A man was calling my name rather urgently (and loudly) and I realised with some surprise that I was still alive (!) and possibly still in the operating theatre. I heard him call, "David!" again quite loudly and I did my best to make a slurring reply. "I'm going to put some moist pads on your eyes after you shut them. I'm going to dim the lights in the theatre, then I'm going to ask you some questions. Do your best to answer them accurately." Again, I slurred some kind of understanding. "Do you see any stars in your field of vision, and are they at the top or the bottom?" Incredibly, I could. I told him there was a red background colour and stars in the upper half of my vision. He then asked me again and I replied that the stars were now in the lower field of vision on the left side. The surgeon then said, "David, we'll put you to sleep again now." I slurred my understanding and just before I lapsed into unconsciousness again I heard the surgeon say to someone else in the theatre that "we're spot on with the positioning."
I was undergoing DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation), a form of brain surgery meant to alleviate severe symptoms of Parkinson's Disease when all other methods had failed. I had reached this point after developing quite a pronounced type of cervical dystonia about 18 months ago and gradually deteriorating as the condition worsened despite different drug regimes and multiple Botox injections in my neck muscles. I'd been reduced to about one awkward hour a day of activity, when I'd try to pack in some exercise, before seeking refuge on the lounge for the remainder of the day, propped up by pillows. My quality of life was very poor and I was even unable to go to the Knights' games, concerts, the cinema, or even out for a meal or a daily walk. It wasn't good!
A little over a month later, my condition is amazingly improved, if not quite perfect. My neck spasm is largely negated and my arm spasm is greatly changed, although I'm keen to see if my neurologist can tweak my device when I see him in a few days time, as the spasm has reoccurred in the last few days. He had cautioned that things might change as the swelling from the operation subsided and things settle down from the surgery, so I wasn't shocked to see my initial stellar results tempered a little with some movement returning. Anyway, it's actually quite miraculous how different things are now. Of course, considering it was major brain surgery, I'm now extremely tired each day and I'm sleeping even more than usual. I'm not allowed to do any upper body exercise until two months have elapsed and I'm not allowed to drive for three months, so Cassy has delighted in my backseat driving and need to be chauffeured everywhere(!)
So, this has been all consuming. The leadup to the surgery necessitated a pre-surgery visit for various scans and interviews with neurologists and psychiatrists for 5 days. When I managed to "pass" all the preconditions and criteria, I was then booked in for the real thing which necessitated another 10 days in hospital. I had my vital signs recorded hundreds of times and managed to survive the arctic air-conditioning in my room as well as nurse my various wounds (some of which can be seen in the photos above). My head remains lumpy from the swelling around my head wounds but most disconcerting is the neurotransmitter which has been placed in my upper chest: the surgical wound is healing nicely but it is very unsettling feeling, touching and seeing the small, rectangular battery pack under my skin! I suppose eventually I'll get used to it. Another practice I'll have to get used to (for the rest of my life, I suppose) is charging myself! I went through the weekly process this morning where I charge my handset (like a regular smartphone), the communicator and the large recharger, before getting all these devices to "talk" to each other before resting the recharger over my implanted neurotransmitter and charging up. It seems a little weird to me in these early sessions, but its pretty easy and takes about 45 minutes: I find I've run the battery down about 50% in a week, so that's pretty doable. It's just a little freaky to know I'll have to haul this paraphernalia around with me wherever I go forevermore!
We did manage some Christmas celebrations, the Drinkwater family doing their usual excellent job hosting on the day with Cass doing her tasty baked dinner on Boxing Day. We had a private party of seafood, spotted a giant bit of wildlife in the city(!) and I treated myself to a beautiful diecast remake of the 1966 Batmobile by Corgi, an exact copy of my favourite toy car when I was a little kiddie: great nostalgia!
Cass has read a succession of strange and exotic books of great quality lately but also ones which are quite heavy so I encouraged her to go "full Aussie" and read Trent Dalton's latest, "Gravity Let Me Go" which I had just read. She's enjoying it! I'm also reading quintessential Aussie fare with Jane Harper's, "Last One Out".