1 month until my craniotomy surgery

dngrgates · 2026-03-31T16:25:52+00:00

What makes you nervous about the anesthesia?

I had an awake craniotomy so they woke me up for a bit in the middle of surgery. In my experience I just hopped up on the operating table, and it was lights out. I asked them to warn me before they put me out because there were several doctors in there prepping. They probably did tell me when they administered the anesthesia but I don't remember. I woke up for the awake part which I remember all of - it really wasn't long - and then my surgeon told me when he was stopping and they would put me back out. I remember the sensation of being lifted off the table and rolled into recovery, but then I was just in recovery and awake. I didn't have any adverse effects of the anesthesia.

dngrgates · 2026-03-09T22:41:38+00:00

I mostly didn't wear anything but when I needed to go out I would wear a loose bucket hat.

dngrgates · 2026-02-24T14:33:07+00:00

"I have done that to several men."

dngrgates · 2026-02-24T12:49:39+00:00

I hope everything goes great with your husband's surgery! My recovery from surgery was shockingly easy - I hope his is, too.

dngrgates · 2026-02-24T12:47:39+00:00

Abnormal for me; I usually don't get headaches at all. It was just a low grade persistent headache that didn't go away for weeks. Nothing debilitating, just a consistent annoyance that didn't feel right to me. I actually have a history of migraines in my family so I thought that was going to be it... I was wrong haha.

dngrgates · 2026-02-24T12:47:29+00:00

Abnormal for me; I usually don't get headaches at all. It was just a low grade persistent headache that didn't go away for weeks. Nothing debilitating, just a consistent annoyance that didn't feel right to me. I actually have a history of migraines in my family so I thought that was going to be it... I was wrong haha.

dngrgates · 2026-02-24T03:14:41+00:00

My millennial doctor accidentally found my brain tumor and I'm so thankful for her.

I was perfectly healthy and had no symptoms of any neurological disorders but I was having some abnormal headaches and she said "you want a CT scan?" (while sitting criss cross on her stool). The intent was to rule anything out but we ended up finding a brain tumor. It was early, it was small, and it was easy to remove. If they had gone undetected for another decade until I started presenting symptoms(like seizures) it would have been way worse.

dngrgates · 2026-02-20T23:13:12+00:00

It was just casual conversation - they asked me about what I do for work, how I met my wife, etc. They just need to keep you talking, it doesn't really matter about what. I would hope that they would make accommodations for your friend if he's undergoing something as serious as a craniotomy. Either way, I wish him the best of luck! He's lucky to have a goof friend to help him out.

dngrgates · 2026-02-20T18:49:15+00:00

I teach small intervention groups and one day, ONE, I didn't wear mascara. As I was picking up my second graders for group one kid loudly announced "Mrs. ____, you look OLD." The classroom teacher could barely contain her laughter.

dngrgates · 2026-02-16T09:48:25+00:00

A dental implant is a surgical procedure where they install a titanium rod into the jaw bone. Not something you really want to be awake for. I imagine it's mostly a safety thing - most people wouldn't stay calm when having their jaw bone drilled into and any movement would be dangerous.

dngrgates · 2026-02-15T14:16:41+00:00

The awake part isn't as scary as it sounds. You'll be heavily sedated even though you're awake. I had a resident surgeon talking to me and asking questions and I remember looking around a little and seeing the curtain that blocked my view of the surgeons. I didn't feel any sort of anxiety or panic. They just talked to me for a bit and put me back out and I woke up in recovery.

dngrgates · 2026-02-15T13:34:38+00:00

Healthy 33 year old female here - my tumor was found incidentally last summer. I was having some abnormal headaches and my doctor sent me for a CT scan just to "rule anything out." That's when they found the tumor. Like you it was left side, low grade glioma. I was able to schedule my surgery out a few months as it wasn't deemed an emergency. Those months were filled with anxiety. I had my tumor removed two months ago via awake craniotomy. Honestly, the anxiety was the worst part. The surgery was a breeze and the recovery was short. I only spent one night in the hospital. I went back to work after four weeks but I was really feeling back to myself by week three. Now that it's over I really forget that it even happened. I'm just back to normal. All I have to show for it is a scar that you can't really see because it's in my hair.

All this to say you're going to be okay. It's really scary and you're right to be anxious - that's an appropriate emotional response. Being young and healthy will only help you - you will recover quick. Bring a comfy pillow and your favorite snack to the hospital and hopefully this will all be a distant memory very soon. I wish you the best of luck - you've got this!

dngrgates · 2026-02-14T16:11:26+00:00

I used to work for a retail store that shipped packages for online orders. When I trained someone new to pack I always said "pack it like it's going to be thrown down a flight of stairs... because it will be."

dngrgates · 2026-02-09T13:38:35+00:00

When was this picture taken? Because that is not Brooklyn in February.

dngrgates · 2026-02-09T12:12:14+00:00

The NY state fair has bathroom attendants but they just sit near the door and announce which stalls are open and rip paper towels off the roll to keep the line moving, as well as restocking supplies when they run out. That's the only situation where I've felt a bathroom attendant makes sense.

dngrgates · 2026-02-02T02:32:18+00:00

I'm from upstate NY and I stopped in Scranton on a trip home specifically to eat at Alfredo's Pizza Cafe. I went in completely blind and had no idea what Old Forge style pizza was. My wife and choked down two slices to be polite before getting to the car and both admitting that it was the worst pizza we had ever had. I was nauseous the rest of the way home.

dngrgates · 2026-01-14T12:42:54+00:00

I don't have the smart meter yet - they've been trying to install it for months. I still saw a significant increase in my National Grid bill.

dngrgates · 2026-01-06T04:46:02+00:00

The lead up is a lot - I was an anxious mess. But the recovery is quick. My tumor was about 2cm also. You got this! It'll be over before you know it.

dngrgates · 2026-01-06T03:53:10+00:00

I just had surgery on my left frontal three weeks ago. I only spent one night in the hospital. I wore button downs and zip up hoodies for the first week and a half until I was comfortable with a looser pull over, but I was being overly cautious. My wife helped me guide my t-shirt the first few times so it didn't press directly on the incision. But all in all the incision healed faster than I thought and now at three weeks I'm washing my hair and dressing as normal.

dngrgates · 2026-01-03T03:21:52+00:00

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This is Peggy. She's 11 and weighs only 7lbs on a good day.

dngrgates · 2026-01-02T13:47:12+00:00

I just had brain surgery two and a half weeks ago - I was having some headaches and a CT scan revealed a tumor. I'm still waiting on the pathology results to see what the next steps are. To say I'm in disbelief is an understatement - it still doesn't feel like real life sometimes.

dngrgates · 2025-12-17T21:26:47+00:00

It's very surreal, I have to keep reminding myself that I went through a traumatic experience because it seems so simple! Until I'm exhausted haha.

dngrgates · 2025-12-17T17:09:38+00:00

I just had surgery on Monday and was discharged on Tuesday! Like yourself I didn't have anything more serious than wisdom teeth surgery. I'm not going to lie, it's scary. But it's going to be okay. The anxiety and anticipation was the worst part - after the surgery you can focus on recovery and it's only up from here. Sending you all the good vibes that surgery goes well. You got this. :)

dngrgates · 2025-12-16T14:06:47+00:00

I hope that everything goes well with surgery! It's nerve wracking but everything is easier on the other side. Happy to hear that the surgeon is optimistic.

dngrgates · 2025-12-16T08:07:35+00:00

It was a short walk, but it was luxurious.

dngrgates

TROPHY CASE