we frequently hear these song lyrics: He’s making a list, checking it twice. I say, “Wait, only twice? What kind of slacker are you, Santa?” I have long been a fan of making lists. When I was younger, the lists were more of a catalog: the countries I had visited or wanted to visit, clothing items to buy that would complete my wardrobe (who was I kidding? It’s never completed!), guys I had dated. Now that I’ve reached middle age, the lists help me remember what I need and want to do. Yeah, kids, you read that right – I need a reminder sometimes of the things I want to do. That little reduction in memory capacity is waiting for you, too, when you reach middle age. (Hmm… I don’t like the term “middle age.” It sounds so much older than just saying my actual age of 45.) I rely heavily on such checklists during recovery from my craniotomy, but they look a little different now. Initially, they actually looked different without one’s having to read them because ...

This was in my fortune cookie the day I had a checkup with my neurosurgeon. November 29 th marked exactly four weeks since my craniotomy and was the day I met with my neurosurgeon to discuss how things are going. Once again, I was reminded of how the doctors I’ve had at Abbott Northwestern have been excellent: Dr. Stanley M. Goldberg for my colectomy – he spoke directly to me and not just to my parents even though I was only 13 – and Dr. John Mullan for my craniotomy. They are/were both good at what they do, respectful, reassuring in their confidence, enthusiastic about the work they do, and … hmmm. I want to say something like “easy to talk to about my concerns” or “not dismissive” or something along those lines, but those terms seem inadequate. I felt heard . That’s probably one of the best things you can say about a doctor, in my opinion. So here’s where I stand, one month post-craniotomy: ·        Pain: If there’s not another body par...