After decompression surgery...?

Depends on what your doctor used to close the incision- mine used glue and dissolvable stitches. So the glue keeps everything nice and dry and you can wash hair whenever you want. Sounds like they didn't do that with yours. So I don't know. I'm just now getting hair around incision growing back to about inch and most of my other hair cover it all up. Ask the docs when they come to visit- they aren't usually there every day.

Thanks My NS has come to visit me twice every day since the surgery. I'll definitely ask him tommorow, I know, I have stitches not staples, but I have no idea about the rest of it.

So for now don't worry about it!! Getting to take a shower is fun!!

So-I'll be washing my hair in two weeks after removal of stitches. No glue. But my NS closed the incision simply perfect, when the nurse cleaned it with alchohol solution I felt nothing. Perfectly sealed wound.

A) use dry shampoo: store has it or just use some baking soda.

B) just wash the front and sides at a sink where there is less risk of saturating stitches.

That's what I was thinking. If I take care to not wet my sutures, I can still shampoo rest of the hair with some asisstance I don't think 2 weeks sound that extreme, the skin needs time to heal.

Next question: do you have any idea what is dura autoplasty? My NS did explain that, but I didn't quite catch that. So-he removed the dura and then what? Sewed it back on? I think not, otherwise you sort of loose the point of creating more space there. But it has something to do with the dura itself.

The thought about not knowing what exactly happened during surgery didn't leave my mind. I googled until I found out what dura autoplasty is. I guess in American English correct name of the procedure would be autogenous duraplasty. Basically, they harvest pericranial tissue from the occipital region and use that to patch the dura. It's a quite safe method. I found a scientific article and read all about that :D 

They remove the dura layer so they can get to the cerebellum. My doc then cauterized the tonsils so they would shrink back up into the skull. They also poke around a bit- because there were residents "learning" about the procedure.  Then they put on a dura patch made out of either a) some skin from somewhere else on your body or b) manufactured dura.  They make more space for your brain by cutting out the hole in the occipital part of the skull and by cutting off the top of the C1 vertabrae. I got a 15 sec. video of my brain after they had removed the dura as one of the residents took a video!! Can't really see too much, but it's cool to see it. 

As to why they remove it- I was assuming it had to do with shrinking the cerebral tonsils back up. May be some other reason to do it. My first NS would not have done it as he said if they open the dura layer and actually touch your cerebellum, you will be brain dead or something equally scary. He doesn't have the same level of knowlege about Chiari!! My docs are from a huge bunch and are affiliated with Indiana University so are more open to "new techniques."

Never feel bad about bugging your NS. That is their job!! I have bugged everyone. No one knows anything. Didn't puke up yesterday so actually ate something. It came back to haunt me at 6 am. About all I can do is stay hydrated till they make me go live at the hospital where they can IV me. I want my own personal at home IV!!  I have appt. tomorrow with NS. They better have a good reason for why I'm sick. I'm saving up all puke until I get there!!

I.V. at home has been my dream ever since I started to get Chiari headaches. I get you on that one. Minutes after I wrote my previous post my headache started to act up again. I can't really tell if it is as bad as pre-op, but it's bad. My biggest fear is that the full strenght pressure headache will come back. I felt relatively happy and pain free on the second day post-op. I refuse to believe that one good day was all I get out of having a brain surgery. Going to eat some icecream. I have no idea why, but I'm craving sweets.

I hope they'll have some answers for you

My best advice- Eat anything and everything!!! Doesn't matter if I do, cause I'll just puke it back up.  You've been out of hospital now for a few days? Are you resting? Staying in bed? Behaving like you just had major surgery? Pampering yourself? Wearing your collar? 

My doctor's office called and said that if I want to come in and see them, they can get me an appt. this afternoon. But that wouldn't be with MY doctor. So then I would have to reexplain everything. They claim it has nothing to do with flu shot, which I didn't really think it did. 

So depressed!! Will have to go see if I can find out anything new on internet!

Go back to bed and watch soaps!!

I'm doing all of the above, but I have a feeling that wearing my collar isn't too beneficial for me. Half an hour ago I had a feeling I'll pass out within few seconds, the pain was really intense, I instinctively took off my collar, you know-after 15 minutes I was able to get up on my feet, still in pain, but nowhere near the pain level those minutes ago.

Maybe I'm putting it on too tight? I have no idea. When I woke up in the ICU they had put it on really tightly, so I figured that's how I ought to wear it. One more thing I'll ask my NS.

Or Halloween Shows!!! There is a plethora of Halloweenie shows out there, particulalry today!!  I've decided to dress up as one of the walking dead. I just need some green makeup and some drippy blood or something. Maybe some claws. I actually don't watch that show, so no idea what they look like. But I have the zombie brain thing down pat!!!

If it feels too tight, take it off!! How long were you suposed to wear it? What circumstances were you supposed to wear it? Sounds like it is not helping!  Just try going without it a few hours. And also, stay in bed and rest!!! Can't believe you are getting up and doing things!!! I was pretty zombied out the first week after surgery. It's supposed to take 6 months to recuperate!!!

I'm supposed to wear it 12h a day, take it off during the night. Been lying in bed without the collar for almost two hours now, been feeling a little better. I wish I could doze off for a couple of hours like when going under anesthesia, wouldn't mind intubation if I'd wake up 4h later pain free.