Author Topic: Suergery Update  (Read 5441 times)

Jeanlea

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Suergery Update
« on: September 15, 2005, 05:35:05 pm »
I promised myself that I would come back and share my surgery results with others so here goes.  My susrgery was scheduled to be 12 hours long and ened up being abou 13 hours long.  The tumor was 3.5 cm and wrappedu up quite well in the facial nervre, funny  to think I nerver fellt it before.  The doctors were able to get the whole tuimor out.  I am much tired and find it hard ro put my fingers on the correct keys.  My dad tells me  I look a lot better than I did on Saturday.   It is good to hear encouragement.  My biggrdp problems are not swalloinh well due to the frozen tongue and overall weakness.  My walking is coming along well.

Jean
translab on 3.5+ cm tumor
September 6, 2005
Drs. Friedland and Meyer
Milwaukee, WI
left-side facial paralysis and numbness
TransEar for SSD

luv2teachsped

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2005, 08:22:49 pm »
Dear Jean:  Glad you are doing well, but should you really be at the computer???? ???  I thought we'd hear from your family, but not you!! ??? Please take care of yourself.  You'll continue to be in my prayers and thoughts. luv2teachsped
3cmx3cm/translab 5/05
University of Michigan
Dr.Telian and Dr.Thompson

BAHA implant-4/07, processor on 8/07

JHager

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2005, 09:29:44 pm »
Jean,

Wow, you're my hero!  I can't believe you're typing your own posts right now! 

Thanks so much for updating us - please know that we're thinking about you.  Keep us posted!

And, next time, give dictation - there must be someone who will sit and type for you!  :D

Take care!

Josh
3.5 cm right AN.  Surgery 11/7/05, modified translab.  As recovered as I'd ever hoped to be.

Jeanlea

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2005, 04:23:11 pm »
It's been just over two weeks since my surgery now.  I can walk fairly well.  I try to make sure to get out for a daily walk.  I use a cane for reassurance.  I notice that my typing in my left hand is improving.  I also do a bit of weightlifting with my left hand (only 3 pounds).  I have a lot of twitching by my mouth so I think that is good.  Vision is still my biggest problem.  I'm hoping that will improve with time.  My affected eye is blurry from the medicine I have to keep in it.  My other eye is fine.  I find that I"m getting stronger, but I still like  a short afternoon nap. 

I don't know how anyone handles this alone.  I really depend on my husband at night and my mom is still coming to stay with me during the day. 

Jean
translab on 3.5+ cm tumor
September 6, 2005
Drs. Friedland and Meyer
Milwaukee, WI
left-side facial paralysis and numbness
TransEar for SSD

Desilu

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2005, 05:32:19 pm »
Dear Jean,

Everyone heals at a different rate. You are doing really well! Walk as much as you can, it will really help.  Everytime something started twitching, whether is was my eye or my cheek, the next thing I knew within the next day or two, it was working better and I had more feeling.  My eye bothered me also after surgery (dry eye) it took me about 5 weeks before I could focus my affected eye.  Don't be to hard on yourself.  Take your naps, they are good for you.  That is your body telling you that you need a rest.  Continue to be positive, focus on what you can do, not what you can't do.  You have a great support system going for you.  You are truly Blessed.  Ann
HEI July 26, 2005
5mm X 8mm Left AN
Middle Fossa
Dr. Brackmann & Dr. Hitselberger

jw

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2005, 09:12:16 pm »
I'm really quite amazed at this forum.  I don't even know if I have an AN (suspected; waiting for MRI), but when I read the stories here it is quite amazing.  There is a lot of support from everyone here and everyone has gone through some pretty rough times!  It's great that others can share similar experiences and give encouragement for the symptoms people are experiencing post-op.  I hope that you continue to recover quickly, Jean.  It sounds as if you are being very strong and making progress through a very good attitude.  It's amazing how the human body can heal itself and how the brain will learn how to do things all over again.  All the best.
Diagnosed 31 Oct 2005
Bilateral 0 cm ANs.

matti

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2005, 02:19:37 pm »
Hi Jean,

It sounds like you are doing remarkably well.  I agree with you, I don't know how people are able to recover without help at home. My husband was able to take a few weeks off and take care of me. Some days I felt OK and others I didn't, it was so comforting to know that someone was there.

I would get so excited over every little twitch, because that meant things were waking up. Regarding your eye, my doctor gave me a clear plastic eye patch that really helped with the dryness. It allowed me to see and kept my eye from drying out so much. I know the gel that I was using was quite helpful, but it made my eye so incredibly blurry and that seemed to sometimes throw my balance off a bit.

Enjoy the afternoon naps, I really looked forward to mine.

matti
3.5 cm  - left side  Single sided deafness 
Middle Fossa Approach - California Ear Institute at Stanford - July 1998
Dr. Joseph Roberson and Dr. Gary Steinberg
Life is great at 50

Jeanlea

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2005, 03:45:27 pm »
Thanks to all of you for your support.  It's nice to be able to share with people who have been through this. 

I met with my rehab person for the first time today.  He's only had about 5 people in 8 years with an acoustic neuroma.  I like him though.  I think he will be able to help me a lot.  Today was baseline testing.  I was doing really well until he started showing me letters on a computer screen.  I shut down and nearly passed out.  Probabably partially due to my normally low blood pressure.  It was 90/60 when he checked it.  That's just a little lower than normal for me.  He gave me some "homework" that will help me.  I left feeling hopeful and looking forward to going back next week.


