Every now and then, I will share occasional stories about a huge brain bleed that nearly took me out on Thanksgiving Day 2023 and lasted in hospital care through January 2024. The brain bleed caused severe pressure in my skull and a major midline shift of my brain. In the ambulance, I was intubated because the brain pressure/damage was shutting down my ability to breathe. My eyes were fixed and dilated. I was totally unresponsive.
At the hospital, they did not expect me to survive, but they cut a huge chunk out of my skull to get rid of as much of the contents of the bleed as possible and relieve the pressure. Then my skull/scalp was stapled back together and I was left with half a hairdo. They expected me to be on the breathing machine for about two weeks and then require a tracheotomy to maintain breathing as I would probably end up in an vegetative state.
Although I have zero memory of this, within 24 hours I was completely off the breathing machine and breathing on my own. I also began talking with a very limited vocabulary. Against my normal verbiage, I utilized two main words in my vocabulary when I began to respond: 1) "NOOOO!" and... predominantly...2) "F###!" I also began getting movement back and was quick to frequently flash the bird to communicate my "cooperation" with the staff. I remember none of this. My recovery was Rated R for language. LOL.
In March 2024, I had another bleed that turned out to cause less damage, but I was unconscious for 2 days as they drilled a hole in my noggin and installed a brain drain tube. I was in the hospital for 2 more days so my brain would finish draining out, but I was alert after the surgery. I spent those days apologizing to every caregiver that worked with me this time in case they met me in my angry, cussing, bird flipping days from my first stay. They were so kind and told me that my behavior was not unusual for someone in my condition. I was just happy to be able to say thank you to so many who helped me and let them know that I was not normally an F-bomb, bird-flipping machine. I'm not yet totally back to full strength, but I'm still kicking.
Also, while in the hospital, I never wore pants. Like I said, I ain't right in the head.
I think my pants are missing.
At the hospital, they did not expect me to survive, but they cut a huge chunk out of my skull to get rid of as much of the contents of the bleed as possible and relieve the pressure. Then my skull/scalp was stapled back together and I was left with half a hairdo. They expected me to be on the breathing machine for about two weeks and then require a tracheotomy to maintain breathing as I would probably end up in an vegetative state.
Although I have zero memory of this, within 24 hours I was completely off the breathing machine and breathing on my own. I also began talking with a very limited vocabulary. Against my normal verbiage, I utilized two main words in my vocabulary when I began to respond: 1) "NOOOO!" and... predominantly...2) "F###!" I also began getting movement back and was quick to frequently flash the bird to communicate my "cooperation" with the staff. I remember none of this. My recovery was Rated R for language. LOL.
In March 2024, I had another bleed that turned out to cause less damage, but I was unconscious for 2 days as they drilled a hole in my noggin and installed a brain drain tube. I was in the hospital for 2 more days so my brain would finish draining out, but I was alert after the surgery. I spent those days apologizing to every caregiver that worked with me this time in case they met me in my angry, cussing, bird flipping days from my first stay. They were so kind and told me that my behavior was not unusual for someone in my condition. I was just happy to be able to say thank you to so many who helped me and let them know that I was not normally an F-bomb, bird-flipping machine. I'm not yet totally back to full strength, but I'm still kicking.
Also, while in the hospital, I never wore pants. Like I said, I ain't right in the head.
I think my pants are missing.
