“HALO RE-TORQUE”
13/10/2015 Tuesday night and I seem to be pacing the floor, even the wife’s made comment, I can’t get comfortable….. I can’t sit still, time to blog…
Tomorrow is pin site re-torque day which happens once a week after our disaster at the 6 week mark (review 6 week blog & HALO’s Videos) please let me explain HALO basics? The brace is just that, a securing ring that sits around the head with screws (more like bolts) that attach directly into your skull. This ring is attached to adjustable rods that fix to a permanently worn full jacket. The jacket is solid plastic giving little movement, whilst it’s lined with soft sheep skin fur it’s bloody uncomfortable, can’t be got wet and 9 weeks on, I feel it’s getting a bit on the nose! Sam assures me it isn’t smelly...Every week I go down to the doctors and he tightens the pin sites with a 6lb torque drive. We start with some light humour, a few questions as to how I’ve been and then he starts… every knock or click of the drive echoes though the brace and rattles my brain. A simple joke to any HALO recipient is to just say “CLICK” I’m sure they will get it every time. Each time they adjust the screws it feels like they go a little further into my skull (they do!) I’ve read lots of other halo wearer’s blogs, there’s a lot of common stories there, the experience varies between each patient but there are many common threads too. I DO understand that this is a life saving device but it’s also a form of torture for the wearer. Anyway, as the HALO is tightened you can feel the pressure increase at each pin site as they screw a little further in until the 6lb torque drive (being held by the doc) ratchets off “CLICK” It sounds simple but I want to be within screaming distance of the hospital should a pin pierce my skull into my brain, or as others have described in their blogs, the pressure leads to a fracture of the eye socket! You still with me?? Starting to see why I don’t really like going…I also end up with a headache for the rest of the day which normally puts me to bed as my skull adjusts to the constant pressure of it being squeezed a little more, it’s very uncomfortable. This process was supposed to happen last Friday but the pillow master had changed handbags the night before when she went out and the torque drive was in the other bag! Not everyone can say they have a torque drive in their bag for the pins going into their spouses head! I had a reprieve at that appointment but now I can feel it is looser than it’s been and Sam has commented that there is a little blood in the crust around the pin sites, I definitely don’t want to revisit the experience of it moving! So, while I dread these appointments, it’s a necessary evil.
15/10/2015 I have to admit Tuesdays re-torque wasn’t too bad. Whilst I still went to bed after the mornings date with DR Pain I didn’t feel the usual crushing pressure of my poor skull trying to adapt to the driving pins. As always they took a few turns to “CLICK” off and now the shank part of the pin (approx. ¼” long) is now buried deep into my skull. How far can they go? I don’t bother asking… I’d rather not know the answer. The good news is next week’s CT scan will be the decider of when it’s to come off! I have decided to take it real easy this week, I don’t want to risk any sort of accident – I’m even going to stay away from Speedway Saturday night. I find going to speedway absolutely wrecks my shoulders and neck muscles for a few days after. At least there’s no deep neck pain from the break. I’m now totally pain free in the department. Unfortunately there’s plenty of pain in my shoulder to keep me occupied.
“GETTING HAIRY”
On my personal Facebook page this week I asked if I should shave again before the HALO is removed. As I’m already over done in this department (we are talking head here) having not shaved for over a week it’s going to make me super hairy if I’m to wait another 2-3 weeks. So the question was put out there on the World Wide Web… “To shave or not to shave” the reply was over whelming with “not too” so from here on in expect some wild man pictures as the over growth takes over the top ½ of my body. I’ve never had a beard before and don’t even know how far I can get… what are the rules to declaring beard status?
“10 WEEK BRIEF” This week has been pretty positive, the blog you’re reading has hit 10,000 page views and I’m stoked with some of the feedback on my personal Facebook page. I’m humbled by people’s thoughts and best wishes. Next week as mentioned is a big week. Our 10.5 week CT will reveal if the brake has totally healed and when the HALO is to be removed. I have also cleared with the Dr Suttor aka “Dr Pain” please understand that he’s really very nice… we are allowed to keep the HALO and he’s ok if we video it being removed. Live action! Lol
Stay tuned back soon hopefully with some good news!!
Top Picture - Yes the site pins go into the skull.
Middle Picture - Broken eye sockets from HALO.
