Happy Holidays

I don't have an exact date yet, but it will be in the first week of January. I am in good spirits thanks to all of the Christmas cheer and well wishes from everyone and thank you all for that . My blood pressure is still lowering and getting better everyday and I'm real happy about that.

I'm sure I'll have a date soon, to share with you all.

So, enjoy your Christmas, I will update soon!

Love,

Lori

Quick Update

Hey,

Dr. Rich called today! Yeah, I think?

We talked about a date for surgery. Because of the holidays, the two surgeons are having a hard time getting together. He said the soonest they could do the surgery would be Dec 19th. We discussed the having the surgery to close to the holidays could be hard not only on me but friends and family to, so we decided it would be best to wait until after.

So, we discussed moving ahead with the surgery the first week of January, but still no set date. Lots of fun to look forward to huh.

I know everyone has been anxiously waiting and being so patient in waiting to.

Thanks for all of your support, it means alot to me!

I will update, and let you all know as soon as I know the for sure date.

Meanwhile, this gives me a little bit of relief for the holidays, and I'm just going to try to put it in the back of my mind and enjoy the holidays, and I hope you all will to.

Have a very Merry Christmas,

Lori

Still no word

Hi to everyone!

We still have no word from Dr. Rich. We have already called the Dr.'s office today and were told that Dr. Rich is not in his office until Thursday (I hope I won't have to wait till then). They also said that he usually calls in for messages on Tuesdays. So hopefully we will be able to hear from him today.

I really appreciate all of your concerns, and hopefully we will have a surgery date soon. This waiting is driving me crazy, as I'm sure it is you to. Meanwhile, I'm trying not to think about what is to come.

Please don't worry to much and we will be sure to let you know of any changes that may happen today.

Love you all,

Lori

p.s. I'm on a new blood pressure medication added with the first one they put me on and hopefully it will kick in soon, the first one didn't do anything! Maybe with them combined they'll do the trick.

Home from Tempe

Last week we went to the eye doctor to see if the anuerysm was causing the slight vision problem with the right eye, turns out it is not. They did a complete eye exam and feild test, and have shared the results with Dr. Rich. She has some near sightedness in her right eye.

So it is Monday and we have called the Surgeons office to see when we can get in and get taken care of, he will be reviewing the eye test and getting back with us hopefully today! To schedule the surgery, we are at the mercy of the hospital and surgeons on this one.

We went to the TER seminar in Tempe AZ over the weekend, she was able to really relax and get her mind off her worries, she had alot of fun she was smiling like normal, not like the past 3 weeks. Smiling and laughing is great medicine for her, and in watching her I benefitted as much from her smile as she did!!! As did others who were with us. I appreciate those we spent time with Friday night through Sunday who helped her smile.

Anyone who knows her and has had the opportunity to be around her much knows how special she is... No one more than I. Its obvious why we love her so much!!!

We can feel the thoughts and prayers from all of you, it is amazingly powerful medicine for us.

Still in limbo

11/24/06

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Still waiting to hear from the Dr. on a date for surgery. I'm finding it hard to sleep at night, the anticipation of the surgery is driving me crazy. Hopefully we will hear from Dr. Rich next week. I have an eye appointment next week as well. Dr. Rich wanted to make sure if the spot I'm seeing is related to the pressure the anuerysm is putting on the nerves in my eye, or if it's due to something else before he performs the surgery.

Thanks, everyone for your comments and well wishes, you bring great comfort to me and my family. We will let everyone know as soon as we hear anything.

Love Dave & Lori

P.S. Ashlee, it's so good to hear from you! My blood pressure is being kinda stubborn. I'm sure that they are going to put me on a different medication next week. Ashlee we sure miss ya, and hope all is well with you!!!

