Surgery Day and Recovery

I am writing this a few weeks after surgery - it was just too much to keep up with this blog!  After we checked in for surgery we had to force him to drink the pink medicine (valium). He was not happy about that but once it kicked in he was giddy and was wheeled away from me with no problems - the surgeon reassured me, gave me a hug and then walked into the operating room to start preparations.  The waiting was the hardest part.  After surgery the neurosurgeon came and talked to us and told us that it went well, but there had been quite a lot of  bleeding and they had given him plasma.  They had actually taken off a bit of C2 to make more room - normally only C1 is removed (the first vertebrae). We elected to participate in a genetic study so the bone was mailed off to a research center, I believe at Duke University. 

After recovery he was moved to the PICU where he looked up for a little but was mostly knocked out after anesthesia and pain meds - fentanyl and Tylenol were given for pain through his IV along with adavan and Zofran for nausea and vomiting. He vomited bile a couple of times and then he was better.  He was to receive amicar (the medication that helps keep blood clots formed) for the next 5 days.  After 2 nights in the PICU he was moved to the floor and we had a private room with bathroom.  He didn't really start eating until day 4 and then only nibbles.  His neck was so sore and he was barely able to walk.  The physical therapist came to work with him a couple of times and he could barely move - I thought recovery was going to take forever.  We were discharged after 5 nights at the hospital and by day 2 at home he was moving so much better.  He was started on a steroid while at the hospital to help his appetite and we tapered it off at home. He actually was eating really well the first 10 days after surgery and then he got sick and stopped eating.

At home we continued to give Tylenol for a week or so until his headaches went away. The incision healed nicely and we kept it covered for a good 2 weeks so afraid that he would pick and get it infected.  Now the sutures have dissolved and his scar is looking reddish.