ARGGHHH!!!!! Not another OP!!!!!

[jingle]

Surgery has IMPROVED so much during the it last several years that it's almost a different process. What could not be safely done 15 years ago can be now be done quickly and safely.

[hypnoticsean]

Well I think my mind is more or less made made up now after Jingle's last post and particular intro 'Surgery has IMPROVED so much during the it last several years that it's almost a different process'. This was also something that was mentioned, but have have still been on a bit of a downer since this appt. As previously mentioned this has been the only thing that has been the the reason for my 'E' to continue and affect my life quality . So if it can be safely removed, obviously with the attached risks, may as well go ahead.

[howdydave]

Howdy Sean!

No offense to Jingle but...
On general principles, I wouldn't take anybody's word about improvements in surgery over the last few years except for a surgeons -- preferably a neurosurgeon or brain surgeon.

[jingle]

I'm going to talk to much/long .......... and nothing new.
Back in 1990 ('89?) I started having funny "spells" but had no idea in the world what they were. I was having so many I finally went to doc..... He said I was working/trying too hard and had to learn to relax.

Nov. 1, 1990, sound asleep I had a TC and husband took me to emergency room - they had no answer. Later I was given CT which showed a fuzzy blot in left temporal lobe so I had a MRI which was pronounced PERFECTLY CLEAR. So I was diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy.

My epilepsy was treated by several neuro from around the AF and ND. In 93 we moved to Missouri and I was with the same neuro until 2005 when I finally convinced him that "something is wrong" and he sent me into St. Louis for an MRI.

That MRI showed the lesion in left temporal lobe and the film was sent to Barnes Jewish Hospital/Washington University ....... they told me to try to get the 1990 MRI and, praise God, I was able to.

When the neuro surgeon was telling me the 1990 MRI was almost exactly the same as the 2005 film - that lesion was so clear I could see it.

I threw a screaming, bawling, hysterical FIT. What on earth had happened because idiots read that 1990 film and I could have had removal surgery THEN ........ not deal with what I had for 15 years.

The surgeon said that if the MRI had been read correctly I would have been slammed into a North Dakota hospital and the results almost certainly would have been bad. If they (Barnes Hospital) had seen the film they would have preformed surgery and the results of surgery in left temporal lobe would not be 100% good. He explained how much brain surgery had changed and was now "safe".
I had the surgery on Feb. 14, 2006 and was home Feb 16.

There's more but I've already talked too much.

[howdydave]

The thing is, they were referring to your case.

While there may have been massive changes in surgical procedures, they may not be applicable in my case.

[Tattoo2]

I rather doubt if asking a neurosurgeon about improvements in neurosurgery would give an objective answer. Seems like there would be a conflict of interest. What is he/she gonna say? I would however ask to talk to other patients who have had the procedure they want to do to you at this same facility and was done by the same neurosurgeon. That is a sure way to learn their expertise. I have recommended that for a long time. Lots of people leave their names with their Comprehensive Center for that purpose I did! I had surgery in 1998 an the woman who as my mentor so to speak had had the same surgery 15 years before that at the same place as I was going and hers was done by the neurosurgeon who trained mine. I felt very comfortable since she took no meds and only rarely had an aura. I only take one med and probably do not need that one and have not lost consciousness since as I mentioned. They need to do more surgery as it is still very underdone. The general neuros do not refer like they should and still feed their patients meds even when they know they are not helping. Shame on them! It is up to us to check out the available options and to educate others. Tattoo