Mondays Dr. Appointment

Hey, just wanted to update everyone on my condition, if that is infact what it is. It's kinda weird ya know. I feel fine, I look fine so how can anything be wrong :)

Today was interesting to say the least. It was kinda surreal listening to what Dr. Rich had to say. The procedure consists of making an incision from about the top of my head to about my ear. They then pull back the skin and cut through the skull, and under the brain. My aneurysm is behind my right eye, underneath my main opthamalic nerve. They will need to remove some bone, before the can reach the anuerysm and make the clip fit. They also have to make an incision in my neck so they have access to my coratid artery, incase the aneurysm bursts and they need to control any bleeding. The recovery is a few days in the hospital, considering how things go, and if everything goes well (as I expect it to) 3 to 4 weeks and I should be back on my feet.

We don't have a date as of yet, but the Dr.'s are thinking in a couple weeks as soon as both surgeons can get together.

I can't wait to put this behind me, and move on!

I love you all and appreciate your concerns, but not to worry, with all the love & prayers I have around me how can anything go wrong!

Love Lori

Thursdays events

Hi to all!

Today I went to LDS Hospital to meet with the neuroradioligist Dr. Schloesser (the coil specialist). After discussing the pros and cons of the coil procedure, he felt that the aneurysm is to wide, and that the coil procedure could possibly not seal off the artery, allowing blood flow to the aneurysm and lengthy follow ups with angiograms, among other complications. He suggests that I still meet with the other surgeon (Dr. Rich) to dicuss the clipping procedure. He feels that this procedure would be more permanent fix and better route to take.

I have an appointment with this other surgeon (Dr. Rich) on Mon the 20th, to go over the pros and cons of the clipping procedure. I will update as soon as I can following this consultation.

I also want to say that during this hard time in my life I am so grateful, and humbled, by the love and concern that has been shown to me, and all the prayers that have been said in my behalf.

Lori

Tuesday's update

Lori is doing fine, just a little tired probably from worry, and recovery from the angiogram. We have made a couple of consultation appointments: Thurday At 1pm with the neuroradiologists, who is the expert at coiling. And with the surgeon on Monday the 20th of November.

We are leaning towards the coiling still, I will post a couple of links in case any one wants to learn with us.

New Non-Surgical Approach Showing Great Promise in the Treatment of Challenging wide necked Brain Aneurysms
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=29790

News Report, Quick time video
http://www.uihealthcare.com/reports/neurology/031102aneurysms-tv.html

The only downfall we can see with the coiling is the follow up angiograms one at 6 months, again at 18 months, and again at 36 months at least.

Meals can wait

We have had a lot of friends and family wanting to help out with dinners after Lori's surgery. If that is something you would like to do, Please contact Celeste @ 718-4349 or email soccasey@gmail.com. I will be making up a schedule after they have decided the surgery date. All dinners will be after surgery.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

The beginning of the story

Lori has had headaches, and blurred vision in her right eye for a while. She has also had borderline high blood pressure for some time now. She recently went to a new Doctor in Draper and he felt she needed to see an Neurologist. So she went to see him and he scheduled her an MRI, we went for the MRI on Wednesday the 8th of Nov. We then went to lunch and a couple of meetings and when we got home their were several messages for her to call the Doc, so she did and they had scheduled her an Angiogram for Thursday @ noon. They found a 11.7mm Aneurysm above and behind the right eye, it is a wide necked aneurysm. We are now waiting to talk to the neurosurgeon at LDS Hospital, we have already spoken with the neuroradiologists and discussed the "coiling" option to take care of the aneurysm (view at http://www.brainaneurysm.com/aneurysm-treatment.html). It is now Sunday night @ 7pm I am getting alot of inquires about how she is so I have decided to keep all informed with this blog...

She is doing fine, just tired and limping due to the incision on her left groin area from the Angiogram.

Tomorrow we will hopefully be seeing the Doc about the surgery option called "clipping".

She is so grateful to all family, friends & loved ones who are inquiring, and want to thank them for all the love that has and is being shown to her.