June 19, 2013

On the 18th Dr. White ordered another angiogram.  Once he got the results back he had a meeting with Randy and Allen to explain what he was going to do and what to expect.  Randy had two choices – Dr. White could do the full craniotomy and clip the aneurysm so I am would no longer bothered by the aneurysm or he could “coil it” – which means he would run a line through a vein in my hip and basically coil the aneurysm.  The problem with coiling my annie would be follow-up.  Every 6 months I would have to go to Dallas, have an angiogram to make sure the coil was still in place plus there is a chance of the coil coming uncoiled and annie bleeding again. Randy prayed and decided real quick to fix it instead of putting a band-aid of it.  (now that I am on this side of the fence I am soooo glad Randy went with the surgery.  I would always wonder about the coil and bleeding again!)

My surgery was scheduled on 10:00am on the 19th.  Dr. White said the surgery should take between 4-6 hours.  They didn’t take me back until noon.  This is me right before the surgery.  Randy had to right yes on my forehead agreeing to the surgery and it was on that side.

Once again I am so thankful I had no clue what I was about to go through.  And thankful for ALL that prayed for me.

The surgery lasted over 7 hours.  Randy said everyone was getting a little nervous.  Finally Dr. White came to the waiting room with great news.

This is Dr. White explaining to Randy , our friend Zeb Payne and several other family members about what he did.  His finger is pointing to the cortiad artery.  He did not anticipate cutting my throat but he had to clip the artery to stop the blood flow so he could clip the aneurysm. Since my annie was on my Cortaid artery behind my right eye.

You can see where Dr. White cut my neck open.  The bag on my head was the drain for my brain.  Randy said when he first saw me he thought I was dead, he would look at my chest to see my heart still beating.

Then 7 days I was put in a medical coma and my brain was put to sleep.  I was on the “Michael Jackson Juice” – at least that is what Momma Nancy called it.  I would not talk…imagine that Tina…a no talking Tina.

Dr. White would tell Randy and I later “that it was very touch & go and  a roller coaster  for those 7 days and he did not know if I was going to make it or not.” Randy said there was at least 7-10 nurses monitoring me…re adjusting IV bottles, watching the numbers on my machine, and releasing brain pressure.

I asked Randy today…how did you do it?  Am thinking if the roles were reversed I would be a zombie…a crying zombie at that.  Randy said he had to see with his heart and not by his eyes.  “The Lord told him I would live and not die and to be careful what was said…because she will have everything you speak.”

It’s during this time I went to heaven and I finally got to meet my mighty Max.