Craniotomy - Brain procedure to drain fluid around Ron's brain

 I don't like the word Brain Surgery, it sounds too intense. I will call this next surgery a "procedure" that Ron is having to drain the fluids surrounding his brain. A small hole will be made in his skull for this procedure.

I wasn't able to talk to the neurologist today to get more details. His nurse told me about the Craniotomy the doc. decided to perform just yesterday. It was scheduled for today. I was visiting him earlier today and there was no scheduled time for the operation. He was an "add-on" and the nurse said I could call to find out what time he went to surgery.

Ron was not responding again today, at all. Other than a few movements of his right arm and leg, a few sniffles and moans. As I mentioned in a prior post, he can only move the right arm and right leg. I have also seen him lift his head a few times. His regular visitors (myself, Kerri my sister, brother Jim and cousin Stacey, aunt Joyce etc.) have all concurred that this week Ron has not been very responsive. This may be the reason the Dr. decided it was time for this procedure. I will ask that question when I see the neurologist again..

The orthopedic surgeon has been wonderful. I had the privilege of visiting with him today and had the chance to ask a few questions:
How long before Ron will stand and attempt to walk due to his pelvis injuries?
Because of the fractured appendicular bones at the top of the pelvis (I could be wrong about the name of those bones), he won't be able to put any pressure on the pelvis or try to stand for 3 months.
By then the fractures in his left knee and left tibia will be healed.
What about his knee injury, will that heal on its own?
He showed me a few of the x-rays of his knee again. He has a piece of bone that chipped off and a crack in his left knee. Because of the multiple surgeries and other more serious injuries, he decided to leave the knee for now.
A few of the issues Ron will have to deal with down the road is the left hip (hip replacement) and the knee if that is bothering him later, (the doctor said he would go in and remove the chipped bone).

I was in the room when the occupational therapist came to see Ron. He removed the wrap from his left arm and hand and examined his injuries putting pressure hoping for movement. Ron hasn't moved that left arm or hand at all. I was able to see his left hand injury for the first time. It isn't pretty. I am going to share the photo at the end of this post (beware: it is a little gruesome).

First photo is of the staples that the plastic surgeon replaced the stitches with on the top right arm from the fasciotomy (one of the three fasciotomies):

Right arm staples to repair the faciotomy


This is his left hand, shattered a bone and fractured a finger: