I was pretty shocked last year to hear that I had an acoustic neuroma and that I would need major surgery. Never having had major surgery before, that in itself, was pretty scary. A friend of mine gave me a CD called, Successful Surgery, which can be obtained from
www.healthjourneys.com. The CD uses imagery and self-affirmations to prepare for surgery. Initially I was skeptical to the whole idea, but tried it. The first few times it did nothing for me. The next few times I cried the whole way through. Then I listened to the CD at least daily and it really helped me to cope, relax, and be self-confident about what was to take place. Though I wasn't totally prepared for what recovery would mean for me, this CD was probably one of the most helpful, hopeful, and reassuring things I could have done. It has been 11 months since my translab surgery and am doing well. I can't guarantee this will work for everyone, but it may be helpful for some.
