Kill Kuato

Sunday, November 26, 3:35 PM

I posted a great movie celebrating the removal of the tumor tomorrow!

http://tinyurl.com/ymehzx

Friday, November 24, 11:14 PM

Saw old friend from Middle School today.
Posted pic of Shahinian during pre-op consult.
Spent today @ Universal Walk.

Friday, November 24, 12:54 AM

Went to Venice today and walked the beach.
Hugged Harry Parry, and admired the trance like chants of the Hare Krishnas.

Admired a Grafitti Artists’ work named Antonio-dedicated a wall with the name of his dtr on it. Christina. talked to a venice rasta guy who was stacking rocks on the beach called angel stones dedicated o his friends that have passed away.

Went to the spot I used to sleep on the beach in 90.

Wednesday, November 22, 11:43 PM

Drove from culver city up to Skull Base Institute at Cedar Sinai at 130 today.

the preop meeting went ok.

Roxy welcomed us into the office, had to clean some dust off the table in the conference room,
then Matt head assisstant to Dr. Shahinian gave us a debriefing on what was to come,
it seemed they were walking on eggshells, and when the Doc came in to introduce himself it is understandable.

this guy walks around with a whip I am sure-was impatient with his staff somewhat on the orginizational aspects of the meeting, etc.

He gave the typical risks, loss of hearing, facial nerve, blood clotting, etc, -and proceeded to view my xray MRI that I had packed all the way from Seattle.

He stated the tumor was a grade 4, described the resection and procedure.

He appeared to be tired of us asking the question about bleeding if it did occur, and brought up his competitors, and critics “that don’t know about the procedure” etc. IMHO, that stuff should never be mentioned to a pt.

I mentioned Dr. Jho did it on the East coast-endo resection, and he spoke highly of him and stated that he would even advise people on the east coast to go to him, if they could not make it to CA.

I was then escorted into another room for ultrasound of carotid arteries and heart circulation.

This was run by another agency.

MEDIGOR DIAGNOSTIC,
Seemed to have connections with Shahinian.

Shahinian also educated me to the fact that my numbness on my lips,tongue and nose were from the tumor pressuring against my TRIGEMINAL nerve, not my facial nerve as I had previously thought.

Facial nerve is strictly MOTOR skills, movement, etc, while the Trigeminal is Sensation, taste, etc.

I have other thoughts on the whole experience and interactions with Shahinian and the agency as a whole, but I will share that with AN parties interested and those I know from AN support forums.

-Chopper and Eron-re: post op leg pain, it is due to being down on your side, he pads between the legs, pillows, gel packs etc, but he said “tall people are heavier,” and gave me a blank stare smirk when I asked if Range of Motion could be done on the legs every once in a while during the procedure.

I suppose the smirk was from thinking that with invasive instruments up my head through the dime size hole-near my cerebellum, they’d be stupid to move me around.

I later thought that was a stupid question when I imagined my head as a smoothie machine. http://tinyurl.com/y3eug8

after the meeting, we drove up to Hollywood and Vine.

pix posted soon asap when I buy a usb cord.

Wednesday, November 22, 9:32 AM – marco
Ok, 930am.

Can you believe Rachel @SBI, calls us on our cell stating, “hey we are jumbling the Dr’s schedule, we were wondering if you can come in at 1130.”

/gasp

I politely told her that we got in at midnight to an unknown place called Culver City, ate at Dennys at 1am, got to bed at 230am, rental car has not been recieved yet, etc. “no as planned before we will be their at 130.

Gracias a Dios she didn’t hang up on me this time but stated, “ok, that is understandable, call us if anything changes, I will tell the Dr.

-knowing how a clinic works before thanksgiving, I know what his office staff were trying to do..at his request.