To All the Newbies,
I tried like anything to avoid surgery believe me! I had a 12 hour. Previous brain surgery (in 1974) complete with very much pain (prior I had last rites given)and terror on my part so you can see why I wished to avoid surgery in 2004.
That is why I delayed so much by interviewing 13 neurosurgeons and 1. Radiologist who thought I could do Gamma Knife surgery. All 13 docs said that my 3.1 cm AN needed surgery but I had to try one more doc!
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be (because he was not as familiar with targeting with CT scans).
Fortunately, I had a fallback plan with a neurosurgeon who also said that he would follow up if necessary with Gamma Knife which 8 years later turned out that I needed.
Certainly has been a rough ride while I don't recommend getting 14 opinions, I do recommend getting at least 3 before surgery!
You can see why I didn't want a repeat of the surgery I had had in 1974,but brain surgery has come a long way since then at least that is what Dr. Sisti said.
-n 2004, I was in surgery for only 6 hours, I have my smile and while I am. Single sided (left) deaf and walk with a cane, life is good and I am happy once again! Now that I have given Irv the tumor a death blow finally in June of last year.
This story is meant to help those of you not sure of whether to go or not into surgery. Surely you don't want to wait until your tumor is to big. So that you have only one choice as I did.
Optimally, you should have more than one that way perhaps you can preserve what hearing you do have.
It is not easy this road
