The Brain Surgery Experience

This Is The End

This is as good as it gets baby! Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. This was taken a few months after the second plastic surgery/fat injection to fill the dent.

This is as good as it gets baby! Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. This was taken a few months after the second plastic surgery/fat injection to fill the dent.

Soon I will go for a one-year follow-up MRI. Will the colloid cyst return? With only half of it removed I’ve been told that odds are I may need another surgery in my lifetime, maybe even in the next ten years. I’m hopeful that advances in endoscopic surgery will make another surgery even more successful if it has to be done.

Will I have another plastic surgery to improve the dent? Probably not. As more time goes by I’m slowly adapting to having yet another conversation piece on my body. Most people, doctors especially, notice the scar on my nose right away, and yet after having it for thirty years I almost never notice it. I’m sure thirty years hence the scar, screws, and dents on my head won’t bother me.

Between my shoulder and my head I have more than my share of titanium hardware. Some as the result of dumb luck and some from living an active lifestyle. When I consider these things and my various other injuries it seems that I break easily and often, and the older I get the more high-maintenance I become. That said, I wouldn’t change anything about my life even if I could. Struggling is good, and without it we would have no stories to tell.

G and me (I'm on the right) out for a ride over Christmas 2004, almost one year after my brain surgery. As my brother Grayson put it, "the good news is they did find a brain." Maybe it runs in the family.

G and me (I'm on the right) out for a ride over Christmas 2004, almost one year after my brain surgery. As my brother Grayson put it, "the good news is they did find a brain." Maybe it runs in the family.

Am I heavy duty? I don’t know. Some days are easier than others when it comes to hanging tough and living your life on purpose. No matter what you are made of everyone breaks down eventually. And before the big break down it’s important to keep on trying to do what’s important to you. If you can do that you can tell yourself and everyone else “I’m Heavy Duty.”

Tracy Sigler

10 Comments on “This Is The End”

  1. 1 Bonnie Burgamy said at 3:19 pm on July 21st, 2011:

    Tracy, I enjoyed read about your adventures in brain surgery. I am a RN so none of that grossed me out. If fact enjoyed the videos of the actual surgery. I was certainly interested in your recovery and your appearance post op. From the pics of you post surgery, your head looks great. I’m sure you are more self conscious about but it, but what what you hav endured, you need a little bit of a battle scar. I appreciate you story as I’m sure others will benefit from it. It’s always good to know that you are not alone in a situation like this. Wishing you a happy, healthy life to come. Bonnie Burgamy, RN. Franklin, NC

  2. 2 Tracy Sigler said at 6:48 pm on July 21st, 2011:

    Thanks Bonnie. Yeah, I’m over the cosmetic issues. I have plenty battle scars! Thanks for being a nurse.

  3. 3 Tammy Delbruegge said at 9:51 pm on July 23rd, 2011:

    I was just surfing the net and came across your story. Thank you for sharing your experience and God bless!

  4. 4 Tracy Sigler said at 6:57 am on July 24th, 2011:

    Thanks for your note Tammy!

  5. 5 Paul Fitz said at 1:02 pm on July 26th, 2011:

    Tracy,
    Thanks for the story…it made me feel better. I found out yesterday(7/25/11)(by accident) I have a cyst on the brain. I went in for a CT scan of my sinus to prepare for a deviated septum surgery. Within an hour of getting home I got the call from my ENT Dr. I really don’t even know what he said I was so shocked.
    I went for an MRI this morning (yes I have awesome insurance) now i’m playing the waiting game. Hopefully I’ll hear soon, as of right now I just gotta wait. Your story put me at ease some. Hopefully I won’t need surgery but if I do the videos and story tell me I will be ok and just have to relax.
    Thanks
    Paul

  6. 6 Tracy Sigler said at 6:33 pm on July 26th, 2011:

    Hey Paul,

    Thanks for your comment. I posted this story for people like you and me, so I’m always glad to hear from people. Good luck with everything and let me know if you have any questions about my experience.

    Tracy

  7. 7 Paul Fitz said at 6:14 pm on July 27th, 2011:

    Tracy,
    Thanks again I got the news today – colloid cyst. needs to be removed ASAP – like Monday.
    As fate has it my wife works for the president of the best nero. surgery hospital in our city. He set me up with the best team from our universities medical program. as this is all going fast I’m a bit freaked but they will be doing a minimally invasive endoscopic surgery so I think the time in hospital will be short and I can get back to teaching before the semester starts first week of Sept.
    thanks again for the encouraging words and I WILL contact you once I’m home and settled.
    Thanks again
    paul

  8. 8 Tracy Sigler said at 6:22 am on July 28th, 2011:

    Paul, Sounds like you’re all set. I’m glad you have those resources available. My doc told me over four years ago that endoscopic had made huge advances just in the couple years after my surgery. So I’m sure they’ll be able to easily take care of the cyst. Yes, your hospital time should be short. I went in on Wed and left Sat morning, and I had two surgeries. Tracy

  9. 9 Paul Fitz said at 5:52 pm on August 4th, 2011:

    Tracy,
    I’m home…I had the surgery Monday evening. 4.5 hours. It went very well (except for the vomiting in the recovery room and I bit my lip while they were pulling out the breathing tube).
    I feel pretty good. My doctor was all psyched about the surgery because the cyst was not in the 3rd ventricle but was grown up in the tubes, odd shaped and very unusual. Possibly one of a kind. I worked hard to get up and move around as well as sit in a chair etc.
    Thanks again for the kind encouraging words it certainly helped me with the courage to face this.
    I will check in from time to time. I feel like I can call you a friend – so thanks friend.
    PF

  10. 10 Tracy Sigler said at 5:59 pm on August 5th, 2011:

    Hey Paul,

    Awesome to hear it went well. Yeah, I’m always sick after anesthesia, no matter what they do. Sounds like a quick recovery. Friend me up on Facebook if you want. http://www.facebook.com/sigler

    Tracy

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