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Author Topic: Had surgery October7, 2009.  (Read 4129 times)

Lori Ann

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Had surgery October7, 2009.
« on: November 04, 2009, 07:51:18 am »
Hi ,

My name is Lori, I found you site yesterday and thought it is very helpful
to read about other people with this interesting thing going on !! I
found out in August that I had a 2.5 cm AN on my right side. I was
having facial numbness and tingling, hearing was fine. My ENT Doctor
sent me for a MRI. I had my 12 hour surgery on October 7, everything
went according to planned. I have lost my hearing in my right ear,
which has been replaced with a ringing!! My right side on my face was
partially paralyzed but is slowly coming back. No balance issues or dizziness.
I am gratefull to have other people out there with the same issues. This
is not that common of a thing around where I live. I have a wonderful
husband and an 11 year old son who have been taking care of me for
a change !!! I turned 40 the day after I was released from the hospital.
Happy Birthday!

Lori





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2.5cm AN right side, surgery on Oct 7, 2009

tenai98

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2009, 08:06:29 am »
welcome Lori to our little family of ANers...we are all different in dx and treatment and recovery...
JO
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14mmX11mmX11mm left ear
TRANSLAB 04/07/09 2cms at time of surgery
Dr. Benoit and Schramm, Ottawa Civic Campus
SSD ,some facial numbness
Baha surgery sept 22/09
residual tumor 13mmX7mmX8mm
2016 new growth.  25mmX21mmX22mm
cyberknife on June 7

moe

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2009, 08:21:49 am »
Hi Lori,
Welcome to the forum! There is another Lori on the forum.
Sounds like you are doing grreeeat, just one month post op. I too lost my hearing and acquired a higher pitched tinnitus in its place.
For me it is a matter of staying in quiet environments and avoiding noisy places-to keep the level tolerable- not always easy to do! But I am kind of a hermit, so works for me. Thank God my kids are older!
Good excuse to not go to certain places too...
Let us know how things continue to go, and welcome to "life after 40's"!
Things WILL get better :) No balance issues or dizziness? Yours must have been in there for quite a while, like mine. I had no dizziness post op!
Maureen
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06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

CHD63

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2009, 11:07:32 am »
Hi Lori .....

Welcome to our unique little group ..... well, actually there are many of us on this forum.  Glad you joined us.  This is a wonderful, caring, support group.  Let us know how you are progressing.

Clarice
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Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

cindyj

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2009, 12:08:17 pm »
Hi, Lori...just another welcome to the site for you...sounds like you're doing very well!  Glad to hear your face is making improvement.

See you around the forum,

Cindy
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rt side 1.5 cm - Translab on 11/07/08 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of House Ear Institute,
feeling great!

"Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you do hold."  Josh Billings

Jim Scott

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2009, 03:55:30 pm »
Hello Lori, and welcome! 

Of course, we're sorry that anyone has to deal with this relatively rare but troublesome acoustic neuroma stuff but we're pleased that you found the ANA website and thank you for deciding to register and post.  You're part of the 'family' now - so I expect a nice Christmas present (just kidding!) :D

I'm happy to learn that your AN removal surgery went well and that your only real post-op issue is being SSD (Single Side Deaf) .  That's no small thing, of course, and neither is the tinnitus,  but these issues can be overcome or at least, dealt with.  Please feel free to ask a question or venture a comment whenever you wish.  We're glad to hear from you.  Oh, and Happy 40th Birthday!  :)

Jim

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4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

leapyrtwins

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2009, 05:53:01 pm »
Hi, Lori Ann and welcome  ;D

I didn't find the ANA - or this site either - until I was post op, so we have that in common.

I am SSD on the left, but opted for a BAHA implant which has served me well.  If you'd like to know more about it, just search on BAHA and you'll find lots of posts.

Where are you from?  And where did you have your surgery?

Inquiring minds want to know  ;D

Jan
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Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

gingerbread6

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2009, 06:54:39 am »
Hi Lori,

Welcome to this wonderful group of caring, supportive people. Fortunately I found the forum early in the game, and it's been a constant source of support, information and general camaraderie for me.

I am so glad that your surgery went well and you are recouping comfortably at home. I'm pre-surgery on Dec. 28th in Boston. I find that this waiting game is the hardest part for me. Please continue to update us on your progress. God Bless!!

