Hi Brad .....
So sorry that your AN has continued to grow post-gamma knife.
In answer to your question on the typical recovery times for translab surgery, there are so many variables with individual patients, it really is impossible for anyone to predict. Even the medical people are only giving educated, average, guesses. Some of the variables are: general health of patient, age of patient, any other complicating issues such as previous radiation or surgical treatment, whether the vestibular nerve has already ceased to send signals, length of surgical time, etc. etc.
In my case, I had retrosigmoid approach surgery for my first removal. My case is a bit unusual in that both of my vestibular nerves have been destroyed (first one had apparently been destroyed in childhood with radium treatments). Therefore, when I first tried to stand up after the initial surgery, it was disaster. Long story short, I had months of vestibular rehab before I was comfortable walking without a cane or someone's arm. I did, however, resume driving after about two months (it was not a problem when I was not trying to maintain my balance).
Three years later an apparent fragment regrew (very rare), necessitating a second surgery. To avoid as much scar tissue as possible, translab approach was done on the second surgery. This time my brain had already compensated for the missing vestibular nerve function and I recovered very rapidly. Nine days after surgery I was walking around downtown Los Angeles. Probably less than a month later I was back driving a car and generally back to my pre-surgery state.
Back to your question: I certainly would have Plans A and B in place in case you need more time for recovery than expected. If you are generally healthy and do not have major balance adjustments to make post-op, nor any unforeseen complications, six weeks is generally the suggested recovery time for most major surgeries ..... and this is major surgery.
Best wishes and let us know how things are going.
Clarice
