Two weeks and counting

Technically the title of this post should be "Two weeks, two days and counting", but my intention was to post this on Wednesday.  Hey, cut me a little slack, I just had brain surgery...

Overall things are progressing very well.  Instead of long, rambling paragraphs I think it is easier to provide bullet points:

• Balance - my balance is good, as long as my eyes are open.  I can balance on one foot without a problem.  (I'm supposed to count to 15, but going 30+ seconds is not a problem.)  I can walk heel-to-toe as well.  However, all bets are off when I close my eyes.
• Nausea - no nausea at all (yeah!)
  
• Dizziness - overall my dizziness is not too bad.  It is probably the worst when I am in a car.  Every small crack, seam and pothole makes me feel like a bobble head.  If you have ever driven in Michigan (state motto "Our roads are almost as good as Afghanistan's!"), you will immediately understand how challenging this is for me.
  
• Hearing - the hearing in my right ear is noticeably less than the left ear.  The ear feels "full" and sounds are muffled.  But my hearing is good enough to provide sound localization, which is the most important issue to me.  There is a chance that it will improve over time as the swelling decreases and fluids drain.
  
• Tinnitus - the ringing in my right ear is much more pronounced than before the surgery.  It worsens when I am tired and can be quite annoying, but there is not a lot I can do about it, so I don't dwell on it.
• Leg pain - things are steadily improving with the leg and back pain.  My left hamstring still cramps up a few times a day, but it is nowhere near the duration nor intensity of even a few days ago.  Earlier in the week I had to be very careful when sitting down or standing up, I never knew if my left leg would suddenly seize up in a "take your breath away" cramp.  Now I usually have enough warning to change positions and try to stretch it out.
  
• Fatigue - fatigue is probably my biggest issue.  The odd thing is that it is not always directly proportional to my amount of activity during the day.  But one thing I can count on is that between 2:00pm and 3:00pm I will fall asleep.
• Healing - the incision is healing quickly and my hair is filling in nicely.  I'm still a few haircuts away from looking normal (well, as normal as I can look) but the still-visible scar makes for some interesting discussions when we are out and about.  Thankfully my black eye is fading fast as well.  Now, instead of looking like an extra in a zombie movie, I look like an extra from a "Mad Max" film.
  

So that is the two week post-op update.  My next challenge will be getting behind the wheel and driving.  That will probably happen on Saturday morning, so if you live nearby, you might want to stay off the streets, sidewalks, front yards, etc.  I will post the "all clear" just to let you know when things are safe again.