I am new to this group. My name is Patricia (Tricia) and I have
been searching for a support group now for a couple of months, and
do not really know if this is the correct one for me. On Feb. 7th
2006, I went to the emergency room with the worst headache I had
ever had in my life. Long long story short, after 6 days of many
tests, and steroid medication to shrink swelling in my brain, i was
scheduled and had brain surgery for what my Doctor called a
cavernous angioma. My surgery was in the back left side of my skull
and brain. I have a long incision from the top of my head to half
way down my neck. My surgery was very sucessful, and my recovery has
been quite sucessful as well. Apparently I am quite lucky to not
have had any neurological damages and to have been able to get up
and walk and do things as early on as I have been able to. This is
actually where I am struggling. It has now been six months since
my surgery, and I am still having a lot of pain. I still am
extremely tired, and barely make it through work days. In fact, I
go to work and have to leave early many days, and other days, I just
am not able to go to work. I have had my final MRI, and all is
well and looking good. I have had some fluid build up in my skull,
which at first was a concern, but it clears itself up now on its
own, so I am not in any need of a shunt. MOst days I am able to be
extremely grateful for having survived, and having had such good
recovery, but some days, dealing with the pain on a regular basis, I
just get so overwhelmed. I was told that it takes 6 months to a
year to feel much better, and I guess that since I have hit the 6
month point, I was hoping I would somehow feel miracously better. Is
it still normal to be this tired, and to still have a lot of pain as
well as crazy emotions that leave me wanting to cry at the drop of a
hat? I was an avid runner before this happened, and so being so
inactive has been quite a challenge for me.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated and thanks ahead of time.

Tricia