Apt w/ father's surgeon yesterday....

[Carson]

Well.......As predicted Dr. Welling and his team were wonderful!!  Thank you all so much!!

Having already looked to all of the wonderful people here for information, what could have been a rollercoaster of emotions and confusion was as simple as seeing your family doctor!! Dr was able to confirm everything I had already found out which was wonderful and put my parents at ease!!  And didnt hit  us with info or statistics I hadnt already researched!!  Which seemed to give my parents alot more trust that I knew what I was talking about   LOL

The only thing we (my parents and I) were not aware of was the actual location of the tumor.  We had not been able to pull up the MRI from the disc at home so all we had were the actual notes to read.....I guess even reading all the clinical mumbo jumbo you just dont realize just what this tumor does or how it grows until acutally seeing your own MRI......When you think of  inner ear (well at least for us) you think it is just that.....and when you think of an inch or so....it doesnt seem like it would be that big of deal.....The MRI really kinda made us aware of just how serious this is....thank goodness its benign and if ya gotta get one this is what you want.... I guess!   The hearing test also confirmed that the hearing in his right ear is completely gone!!  Which the doctor said is probably a very good thing for my dad considering the right side of his brain has already compensated so recovery should be fairly "easy" for lack of a better word!!  (which I know also was another point I had already learned from you here...  
thank you)

The MRI also showed us that my father's tumor was filled with 2 seperate cysts.  Dr said only 5% of patients with AN will have cysts involved and although they will do a byopsy of everything the tumor will still 99% be benign the cysts will simply complicate only the removal of the tumor.....but nothing he has never dealt with!!   And of course my mom and I both volunteered to donate our "belly fat" !!!  I even offered to donate to every patient he had!!  LOL  And my father being the goofy man he is.....(thats why we love him) asked the Dr and his team if they had any allergies??  They looked confused.....My dad said " I just dont want anyone sneezing or coughing while pokin at my brain!!!"  They all were cracking up!!!    

I told the dr that I found this forum and he thought that was great....but did warn me of what I read....which I did let him know I already knew what he was gonna say...you have to take into consideration size...complications....age......He just smiled at me!!  He then told me he will be speaking at the ANA convention coming up and he was glad I had been researching it!!

We did sign up for a clinical research ....the tumor will be donated and they will be researching how those tumors grow...why they grow the way they do and why the gene (they already know that shuts down and causes these tumors) does what it does.  The research is being done at OSU. 

All in all....everything went sort of as planned (cysts being a new challenge).....and we are on as scheduled for NOV 4th....election day...YAY!!!  LOL

Thanks to everyone here for you support!!!  I cant say it enough!!!

[gordy]

good luck to your dad and your family carson.

[jazzfunkanne]

best wishes to your dad carson, i will be thinking about him and saying a prayer, did they say what size the AN was?

[sgerrard]

Hi Carson,

Sounds like it went well.

Yes, an AN is a mild little benign tumor, but it happens to grow in a very busy junction area of the head, where there is no room for any visitors, benign or otherwise. It is within an inch of numerous cranial nerves, blood vessels, and the brainstem. There have been other members with cystic tumors who have done well, so they are apparently not a big problem, although my impression is that with radiation treatment they might be more of an issue.

I want to commend you for helping out your parents this way. Your participation is making a huge difference for them, and will certainly improve the results for your dad. If anyone is keeping score, you get some brownie points for this.

Steve

[Sue]

Hi Carson,

Best wishes to your dad.  He sounds like a fun guy.  I was interested in what you said about a gene shutting down to cause AN's.  That's the reason that I favor, also.  I hadn't heard that that was the "official" reason.  That's good to know.  I never did subscribe to the cell phone use, even though they may or may not come up with some evidence that it isn't very good to be on those phones for hours and hours.

Anyway, I do hope your dad gets through this with flying colors.

Sue in Vancouver USA

[LisaP]

Hi Carson,

Send your dad my best...

LisaP

[Kaybo]

Carson~
Glad the consu;ltation went well and that you were able to be "informed" to put your parents more at ease.  I will have a lot of time on my hands on the 4th (Dave is having some skin cancer removed) so I will use that time to pray for your daddy and for all of you waiting.  May you all feel the PEACE as Jesus wraps you in His arms!

K

[leapyrtwins]

Carson -

it sounds like your dad had a very good appointment.  His attitude sounds great and IMO his sense of humor will help him get through this just fine.

I'm glad to hear Dr. Welling is such a good doctor; I look forward to hearing him speak at the symposium.

Did you put your dad's surgery date on the AN Calendar?  There's a link at the bottom of Steve's profile.

Jan   

[Carson]

Thanks Jan,  I just did!!!


Hugs to you all!!!  thanks for the support

[NW]

Carson,
I am so glad everything went well with your consult with Dr. Welling, I didn't have any doubts at all!!  I wish your Dad the best. He's been in my thoughts & prayers along with you & your family. I will PM you, Yesterday was my yr anniversary from returning home from OSU, too bad the Buckeyes had to lose last night .

I'll keep in touch.

Nancy