Gingerbread6
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jaylogs

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2009, 04:32:48 pm »
I'll add my welcome to the group Lori!! You'll find a great bunch of people on here.  I am always amazed how our symptoms vary. Your AN is medium sized, yet you had no issues with hearing but had the facial nerve issue. Mine, which is 8mm and small...I had no facial nerve issues but my hearing is shot and have hi pitched tinnitus.  Anyways, now that you have that beast out of your head, you have the hardest part over with. Now just continue to heal and enjoy your new life! :)
Jay
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8.1mm x 7.8mm x 8.2mm AN, Left Ear, Middle Fossa surgery performed on 12/9/09 at House by Drs. Brackmann/Schwartz. Some hearing left, but got BAHA 2/25/11 (Ponto Pro) To see how I did through my Middle Fossa surgery, click here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jaylogston

epc1970

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2009, 05:17:32 pm »
Hi Lori
Welcome! I am so happy to hear that your recovery is going along so smoothly and that you found us! I too had the temporary facial paralysis and at about 3 weeks it started to get better-just like yours! if you are anything like me (and I hope you are) you will have a full recovery of that darn paralysis. Please keep checking in and letting us know how you are doing. I'm from Maine and like you there are not many ANer's around for support and this forum has been my link to others going thru the same thing I am.
Take care Lori.
Erin
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Lori Ann

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #10 on: November 08, 2009, 06:33:09 pm »
Hi,
Thanks for the welcome! I hope your surgery goes well gingerbread6.  It must be kind of
nerve wrecking to wait for your date to get here? I got a call on Tuesday to be in
on Wednesday morning for my surgery !! No time to worry!! I really didn't know
to much about AN's but I am learning alot now, I realize I am one of the lucky ones!!
My AN was in farther so it was pushing on my facial nerve causing numbness, but my hearing
was fine (not now I can't hear on my right side).
To answer some of your questions I live in Nova Scotia, I had a great Doctor, Dr. Walling
that did my surgery in Halifax. I spent a week in the hospital.The first couple days were rough, (the nausea) I had two spells where I fainted, scared a few people including my son and husband. Had nothing to due with the actual surgery. I was wondering about the people with
the BAHA, how is your hearing with it? Does it help hearing when you are in a room full
of people like a locker room? I have trouble hearing people when there is alot of noise. 
Just would like to thank all the people who have posted something to make me under
stand all of this better!!
Lori
Quote from: gingerbread6 on November 08, 2009, 06:54:39 am
Hi Lori,

Welcome to this wonderful group of caring, supportive people. Fortunately I found the forum early in the game, and it's been a constant source of support, information and general camaraderie for me.

I am so glad that your surgery went well and you are recouping comfortably at home. I'm pre-surgery on Dec. 28th in Boston. I find that this waiting game is the hardest part for me. Please continue to update us on your progress. God Bless!!

Gingerbread6
« Last Edit: November 08, 2009, 07:48:40 pm by Lori Ann »
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2.5cm AN right side, surgery on Oct 7, 2009

leapyrtwins

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #11 on: November 08, 2009, 10:09:27 pm »
Lori -

the BAHA has helped my hearing a lot - both in my personal and my professional lives.  I absolutely adore it!

I currently have a Divino which isn't the greatest in noisy and/or crowded rooms - but most hearing aids have trouble in these settings because they tend to pick up every available sound. 

However, the new BP100 (by Cochlear) and the new Ponto Pro (by Oticon) have programming that is supposed to help in noisy and/or crowded rooms.  Basically they are able to filter out the background noises and "unnecessary" sounds. 

The good news is, with a BAHA the abutment is permanently in your head, so any time there is a change in technology you don't need another surgery - you simply get a new device and attach it to your head and you're "good to go".

Jan
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Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

lawmama

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Re: Had surgery October7, 2009.
« Reply #12 on: November 11, 2009, 07:37:37 am »
Hi Lori, and welcome!

As a mother it makes my heart happy to hear that your son is taking good care of you.  What a good boy!  I hope your recovery continues.  It sounds like your facial nerve is "waking up" nicely. 

Lyn
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9mm X 7mm tumor (left side), diagnosed 10-15-09
Retrosigmoid on 12-14-09 by Drs. Antonelli and Lewis (my heroes!)
Shands in Gainesville, FL
SSD, but no facial issues.  Mild tinnitus.
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