Brain surgery part II

For the 2 of you that followed the first piece, and for the others that will eventually find this when diagnosed with a rathke's cleft cyst, remember that my surgery experience wasn't all that normal.  Most people have their 'minimally invasive' brain surgery and heal wonderfully within a couple of weeks, regaining a normal sense of self within about 6-8 months.

My extremely talented neuro-surgeon and his team of anesthesiologists, interns, and other specialists that monitored me during my surgery were wonderful.  The nurses were great, and the whole Neuro Intensive Care Unit was amazing.  Even funny.  After prepping me, they wheeled me off to do a trans-sphenodial surgery, basically meaning that they punch through my sphenoid bone right behind my nose and between my eyes, and access the cyst that way.  It is incredible that they can even do brain surgery with a little scope and a few instruments up your nose.

As is pretty common, my dural sack (the sack surrounding the brain) was perforated during surgery, which meant that CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) was leaking, and had to be stopped.  So they cut a bit of fat out from my belly button area and plugged the leak with it.  I know, disgusting, but the body accepts it's own tissue so much more readily.  And I couldn't stand the funky smell until after it healed up, but it was what it was.