Acoustic Neuroma Patient Stories
Read stories from the ANA community and share your own acoustic neuroma story to help inspire others.
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Finding Information and Support After Misdiagnosis
By Elizabeth Kauermann
In the fall of 2019, a clogged ear and reduced hearing were treated unsuccessfully with Flonase and allergy medication by my ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician. After also developing a numb tongue, I decided to seek out another ENT to find answers, and hopefully a more successful treatment solution.
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Life Can Change in an Instant
Jerikah Cato
One morning I woke up with constant ringing in my left ear. I didn’t think anything of it and mentioned it to my primary doctor a few months later. She asked if I had any vertigo and I remembered having episodes in the past. I also told her about my migraines which I’d had for years.
I saw an ENT soon after and my hearing test revealed significant hearing loss in my left ear which led to an MRI. I viewed the CD of my MRI scan and saw a large mass and my heart sank. As I waited for my next ENT appointment, my mind was racing in many directions thinking about how my life was about to change.
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Every Day is a Gift
Macy Tyler
In late October 2019, at the age of 16, I experienced several consecutive days where I would wake up with a severe headache coupled with nausea which resulted in vomiting and/or dry heaves. The symptoms seemed to pass, and we chalked it up to just teeth grinding, hormones, or vertigo. The symptoms returned in mid to late November and again subsided. In early December, I had another round of the same sort of symptoms and my mom decided to take me to the pediatrician to have me checked out. During the exam, my pediatrician performed a neurological exam, observed that my balance was not 100%, and as a result ordered an MRI immediately.
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Joyful Activities – Finding a New Hobby Post-Treatment
Paula Stoehr
I’m about 8 months post- surgery (Translab). I’ve been stuck at home due to dizziness and am currently unable to drive. My eyes struggle to stay focused, and my attention span is short. Consequently, I can no longer enjoy some of my favorite hobbies and activities, like reading.
I wanted to find some new hobbies, so I reached out to the ANA North Carolina support group via their Facebook page (and my own page) and the response was amazing! I compiled a list of activities and ideas and I hope, like me, you are inspired to try something new!
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The ANA was pleased to partner with Girl Scout Gabriella Abraham to help her earn her Gold Award. Raising awareness of acoustic neuroma and the struggles that AN patients face was very personal to Gaby - her mother is an AN patient. Gaby worked on several multi-faceted projects to educate others about the unique experiences related to diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment effects of acoustic neuroma brain tumors. It was our pleasure to have supported her in this endeavor. Congratulations on this tremendous achievement!
