8 month post-op MRI

[Lyssa]

So I just met with my surgeon yesterday to go over the results of my 8 month post-op MRI. This was the soonest I could get one, instead of the usual 6 month MRI.

So he says overall he feels good, but there is something that he isn't sure if it is scar tissue or tumor He says they were pretty sure they got it all out during surgery last Feb. This is a little unnerving b/c I don't want to go through any of this again. I'm just starting to get some facial movement back and feeling like normal again.

He basically told me we will do another MRI in 1 year and see what it says. I would say I feel pretty positive and feel like I'm "in the clear" for another year at least

He told me when my face is at at rest I look "almost normal"!  Yaaayyy, leave it to a brain surgeon to be honest about how I look  I know he meant it in a purely medical way, but still I like to think I look better than "almost normal" hehehe, not to mention the resident ENT in the room w/ us was very good looking LOL!

[Jim Scott]

Lyssa ~

Congratulations on a pretty positive 8-month MRI scan and follow-up doctor consult.  I would agree with you that you can look forward to 'a year in the clear'. 

I'm sure you look just fine because neurosurgeons are known for being fairly blunt.  Well, mine was; after observing the almost 5 cm AN on my MRI, he looked me in the eye and said "this thing can kill you".  He wasn't smiling.  Fortunately, he turned out to be fabulous surgeon with great skills and I had an excellent recovery.  I'm sure you'll continue to improve as your recovery continues, which it does, I can assure you. 

Jim

[Keeping Up]

Congratulations Lyssa

Your update is very positive despite the surgeon's comments.  Also happy to hear another happy CAnadian report (alright, I track us all closely!) after MK's GK report.  [I am a Toronto girl but am at Toronto General and not Sunnybrook.]

Ann

[Lyssa]

Yaaay Ontario! I'm actually back living in my hometown of Ottawa now. I moved back after the surgery as we didn't have anything really keeping us in Toronto any longer. I just drive back for follow-up appts. now. 

Every time I go back to the hospital I realize how lucky we are to live in a place where there is no question of how we will pay for our treatment.

[Vivian B.]

Hi Lyssa,

Who did your surgery at Sunnybrook? I am actually being followed there myself. By the way you look great! You can't tell you had such a surgery. The MRI results seem good, a one year MRI follow up sounds fair. I think if the surgeon was too concerned, he would have you repeat it in 6 months. By the way I say Dr. Nedzelski and Dr. Schwartz, do they sound familiar?

Vivian

[Kaybo]

CONGRATULATIONS on a good report, Lyssa!

K

[Lyssa]

Hi Vivian, Dr. Chen at Sunnybrook was my ENT surgeon, and Dr. Pirouzmand was the neurosurgeon. I only really met Dr. Pirouzmand the one time a few months before surgery, but have been seeing Dr. Chen regularly. I know the name Dr. Nedzleski, in fact he did my mom's cousin's AN surgery back in the 70's and from what I know has performed this surgery zillions of times!!