Jean
translab on 3.5+ cm tumor
September 6, 2005
Drs. Friedland and Meyer
Milwaukee, WI
left-side facial paralysis and numbness
TransEar for SSD

JHager

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2005, 09:39:04 am »
Jean,

Glad to hear from you.  Although this sounds silly, you 'sound' better in your last post than before.  I hope that's a reflection of how you're feeling!

Good to hear you found a good rehab person.  I hope you don't mind that I find a little humor in your story (I look for humor in anything, as it helps me to cope and feel better), but as I read your post and others, it always strikes me how unique each recovery is.  Some people struggle with balance, or dexterity, or memory - and all have stories to relate.  You struggled, albeit momentarily, with numbers on a computer screen.  It just shows how tough and fragile we are at the same time.  You just went through brain surgery, and are recovering remarkably well, when something as simple as a computer screen overloads the circuits.

My surgery is on November 7.  In January, my school (I'm a high school teacher) is putting on our annual comedy night, which I never miss.  I'm already getting some material together from my AN experience (mostly about the looks on faces when you say 'brain tumor' - no one quite knows how to react to that, do they?  ;D), and I plan on putting in some of my recovery struggles.  Should be interesting.

Hope you're continuing to feel better!  Thanks for keeping us posted.

Josh
3.5 cm right AN.  Surgery 11/7/05, modified translab.  As recovered as I'd ever hoped to be.

luv2teachsped

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2005, 06:29:55 pm »
Josh-  Glad you're keeping your humor!  I too am a teacher, elementary, special ed.  You really need a sense of humor with those high schoolers.  You should be able to get enough "funnies" just off this board and your own "AN experiance" to keep 'em laughing all night.  Good Luck with your surgery!  luv2teachsped
3cmx3cm/translab 5/05
University of Michigan
Dr.Telian and Dr.Thompson

BAHA implant-4/07, processor on 8/07

Jeanlea

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #10 on: September 25, 2005, 03:05:15 pm »
You have to be able to keep your sense of humor to get through this.  My sons are in stitches when they ask me to laugh at something because my laugh is kind of differernt right now.

Josh, I know what you mean when you say brain tumor to someone.  They don't quite know how to respond.  I use it occassionally when I need that response.  lol

It's nice to hear from other teachers.  I know I must be feeling better because school is on my mind again.  A few days after surgery I didn't even think about it.  Just before surgery I decided to apply for the open 3rd grade position and switch out of my kinders.  I think it will make my transition back to work easier.  I'm planning on going back the end of October.  I'm a little nervous about that, but I've got another month to work on that.

Good luck on your surgery, Josh.  I'll be thinking of you.

Luv2teachsped, how is it being back in the classroom?


Jean
translab on 3.5+ cm tumor
September 6, 2005
Drs. Friedland and Meyer
Milwaukee, WI
left-side facial paralysis and numbness
TransEar for SSD

luv2teachsped

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2005, 08:17:55 pm »
Jean- Good to hear from you!  You "sound" pretty good.  The switch might be a good idea.  As mich as I love my little ones,( I teach k-4 cognitively impaired students) they exhaust me!!  I am still fighting taking naps during the week, as I don't sleep at night when I do. My students all function around pre-school/kindergarten level, so we stay pretty active.  I have found that I have to extra careful when I am climbing on the playground equipment with the kids, and I can no longer climb on it with my cerebal palsy kids, as I lose my balance when they do.  I have decided to go back for my masters degree to prepare myself for another position in the future.  The good note is however, that the "brain gym" motor movement that I do with my class has helped my balance problems a great deal.Oh, and here's another funny for those of us left"hearing impaired".  I couldn't hear one of my little students the other day so I asked her to come closer, she did, still couldn't hear so I asked her again, when she finally got to me, she threw up all over me!  I'm guessing she was trying to tell me she was sick!  A day in the life of an elementary teacher!  To a speedy recovery! :Dluv2teachsped
3cmx3cm/translab 5/05
University of Michigan
Dr.Telian and Dr.Thompson

BAHA implant-4/07, processor on 8/07

JHager

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2005, 07:40:17 am »
Hey Jean and Luv2teach,

Okay, so we're all teachers (and I'm pretty sure there are some others on the board), and we all have AN's.  Weird connection, don't you think?

Is it possible that our students aren't actually a pain in the NECK, as I previously surmised?  Perhaps their impact is elsewhere, physiologically speaking?   ;D

Seriously, it's great to know there's some of us going through the same struggles, and still have a love for students and teaching!

Hope everyone's doing well!

Josh
3.5 cm right AN.  Surgery 11/7/05, modified translab.  As recovered as I'd ever hoped to be.

Bernadette

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Re: Suergery Update
« Reply #13 on: September 28, 2005, 08:11:27 pm »
Hello to everyone I have been on this site off and on since August.I just had my surgery Sept 19th. Even though you read and try to prepare yourself for whatever, you are definitly not prepared. I was so sick after the surgery I don't remember much, but I remember them telling me that in almost 2 months time since I orginally found out about my tumor it had grown almost 1 cm more. They had done the middle fossa but had they known it was almost 3cm it would not have been done.Right now I am dealing with the dry eye and facial paralysis stiff neck. My balance is pretty good. I am just glad the surgery is over, now I can get on with my recovery. Best wishes to everyone.....Bernadette     This is a wonderful website