I met with my neurosurgeon today to review my 2 year post GK MRI. Everything is stable. My AN was 2.4 cm when zapped Sept. 2013. It had reduced in size to 1.8cm by Sept. 2014, and appears to be only slightly smaller today depending on which image you look at. The neurosurgeon told me he expects to see more reduction in size and some necrosis developing by Sept. 2016 and that he is pleased with where I am right now - stable with no growth!
All of the issues that came and went at different times during year one (extreme exhaustion, balance issues, wonky head, ocular motor problems) have been gone for most of this second year. I have had an ongoing dry eye, with the occasional dry spot coming and going on the cornea, so I am being checked out every 3 months by a neuro ophthalmologist. I use Alcon light gel through the day and Lacri-Lube at night to try and avoid any dryness.
I still have some ability to hear out of my AN ear. I am a very active Phonak Bi-Cros user and absolutely love it! My word discrimination keeps bouncing around from 40% to 20%. It was at 40% pre GK, 20% six months post treatment, 40% one year post treatment, 40% this past July when I had a test due to allergies and head pressure effecting my hearing, and 20% last week when I felt great and did not have any allergies. I expect at some point to lose the hearing completely, but am grateful it's still functioning.
Overall, I'm feeling great. It's a rocky road we all take when moving forward with treatment, but life does get better.
Cathie.
