M Rex and her beautiful brain

Guest post #2~ Random Thoughts for you on a snowy Tuesday~ My post-op appointment is tomorrow, so I'm hopeful to learn more then. Weather has been snowy & cold with a forecast of more of the same, so the plan is to head to Billings this afternoon with my dad, so we don't have to worry about making my appointment with Dr. Ross tomorrow morning. I'll update accordingly Wednesday or Thursday. I’ve been loving the “10 Things That Scare Me” podcast because it was about how long my attention span was for a while there. I’ve learned it changes a little bit every day, but it’s kind of amazing how therapeutic it is to make your list. Today’s (in no particular order.) 1.      Heights/falling. Falling has always been a fear & I’m wimpy about heights, but lately I’m super scared of falling down the stairs. (Still makes me nervous with the wonky left side. I’m into handrails.) 2.      The dark. (Imaginations are weird I tell ya!) 3.      Being “mostly dead.

Good evening! Below is M's add request to the blog. So without further adieu...... Howdy all!. Saturday was a strong day in a week of recovery that is trending in the right direction. While not at 100%, knowing the tumor is benign is making the recovery very manageable. The pins/needles sensation and proprioception issues on my left side (arm, leg, face & tongue) persist, but all parts work great and my strength is symmetrical. They are confident that will go away in time as swelling goes down. I really do think that now that Gargamel is out, strangely, his "not small" size is now in my favor (5cm x5.2cm x5.5 cm + some significant swelling) With space to swell my brain is less angry and my headache has been better than pre-op. It made me miserable for months and Saturday that changed and I started feeling mentally clearer.   Thinking about Gargamel’s size and impact, took me to YouTube. It turns out, I'm not *quite* ready to wat

Good morning!   Last night we received the full pathology report on Gargamel. Non-cancerous. What a relief and one more step on the recovery process checked off.  We still have one near term hurdle. The 7-10 days following tumor removal have a high likelihood of stroke. Hence the reason for visiting hours, lots of sleep, M living on house arrest and in general, being very relaxed.. She is just easing through this period while we vigilantly watch for the signs of a stoke. For those like me, and don't know the signs of a stroke, here they are as referenced by the American Stroke Association. F-facial droop. A-arm weakness S-speech difficulty T-time to call an ambulance The FAST acronym is easy to remember  but was not something I knew beforehand. Sharing that seems appropriate as it applicable to everyone.  The early recognition of a stroke can have significant impact on the outcome of an individual facing this life changing event. Now we continue to wait, yet again. M l

Quick update!  I'm sorry I forgot to put the times up to come and visit M.  If you could come by between 9&11am and again at 4-6pm. That gives her a nice nap window! Thanks!! Matt

The rumors are true.  M is back home. We arrived back at Bozeman late this afternoon. Yes, the roads from Billings were great. After a run down by the Doc and M's nurse, she was given the all clear to be freed. Before leaving Billings we were able to have lunch with the Kaull's and top it off with a quick hit of ice cream. Now that we are back home, the bulk of the recovery process begins.  She was advised she is going to be very tired and consequently she will need to sleep. Possibly 10 plus hours of sleep a day. So you are welcome to come visit her! She wants to see all of you but please be mindful of rest policy as she will need the downtime.   "Nurse Ratched" will be policing the grounds and there won't be much I can do for you should you choose to be a violator.  Again, I do want to reiterate that she loves the company so everyone is welcome! Our dear friends the Potters have set up a "Meal Train" for M.  Please go to https://www.mealtrain.co

   WANTED!    EMILY REX                      Last seen escaping from St Vincent's Hospital                   in Billings, MT.   Likely Whereabouts are at 403 N                   17th Ave, Bozeman, MT.                    Suspect defining features are a big smile, especially                   when eating ice cream, and large scar on the top of                    her head. Consider the suspect extremely happy to                    be home.