We were able to get discharged today. Dan ended up being diagnosed with what the doctors call 'chemical meningitis'. It isn't the scary, contagious meningitis; but an inflammation of the meninges (lining surrounding the brain) caused by the trauma of an 11 hour brain surgery. Initially he was on steroid medication to reduce inflammation but had tapered off of that Monday. Wednesday we were back in ER. So it seems like he just needed to be on the steroids for a bit longer. He's continuing the steroids and is on some medication to reduce pain which can all be managed at home. We are headed back up to LA to see the surgeons for a post op follow-up this week sometime. Dan is happy to be home and I'm glad to have him home. The only thing is this hospital stay was a little more unsettling and traumatic than the last one. The uncertainty about what was causing the pain, coupled with the severity of the pain was worse than anything we've experienced. Nothing prepares you to see someone you love in severe pain and not be able to do a thing about it. We are both looking forward to that big sigh of relief when this whole situation is a far and distant memory.
This whole experience has given us a lot of empathy for all those people dealing with persistent and chronic pain. We can't wait until Jehovah 'the God of all comfort' (2 Cor 1:3) will cause pain, tears, and sorrow to be a thing of the past. (Rev 21:4) All of these examples of human suffering will not even be called to mind. (Isa 65:17).
Dan and I have so many things we are looking forward to doing together once this is all said and done. We can't wait to start a new, fresh beginning together with all of this tumor business over with!!
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