Teacher scared of the future

[tgillesp]

Clarice,

Thanks for your advice.  I have actually had 3 audiograms in the last year and a half.  My ENT has tried me on 2 rounds of steroids and is currently treating me with antibiotics and Allegra because the MRI showed sinus problems.  After all my research, I am thinking of seeing Dr. House in Jackson, MS, even though my ENT wants me to go to Vanderbuilt in Nashville.  He says they are the only ones around here he would trust with an AN.  However it has been two weeks since my diagnosis and I still have not received the call from Vanderbuilt to schedule an appt.    I see that House is an neurotologist and his biography shows he completed a clinic fellowship at House Ear Institute in LA (no family relation).  I don't know if this means he has indepth experience with AN or not, but I will find out.  I am also unhappy with my hearing aides.  I paid $2500 for the first one last year and, even though I had hearing loss in both ears, I could not afford to buy two hearing aides.  I waited a year and the price came down to $1700, so I recently purchased my second.  I have the Siemens Pure 500.  I really doubt I will be able to afford new hearing aides any time soon so I am certainly hoping for a treatment option to preserve what hearing I still have. 

Thanks again for all the advice I have received here, and I will continue on my journey to find a treatment option and doctor.

[Pembo]

Another teacher here, although part time. After reading your whole thread...CALL the neuro's yourself. Don't rely on them to call you and get pushy about wanting an appointment yesterday. Really, be assertive.

I had my MRI on a Saturday and when I called the drs office to make an appt they tried to push me off for a week. I just kept insisting I needed to see the doc sooner and they "found" an opening for that very afternoon.

Best of luck to you...this is a scary journey you are on but as a 6 yo postie...it will be okay. The first steps...finding a diagnosis, a doctor and waiting for surgery...were the hardest for me.

[Shan1014]

  Hi,
I am in my 21st year of teaching.  I teach junior high PE.  I also am completing an internship in my Principal's Certificate.  I say trying because they discovered my AN last semester in Feb.  I was having a ton of problems - numb face, balance, headaches, vision, vertigo, and at the end swallowing problems.  It turned out to be a large one - golf ball size.  I didn't have a choice, I had to have surgery to get rid of it.  They could only remove 85% so that there was no damage to my nerves.  I did retain my hearing. It was a long process coming back because it was so large I think.  I couldn't return before the school year was out mainly due to the focus and concentration issues.  But the balance and double vision took a lot of "Vestibular Therapy" to get somewhat back to normal.  I say somewhat because I started the school year this year and my internship back up but never have felt completely ready.  One reason - My AN is growing again.  Much faster then before. I am starting Radiation in another week or two.  I will probably have to take the five days off that I have radiation. 

I have my own website that is 3 separate pages - One is pre-treatment/surgery/hospital stay & the 2nd one is about my 6 months of recovery & I just started the 3rd regarding Radiation. 
Check it out  mymediabandit.com/

One key is to have a support system.  My school totally blew me away with support.  They may surprise you.  Please let me know if I can be of any more help.  Good luck to you
Shannon