Day 5 post MVD
Eyes still swollen but getting better. Woke up shakey though, don't know what that's about. I find that besides all the physical stuff happening, there is a lot of emotional stuff going on too. Every little pang I feel I think will be a TN twinge. I'm sitting on the edge of my nerves wondering if this thing worked. I'm also having a hard time adjusting to the numbness in the lower quarter of my face tonge and teeth. It feels weird. Looks like I'm about to develop a couple of really nice canker sores on that part of my lower lip too. Head pain in still there but not to bad. I hardley took any pain meds yesterday and today I took 2 Advils (Ibuprofen) at 5:30am and nothing since. It helps to keep busy and not think about myself 24/7. My husband took a digital picture of my incision yesterday so that I could get a really good look at it on the computer. It was a bit freaky to actually see the slice in my head. I have about 15 staples holding it closed. If anyone wants to see that pix I have no problem emailing to you. That's all the news for now.

Day 6 post MVD
Today I really feel a bit bitter. My eyes are almost back to normal. I got up and took a shower washed and blow dryed my hair (very carefully). Put on a bit of make up and went out for a walk with my husband and dog. I plan to go to Costco and out for dinner. (we'll see) but the way I feel now it can be done! The pain is minimal, there is a cold sore developing on my lower lip but other than that you'd never know I had a gash in the side of my head! My skin on my face is very dry. Very unusual. It is flakey especially on my chin where the numbness is. I've been moisturizing and we'll see how that goes.
I wonder if the numbness is permanent or temporary. Only time (or my neurosurgeon who is on vacation) will tell!

One Week after MVD
This really seems to be a small turning point. Yesterday I was able to go out and have friends over for a bbq till 1:00 a.m. and not fall asleep or feel yucky. Of course I did none of the work, my husband did, but I was able to be part of the world again. It was also the first night I was able to sleep on my left side (the incision side) I've been missing that. Don't get me wrong, it is still sore and yesterday I started to feel the healing itch. I still get the odd feeling like I'm about to have a twinge but it hasn't come. Not even when I'm eating and that was a big problem for me, especially hot food. My skin is getting better slowly but still very dry and flakey. My eyes are not swollen anymore. My lower lip and half my tongue are still numb. I'm down to taking Advil maybe 3 times a day instead of every 4 hours. Tomorrow I will be cutting down my tegretol another 200mg. I will be taking 600 instead of the 800 I am taking now. I know the doctors would like me to go down faster but I'm afraid so I'm doing it my way which is 200 down every week. I started at 1200. Today I plan a manuicure, pedicure and dinner. Life is coming back slowly but surely!

11 days post MVD
Today I had my staples removed. I was nervous but it took all of 1 minute and it was no big deal. Wasted energy on worrying. My incision is itchy and still a bit sore. I still have some pain in some areas where they screwed on that halo contraption. My numbness is getting better (I think). It's hard to tell, but I can feel my tongue now. I have reduced to 600 mg 3 days ago (originally was 1200mg). I am having some sort of sensation or twinge from time to time. It is nothing as strong as a TN pain but never the less it makes me nervous every time it happens (and it happened a few times today). I don't know if it is because the nerve is healing or because the numbness is going or because the reduction of meds is letting through some TN pain. I certainly hope it is not the latter. I still tire easy. After my staples were removed today I went to the local mall and tried on about 10 outfits. Then I came home and slept for a few hours. Shopping is hard work!