My 50 Year Anniversary – 1975-2025
By Joann Yott
I recall crying as I drove home from the office of the ophthalmologist, who told me, “You have a brain tumor, which neurosurgeon in town do you want to see?” 10 days later, I was in surgery for the removal of a 3 cm acoustic neuroma. I was 29 years old.
That was 50 years ago - June 17, 1975. Back then, there were no MRIs, no radiation therapy for this tumor, and no cochlear implants. My major symptom was visual focus difficulty along with postural hypotension, but no headaches. Skull x-rays were negative; a CAT scan showed a tumor causing bilateral papilledema. A year earlier, loss of high-pitched sound in my left ear occurred, however full hearing returned without any intervention.
Successful acoustic neuroma removal and a neck entry nerve transfer were accomplished at Saint Agnes Sisters of the Holy Cross Hospital in Fresno, California. The first time I looked in the mirror, I did not recognize myself and didn’t seem to care. Walking by myself in the corridor, I’d stumble to the side, push myself off the wall, and keep on walking. A complication was serosanguinous fluid leaking from my nose; thankfully, the CSF leak stopped. Pain relievers and tranquilizers after the second surgery, when a tongue nerve was used to tie together the severed facial nerve, resulted in depression and suicidal ideation. After the medication stopped, I was on the road to recovery.
Self-image changes are difficult to deal with, but I have done well. Totally deaf in one ear with no tinnitus, I am pleased to have 95 percent hearing on the right side. One funny story about left-sided deafness resulted in an accusation of being “very rude” at a luncheon when I’d forgotten to tell the nursing director seated on my left side that I was totally deaf in that ear!
Lack of full sensory perception on my left face and eye dryness with facial paralysis are annoying issues. In the beginning, I used a night patch and ointment for months with frequent corneal abrasions from wind or sand exposure. I continued to use lubricant eye drops and occasional ointment, however dryness escalated following cataract removal. My wonderful ophthalmologist offered tear duct plugs, and for the past three years, with just daily eye drops, I have been comfortable with no burning issues.
The nerve transfer resulted in partial tongue atrophy, and I cannot chew food on the paralyzed side. After years of fighting halitosis, back tooth removal was the answer. I lost track of how many root canals, gum surgeries, and crowns I’ve had, but dental issues are finally stable.
A good memory back then was when I went Alpine skiing at Badger Pass, no falls, less than a year after my operation, and continued to ski until I was 72 years old. As I’ve aged, with arthritis, I seem to have more balance issues, but I continue to exercise regularly, do my housekeeping, home maintenance, and yardwork. I was married just over a year when I had my tumor removal. My husband was not a good person, and I divorced him in my early 30’s. I did not have children and have not remarried. However, I do not lack for fun, loving people in my life. I retired from nursing after a 51-year career and happily enjoy many social activities at church and with my friends in Texas. I’m a pretty tough woman, fiercely independent and self-confident with faith in God helping me survive a gruesome experience when I was so young.
At the first ANA conference I attended in the early 1980’s, every patient attendee present had facial asymmetry, halitosis, and some with reddened eyes or tarsorrhaphy. 50 years later, at a recent UTSW Dallas conference, out of about 100 attendees, I observed only three of us with facial asymmetry. Praise the Lord for improvement in technology, diagnosis, and treatment modalities. The problem with me is I developed this damned tumor 50 years too soon!
Having a brain tumor and a severed facial nerve changed my life. However, I never stopped smiling or posing for photos in spite of facial asymmetry. I don’t feel the need to explain any longer and although I know some people remember me because of my crooked smile, that’s okay because once they know me, it seems irrelevant.