Lower Picture - Getting hairy.
13/10/2015 Tuesday night and I seem to be pacing the floor, even the wife’s made comment, I can’t get comfortable….. I can’t sit still, time to blog…
Tomorrow is pin site re-torque day which happens once a week after our disaster at the 6 week mark (review 6 week blog & HALO’s Videos) please let me explain HALO basics? The brace is just that, a securing ring that sits around the head with screws (more like bolts) that attach directly into your skull. This ring is attached to adjustable rods that fix to a permanently worn full jacket. The jacket is solid plastic giving little movement, whilst it’s lined with soft sheep skin fur it’s bloody uncomfortable, can’t be got wet and 9 weeks on, I feel it’s getting a bit on the nose! Sam assures me it isn’t smelly...Every week I go down to the doctors and he tightens the pin sites with a 6lb torque drive. We start with some light humour, a few questions as to how I’ve been and then he starts… every knock or click of the drive echoes though the brace and rattles my brain. A simple joke to any HALO recipient is to just say “CLICK” I’m sure they will get it every time. Each time they adjust the screws it feels like they go a little further into my skull (they do!) I’ve read lots of other halo wearer’s blogs, there’s a lot of common stories there, the experience varies between each patient but there are many common threads too. I DO understand that this is a life saving device but it’s also a form of torture for the wearer. Anyway, as the HALO is tightened you can feel the pressure increase at each pin site as they screw a little further in until the 6lb torque drive (being held by the doc) ratchets off “CLICK” It sounds simple but I want to be within screaming distance of the hospital should a pin pierce my skull into my brain, or as others have described in their blogs, the pressure leads to a fracture of the eye socket! You still with me?? Starting to see why I don’t really like going…I also end up with a headache for the rest of the day which normally puts me to bed as my skull adjusts to the constant pressure of it being squeezed a little more, it’s very uncomfortable. This process was supposed to happen last Friday but the pillow master had changed handbags the night before when she went out and the torque drive was in the other bag! Not everyone can say they have a torque drive in their bag for the pins going into their spouses head! I had a reprieve at that appointment but now I can feel it is looser than it’s been and Sam has commented that there is a little blood in the crust around the pin sites, I definitely don’t want to revisit the experience of it moving! So, while I dread these appointments, it’s a necessary evil.
15/10/2015 I have to admit Tuesdays re-torque wasn’t too bad. Whilst I still went to bed after the mornings date with DR Pain I didn’t feel the usual crushing pressure of my poor skull trying to adapt to the driving pins. As always they took a few turns to “CLICK” off and now the shank part of the pin (approx. ¼” long) is now buried deep into my skull. How far can they go? I don’t bother asking… I’d rather not know the answer. The good news is next week’s CT scan will be the decider of when it’s to come off! I have decided to take it real easy this week, I don’t want to risk any sort of accident – I’m even going to stay away from Speedway Saturday night. I find going to speedway absolutely wrecks my shoulders and neck muscles for a few days after. At least there’s no deep neck pain from the break. I’m now totally pain free in the department. Unfortunately there’s plenty of pain in my shoulder to keep me occupied.
“GETTING HAIRY”
On my personal Facebook page this week I asked if I should shave again before the HALO is removed. As I’m already over done in this department (we are talking head here) having not shaved for over a week it’s going to make me super hairy if I’m to wait another 2-3 weeks. So the question was put out there on the World Wide Web… “To shave or not to shave” the reply was over whelming with “not too” so from here on in expect some wild man pictures as the over growth takes over the top ½ of my body. I’ve never had a beard before and don’t even know how far I can get… what are the rules to declaring beard status?
“10 WEEK BRIEF” This week has been pretty positive, the blog you’re reading has hit 10,000 page views and I’m stoked with some of the feedback on my personal Facebook page. I’m humbled by people’s thoughts and best wishes. Next week as mentioned is a big week. Our 10.5 week CT will reveal if the brake has totally healed and when the HALO is to be removed. I have also cleared with the Dr Suttor aka “Dr Pain” please understand that he’s really very nice… we are allowed to keep the HALO and he’s ok if we video it being removed. Live action! Lol
Stay tuned back soon hopefully with some good news!!
Top Picture - Yes the site pins go into the skull.
Middle Picture - Broken eye sockets from HALO.
Lower Picture - Getting hairy.