3 Year Anniversary Thanksgiving

[v357139]

Hello all.  Yesterday was my 3 year anniversary from translab surgery to remove my 3.5cm at House.  My life has for the most part returned to normal.  I do most of the things I used to.  I can swim, bike, golf, do heavy work around the yard for hours, clean leaves from the gutter on a ladder, etc.  I am SSD, have tinnitus, my balance is probably 90% of what it was, and my tongue gets a tiny bit numb from time to time.  I consider these things to be so minor, compared to all the good things I can still do - I am going great!!!  I am so, so thankful to ANA and all the fine people on this forum, and to Lauren and and Miranda and the great job they do at the NY Chapter.  And to the excellent doctors Slattery, Schwartz, and Steffan at House Clinic.  I could not have asked for better treatment.  There is so much more to be happy for, and that is huge in comparison to the few small issues I have.  It truly is a reason for Thanksgiving.

To those still deciding, I urge you to educate yourselves and to consult with doctors who have substantial experience and a great track record.  It is not a guarantee, but it is a great way to give yourself a great chance, which is all you can ask for.  And if you are stressing, remember, there are more good results than bad.  Find experienced doctors, and you give yourself a great chance.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Rich

[Citiview]

I too feel blessed on my three year anniversary of 'grateful waiting'.
(Not the actual day)
My recent tests showed no changes. I don't think my tumor is excreting any nasty toxins or whatever, snuggled right up to the cochlea, still hearing.
I remember the fear of the original diagnosis.
Life goes on.
I've recently had a lot of stress about it as well.
Too much.
But my job now is to live fully and wait. Well I've been living fully anyway.
Others that I know have it much worse right now.
There are a lot of sad stories out there, not even related to ANs.
We're all in a different place on the journey. I just happen to know about my AN too soon.
That too is a blessing I guess, or a learning experience?
Maybe there will be new and better treatments developed while I wait.
It is hard to wait, but that's my life.
I'll wait to see how this whole thing unfolds.

I wish there was an App for this AN stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[v357139]

Thanks for sharing Citiview and helping me celebrate a happy Thanksgiving.  I think the appropriate word for all of us is "journey."  And we have to walk those steps ourselves.  You have a lot to be happy for.  Perhaps you will never need treatment. That makes you very lucky.  Think of the hundreds of people who had to have treatment.  Many would gladly trade places with you!!!!

Our journeys are all challenging.  But we can choose how we react to them.  From the best medical result to the worst, each of us has the choice of how we react to it.
Happy Thanksgiving

[Citiview]

Rich
I always think of myself as pre-treatment because at my age it's unlikely that I will never be treated. I take to heart everyone's stories here on the forum. Sometimes they affect me too much. Also, due to the fact that I have connections in 5 different communities/towns there are always a lot of tough stories of people with losses and health concerns. It's very taxing at times because I have to just carry on with my responsibilities regardless.
The point of my post was to provide hope for newly diagnosed people with small ANs because it may be helpful for some to see that you might be able to get a few years out of the watch and wait.
Thanksgiving is a time for reflection for me because it represents the anniversary of my diagnosis. Three years ago, the day before Thanksgiving, I had a neurosurgical consult because a doctor graciously took the time to fit me in to his schedule. I remember how devastated I felt at that time and unsure about the future.
So I'm thankful that I still have 96% word discrimination in my AN ear.
I cannot help but to be thankful. It's nice for me because, quite frankly, with the cancer diagnosis piggy-backed on top of this, I don't really have it in me to be treated.

Sometimes I include into my posts some of the fun things that I'm doing. This last couple of years has been stressful so I'm constantly refocusing and redirecting myself towards positive things. If I find myself drifting into darker places, I counter it with fun activities. I'm managing my own stress. I think it's a good philosophy to build in some positive things to look forward to.

[v357139]

Citiview,
I think you have a great philosophy also.  Especially with what you are dealing with.  Redirecting toward the positive is an excellent way to go.  I have read it is much easier and more effective to go toward something positive than to try and avoid the negative.  So I think you are on the right track.  Keep it up, an please let me know if I can help in any way.
Rich