[ Music ]
>> Thank you for choosing the University of Michigan for your awake brain surgery.
Over the next few minutes, we'll be giving you a brief overview
of what to expect for your procedure.
We understand the idea of undergoing awake brain surgery may seem frightening and it is our goal,
by providing as much advance information as possible, to reassure you before your surgery
and smooth the course of your procedure and hospitalization.
At the University of Michigan we have a long history of providing advanced, compassionate,
multidisciplinary care in an environment that puts patients and families first.
Our team performs many procedures similar to yours each year
and our surgeons are internationally recognized as expertise.
And we want to share with you the system that works well for our patients and our team.
Nothing is more important than your care and, at the University of Michigan, you can rest assured
that your team of talented and world renowned experts have you
and your loved ones' best interest in mind.
You will have the opportunity to meet with your surgeon, anesthesiologist, neurologist,
speech language pathologist, and operating room nurse well ahead of your date of surgery
and they will be able to answer any additional questions that this video does not answer.
>> When I ended up getting my surgery, about two months before,
I starting getting headaches on the right side of my brain.
>> About a week before I came into the hospital,
there would be pretty severe headaches in the morning.
My wife and I were at a casino one night and I was just very disoriented.
I didn't feel well.
I couldn't find my wife.
I was walking through a food court and there were chairs everywhere and I was getting mad
because people were leaving their chairs out
and didn't realize it was me walking into the chairs.
>> And so finally I had a scan and my doctor said, "Well, it's time for you to go to U of M."
I was to a point where I couldn't express a lot verbally.
So before my surgery -- and I was in the pre-op --
I really was feeling, "Let's just get this over with."
>> I don't remember having a lot of expectations prior to surgery.
I just remember being in a lot of pain and wanting
to have this done so I could get rid of the pain.
[ Music ]
>> Prior to your surgery date and arrival at the hospital, be sure to follow the directions
that you've been given by your doctors and nurses at the University of Michigan.
After your arrival to the hospital, please check in at surgical reception.
After a brief orientation, you'll be asked to take a seat in the waiting area.
Once your name is called, you'll be escorted to pre-operative holding.
Your companion will be allowed to accompany you to pre-op,
but may be asked to leave the area briefly while some
of the pre-operative procedures are performed.
[ Music ]
>> Pre-operatively, I do not remember very much.
I do remember the team discussing kind of what the process was going to be.
>> And that, for me, was very comforting.
I know that there's a lot of people in that room and certainly I would never know
who they all were, but to know some key factors and some key people makes a difference.
>> But I don't remember having any surprises thrown at me, anything of that nature.
I feel like I was given all the information I needed before the surgery.
>> Once you reach the pre-op bay a nurse will close the curtains and you'll be asked
to wear your surgical gown and socks.
At this time, you'll also be asked to get onto the stretcher.
A series of safety check questions will be asked in pre-op
and will be repeated during the various stages of your care.
The pre-op team will take your vital signs, start an IV,
and do other things in preparation for your surgery.
Once you have settled into pre-op,
several members of your surgical team will visit you and introduce themselves.
You will have the opportunity to discuss, in detail, what to expect on the day
of your surgery and have all of your questions answered.
Once you have been through the pre-op process, your companion will be allowed to stay
with you right up until you are transported to surgery.
Just prior to transport, the anesthesiologist will give you some medicine to help you relax.
You'll be transported from pre-op back to surgery by two members of your anesthesia team.
[ Music ]
>> At first I was rather surprised I was going to be awake.
However, I was grateful to be awake.
Certainly they put you out and then through the surgery they allow you to wake up.
And then, with that moment of awakeness, I was able to work with my speech pathologist
and she was able to help guide the surgeon.
>> I don't remember the initial surgery where they actually get into the tumor site
and do the surgical cutting and things like -- I don't remember any of those things.
But I remember lying on a table and I remember the doctor asking me questions related
to my function.
So he was asking can you move -- you know -- move your foot.
Can you feel this on your finger?
Can you -- just move different body parts to make sure he was not affecting healthy parts
of my brain tissue he didn't want to affect.
>> The bed itself, while I was having surgery, was very comfortable.
I know that you can't see everyone so, to me, that's a little awkward.
But, on the other hand, I'm not so sure I wanted to see everyone.
>> While I know I must have been aware of my surroundings because I was having decisions
and answering the neural surgeon's questions,
I don't remember having any pain or discomfort whatsoever.
>> When you arrive in your operating room, your team will be waiting for you.
[ Music ]
You'll be transferred from the stretcher to the OR table.
Then, monitors for your vital signs and padding will be applied to keep you comfortable.
Once the team is assured that you are comfortable, the procedure will begin.
You will be deeply sedated for most of the uncomfortable parts of the procedure,
but there will be times when you will be awake and be able
to cooperate with neurologic testing.
[ Music ]
Remember, we do many of these specific procedures
and the quality of your care is important to us.
The entire care team will be with you during the whole process
and will attend to your needs as they arise.
While you're in surgery, your companions will be updated regularly.
[ Music ]
Once your surgery has finished, you will be wheeled into the recovery area.
You'll receive constant care by your team and your recovery nurse will be with you.
As you begin to regain consciousness, your health care team will do what they can
to insure that you're comfortable.
Everyone reacts to surgery differently.
Some patients experience very little pain while others have significant more.
We will do our best to address your specific needs and manage your symptoms of pain
and nausea during the post-operative period.
Your journey will continue from here as you're admitted and allowed time to recover.
You'll receive plenty of care and instructions to help during the entire process.
>> Following my surgery, I was, of course, taken to my room.
And I recall, I think, maybe sleeping the first day or so.
I don't really remember a lot there.
>> I think the first thing I remember clearly is sitting up in a chair
in my room having a bad headache and being concerned about if I sneeze or if I vomit
from the anesthesia how am I going to be able to do that with my head hurting like this.
>> I did feel a little bit sick follow the surgery,
but more from, I think maybe the medicine.
>> The pain I had after surgery was nothing at all compared
to the pain I had before the surgery.
I had a good regiment of medications to help with, I believe, post-operative swelling,
headaches, potential for seizers.
>> Staff treated me very kindly.
As far as nurses coming in, taking my blood pressure, or, I know a couple of them had
to maybe do something with my port, but, you know, all in all I was treated very kindly.
>> I don't think the team could have done anything better prior to,
during, or after the surgery.
Obviously I have nothing to compare this to because I've only gone through it once,
thank God, with one team, thank God [laughing].
>> I had great support from my husband and family members
and things like that when I got home.
So, as far as the total experience with all of those people, made me feel good.
>> I wound up at the right place with the right people at the right time
and I think everything went as well as can be expected.
And I'm here years later.
I think that's pretty good proof.
[ Music ]
>> For patients that would have to go through the brain surgery that I just went through,
all I could do is encourage them to have a positive outlook.
Though it seems like a very terrible scenario, what do you have to lose?
>> The surgery itself was not so scary.
It was not so bad.
The surgery I don't remember as being a bad part of my experience.
>> I mean, I wouldn't be able to talk right now.
I might not even be here right now had I not had that surgery.
>> Stay strong and move on and take the best care of yourself as you can
and you get the best team and the best doctors and the best help you can.
>> So, overall, just, you know, once you learn about it, do a little homework,
learn who your doctor is, ask questions, I write them down on paper.
And then, like I say, then you just go for it.
>> If you have any questions about your arrival, surgery, or recovery, please speak with any
of the experts on your health care team.
Thanks again for choosing the University of Michigan health system.
[ Music ]