tears

[KBL]

I had surgery Jan 2010 for a 4.5 CM AN on my left side.  I can out of surgery with nystagmus.. I lost the hearing in my left ear. The tumor had been pressing my spinal cord and brain stem aside.  Since they could not get the entire tumor, I Had cyberknife in April 2010.  6 months later my face became paralysed on the left side.  As of an MRI in April 2011 the tumor was appox.  28x18x8 mm.  It had shrunk just a bit in the last 6 months.  People tell me my face is less droopy than it has been.  I do not see a change.  I had a gold eye weight put in in December, just in time to give me some fun eye color for Christmas!  I have had a great attitude, but that is a constant fight.  I am unable to work and have fatigue.  Because my eye is so very dry, even with my constant use of drops and eye gel at night, The vision in my left eye is a bit blurred.  Do people have luck with their tears returning?  I also go to some therapy but get discourage because I do not see a difference.  I have full feeling on my left side.  Do most people with paralysis?  I feel blessed given the tumor was the size of a tennis ball.

[Kaybo]

KBL-
Have you tried using ointment all the time? I, personally, use Refresh PM. I typically put it in once in the morning & once at night, more if my eye gets red. Know that the gel distorts your vision and it WILL be blurry out of that eye.  I didn't know it until I got on this site, but MOST people have full feeling on their paralyzed side. There are very few of us who don't - no feeling or sensation whatsoever!

K 

[nftwoed]

Hi KBL;

  I use the Refresh PM also and drop several times a day. A few blinks usually removes drops; Not so, gel.
  Do you know for sure the vision problem is due to dry eye? Tears act as a corrective lens also. Would suggest you have a tear drainage punctum plug that side if you don't already. You could have tear production, film strength and dispersion rate checked by an Opthamologist, or contact lense dispensing Optomitrist. Also, blurry vision could be caused by diplopia, considering the extent of your trauma. You've had an eye exam since treatments?
  I would imagine you have some swelling affecting things yet after two procedures just this Winter and Spring. That's a lot of trauma!!
  Re, facial paralysis, I've heard of quick returns to function, to as long as 3+ years.
  Re, aural fullness, I believe it goes with the territory in many, whether small AN or large, as yours.
  Re, therapy, if you mean VRT, I can understand your frustration or just plain overall frustration.
  If memory serves correctly, after just my Translab and much smaller AN than yours, I feel appertaining to feeling half way normal may be a an entire year or more experience for you considering the severity of your situation. Fatigue is normal and will probably be there for some time. Please give yourself plenty of time, KBL. Best wishes with the remaining tumor.

[KBL]

Thank you for your replys.   I think I have paid for my eye doctors eldest child's first year of college.  I have seen her several times since surgery.  She assures me I have dry eyes, I do not have diplopia.  I have not had tear production, film strength and dispersion rate checked, but there appears to be no tear production. 
My surgery was 16 months ago and cyberknife 13 months ago, with the paralysis starting in September.  I may have to start using the gel during the day.  Sometimes I put a piece of tape on the edge of my eye and that helps.  I do not know what VRT is.   

[phx]

I hear ya!

I had a similar size tumor also and no hearing on my left side after surgery. Wow! your situation sounds similar to mine. Mine's pressing on my brainstem too and it still is. My doctors could only get 30% of it and so I had cyberknife done in August 2010. I think I know what you mean about having a full feeling, except I noticed it after radiation. My people say the same thing yours do too. They say my facial paraylsis is less noticeable. It's only noticeable when I'm laughing. I have double vision in my left eye if I look far enough to my left side and it's been like this for a while. I've been hoping it would get better because I've been told it might get better. I am alway tired too. I feel like half of that feeling is from my left eye being the way it is. Do you? If I cover my left eye and leave my right eye, I feel like my vision is fine, but the minute I remove my hand from my left eye, my vision's off again. Like you, I feel blessed too. With my size tumor, things could have turned out differently.

I had surgery Jan 2010 for a 4.5 CM AN on my left side.  I can out of surgery with nystagmus.. I lost the hearing in my left ear. The tumor had been pressing my spinal cord and brain stem aside.  Since they could not get the entire tumor, I Had cyberknife in April 2010.  6 months later my face became paralysed on the left side.  As of an MRI in April 2011 the tumor was appox.  28x18x8 mm.  It had shrunk just a bit in the last 6 months.  People tell me my face is less droopy than it has been.  I do not see a change.  I had a gold eye weight put in in December, just in time to give me some fun eye color for Christmas!  I have had a great attitude, but that is a constant fight.  I am unable to work and have fatigue.  Because my eye is so very dry, even with my constant use of drops and eye gel at night, The vision in my left eye is a bit blurred.  Do people have luck with their tears returning?  I also go to some therapy but get discourage because I do not see a difference.  I have full feeling on my left side.  Do most people with paralysis?  I feel blessed given the tumor was the size of a tennis ball.