ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: Tamara on April 11, 2008, 04:44:13 pm
-
I am scheduled for translab on June 12. I have asked to have the BAHA "installed" at the same time, and, unless my insurance company feels differently, it's a go.
I read a request in response to someone's else's surgery that they post it on the "calendar" that's supposed to be part of a post. I was unable to locate it. If someone gives me detailed info on how to post to the calendar, I'd like to do so. I'd be most appreciative of any prayers (if you're the praying sort) or well-wish vibes (if you're not).
With both procedures going on, I think I'll have to have quite a bit packed in my hospital bag. Do you think I'll get a BAHA hat or will my head just be wrapped from the translab?
Any advice from anyone who had both done at the same time??
Thanks!
Tamara
-
Tamara -
the link to the calendar post is http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=3185.0 (http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=3185.0) Once you go to the post, see page 4.
It's fairly easy to add a calendar entry. I figured it out all by myself once I accessed the calendar, and I am in no way computer literate :D
I had my BAHA surgery nine months after my retrosigmoid surgery, but I would imagine if you do the BAHA and the translab together you'll get the big, white, mastoid bandage that wraps around your head.
I haven't always been the praying type, but when I had my AN surgery lots of people prayed for me and I truly believe it helped. I will definitely pray for you.
Jan
-
Here's a well-wish vibe for you, then. ;)
I can't keep track of that calendar link either, so I have put it in my signature below; that way it will follow me around like a lost puppy.
Once you get to the calendar, just click on the day of interest, you should be able to work it out from there.
Steve
-
HI Tamara-
Glad you have a date - I know what a relief that was for me!
I'm having translab on 4/30 - if you want to talk to me before you have your surgery, I'll be happy to share any/all experiences with you. Just PM me anytime (well, not on the 30th of course - LOL!)
Meanwhile, I'll send prayers, positive Karma and "Good Ju-Ju" your way.
Debbi (B minus 18 and counting down...)
-
Tamara -
I saw your "event" on the calendar this morning.
Glad you were able to add it.
Jan
-
http://www.my.calendars.net/AN_Treatments
calendar link, all... housed in "AN Community". Hope this helps. Everyone has access to it to add AN related events (and your bdays!)
Phyl
-
Lots of positive vibes and good karma headed your way. I agree with Jan that you'll probably have the big white mastoid bandage. If you are like me you won't give a hoot for a couple of days.
Linda in WV
-
Thanks everyone for the great Karma! Debbie - I'll definitely be following your progress, and sending prayers and wishes your way on the 30th, at least until 7 pm, when I'm going to see "Spamalot" ;)
Tamara
-
Tamara-
Then you must promise to laugh some extra laughs for me on the 30th! I am not sure how much laughing I'll be doing by 7 pm that day, but it will cheer me up to know that you're laughing!
Debbi (headed to NYC for pre-admittance stuff tomorrow...)
-
Deb -
good luck with the pre-admittance stuff :)
Jan
-
Congrats Tamara, Debbi and all you other newbies that have either set your date for treatment or have just gone thru treatment! I'm feeling...don't know the word(s)...envious ? - that can't be right, but I can't seem to make a decision about this thing, and so many of the rest of you have. I know it took some of you a long time to make your treatment decisions, but I feel like I have all the info and input I'm going to get and I still can't decide. I have met w/ all but one of the Atlanta docs that I'm going to meet w/ and I've talked w/ two of the House docs...anyway, I'll just continue to watch and read things here til I can decide. I'm not fretting about it, just don't know what is going to push me one way or the other.
Wishing all of you who are just out of surgery speedy recoveries!! :)
Cindy
-
Best of luck to you today on your Pre-Admit Debbi. :)
I'm confused as far as doing both at the same time.....my doc didn't recommend doing the translab and BAHA at the same time? Anyone know why that may not be a possibility? Is it the norm to have them done at the same time or seperately?
Melissa
-
Melissa -
I am not sure my doc would have "recommended" having them done together. I asked him to have it done this way - I've read some older posts that indicated that perhaps there is an easier time getting insurance coverage. From my way of thinking, this works for me - I get to hear again sooner, and there is only the one surgery. My doc says it's fine with him - it should just take an extra 45 minutes or so. And you'd think my insurance company would like it - only the one operating room, anesthesiologist, etc. Kind of win-win in my book. In truth, I do have yet to hear back from my insurance co, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Cindy -
Hope you are able to sort things through. From my humble point of view, surgery was the better of 2 less than perfect choices. Still, I have to be happy that we actually HAVE choices!
Debbi -
Happy per-admit day!
Tamara
-
Thanks, Tamara.
The House doctors offered/suggested the BAHA be done at the same time as the Translab if that is the surgery I choose...I would probably have it done at the same time to avoid another trip to California. And, I agree, you'd think insurance would appreciate the one time surgery, but guess you never know w/ insurance.
Cindy - still trying to decide what to do
-
I'll send good vibes and prayers - how's that? I think that covers all the bases!
And I will make sure to laugh the whole day on surgery days! People might wonder if I've finally gone off the deep end, but that's okay. It's for a good cause!
Lori
-
I'm confused as far as doing both at the same time.....my doc didn't recommend doing the translab and BAHA at the same time? Anyone know why that may not be a possibility? Is it the norm to have them done at the same time or seperately?
Melissa -
sometimes it depends on the doctor. Some like to combine the surgeries if there is a need for both procedures; some like to do them separately. From what my doc has told me he doesn't
like to combine the two surgeries, but I know patients who go to his partner and they have had combined surgery.
If the patient chooses retrosigmoid rather than translab, the level of hearing loss may be unknown until after the AN surgery. I'm a good example of that. I chose retrosigmoid in the hopes of saving what hearing I had on my AN side, but I ended up (through no fault of my doctors) with SSD. So going into surgery we didn't anticipate the need for - nor did my surgeons know that I would want - a BAHA.
Having the surgeries separately isn't as bad as you'd imagine; the BAHA surgery is nowhere near as invasive or extensive as the AN surgery. My AN surgery was 7 1/2 hours and I was under general anesthesia; my BAHA surgery was about 1 hour and I had local anesthesia.
Jan
-
Melissa,
Can you tell me what SSD is? I see SSD written quite a bit on this site but have yet to figure out what it means.
Thank you,
Suzy
-
I'm not Melissa, but I can answer that for you.
SSD = single-sided deafness (aka unilateral deafness).
Jan
-
Thank you! I had a feeling it didn't mean Social Security Disability!!
-
Well, I guess it could have - same 3 initials ;D
-
ok, call me a dumb 1/2 artificial blonde, but usually... isn't Social Security disability referred to as SSI (Social Security Insurance)?
Signed,
Dumb 1/2 artificial blonde who hasn't had enough coffee intake thus yet today......
-
Actually I usually see it referred to as SS, but don't know the "official" acronym.
-
I have to admit when I first came on here and saw it all the time, I thought it was Social Security Disability!!
K - another silly blonde! ;D
-
Right - if you were going any route other than translab (which apparently guarantees SSD), you would probably want to hold off to see if you even need the BAHA.
Tamara