It has been almost 5 weeks since my surgery. It took 9 hours (the surgeon was scheduled for 6), but everything was removed. One of my ventricles (sp?) had closed between the MRI and surgery, so I had a drainage tube for that for 10 hours. I went straight from surgery to ICU, where I spent 24 hours, before going to a ward for the next week.

They certainly give you lots of drugs while in hospital! Percoset and I don't agree with each other, to the point of hallucenation - I stopped with that pretty quick. I found I slept a lot, but that gradually got better.

My balance was way off the mark - as I tell people, there is a definite list to starboard! At first, it was a good 40 minutes of laying awake in my bed to get any balance, but I can pretty much get straight up now, with the help of my cane. I used a walker in the hospital and for the first week at home, and am now using a cane, probably for about 2 more weeks. My neck is quite sore, and I have a hard time getting comfortable at night, but am dealing with it.

I get so frustrated, because if I'm sitting there watching TV, I feel just like myself, then I get up and realize I have a ways to go. Small victories are helping - walking to my brother's house and back (10 blocks), and driving with my very nervous husband beside me to my in-laws (6 blocks). My husband is still worried sick about me, and I can't get thru to him that I will not do anything I am the least bit uncomfortable with. I do not go down to the basement unless someone is in the house with me, nor will I drive without someone. I know it is because he loves me, and wants me to get better, but I do wish he would understand my point of view a little better.

I want to thank everyone for the well wishes - it has helped a lot in this journey. I walked/ran a half marathon 2 years ago, and made the decision while in hospital that I would not let this keep me down. I am going to make a full recovery - I just need to think in terms of months, not weeks or days. Any brain tumour, benign or not is not a pleasant thing to deal with, and I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Pam

I actually had a car accident 5 years ago, and suffered a Grade 3 concussion. I have been dealing with what I've been calling "loopiness", the feeling when you are drinking wine, and you are at the point where 1 more glass is going to make you drunk, or you can stop drinking and be fine. It has come with a little dizziness, some limping, feeling like I don't navigate corners well. I'm a righty, and my hand writing has become atrocious, especially when I'm tired.

I went to my doctor last Nov, and mentioned the dizziness. He ordered a CT scan, but as it was not urgent, I didn't have it until May 3. The radiologist ordered the MRI which was on May 29, and I saw a nuero-surgreon yesterday, June 11. He had already booked surgery time for me next Fri, June 19, before he met me.

My tumour is 4 cm long, and he thinks, up against my brainstem. He is very concerned from the brain stem end of things, and that I could end up with severe swelling if the tumour blocked a drainage channel. He was surprised that I was as mobile as I am, he thought I would be a lot more syptomatic.
I am glad it is being dealt with so soon. Things are more contained, so to speak, and it is urgent, but not emergency surgery. It is still scary as hell, but I know I'm going to get through it.

Thank you so much for responding about recovery, it gives me some idea of what to expect. I have to admit, the look on people's faces when you say brain surgery is pretty scary. I tell everyone that benign is my favourite word, and that I am going to get it tattooed somewhere on my body - just haven't decided where yet :)