Hi everyone:
I have decided to post my story on the eve of my two year anniversary. I was a little hesitant to post it as I had very few complications. Dale, your "don't hate me" post convinced me it was the right thing to do. People that are considering or have decided to have surgery should hear how well it can go.
I was diagnosed with a 2.5cm neuroma on the left side. The tumor had not started compressing my brain stem but it was touching it. After many hours of research and three dr. visits I decided on surgery via translab. I wanted the tumor GONE and my facial nerve intact if at all possible. I was willing to sacrifice what hearing I had to do this.
Thursday, May 13, 2004 finally arrived and I was at the University of Minnesota by 4:30 am. I was not nervous at all. The three months between diagnosis and surgery was not fun but that morning I was ready to get on with it. My two Doctors came in to say hi - they explained again what they were going to do - they liked my haircut (I keep it pretty short anyway but for surgery I had my hairdresser shave the back) - they asked if I had anymore questions and off to the OR I went.
My surgery took 8.5 hours. The only reason it took that long was because I have a high jugular bulb. I guess they have to go up and over it instead of straight through.
When I woke up I answered all the usual questions they ask to make sure there is no brain damage, what is your name, who is the president etc...I was very much awake. They asked my what my brother's phone # is and my sister didn't think I could answer so she started telling the nurse his number. I stuck my tongue out at my sister because I was very capable of telling the nurse his number.........My sister said: "She is just fine! I am going home!"
I spent the first night in ICU and I went to my own room the next am. My first visitors were my Doctors. My first question to them: Did you get it all? "we think so but you never know". Just hearing we think so was good enough for me. They asked me to smile and said my smile looked pretty good.......a little droop but not too bad. They wouldn't let me eat solid food until dinner friday. I was so hungry........only a little jello and broth before then. Dinner was some kind of hotdish with tomatoes. I told the nurse that was the crappiest hotdish I had ever eaten. She said she ate it and thought it was good. Well, breakfast the next day tasted the same as the hotdish. I had forgotten I would loose my taste!! Then I was a wee bit bummed out. I could get a little flavor if I shoved the food way up on the right side of my mouth.ÂÂ
Saturday I started walking out of my room. (Friday was just to the bathroom and back to bed with help) First it was walking with a nurse on one side and the railing on the other. By saturday night I was walking all around the floor by myself. I was "off" but not dizzy. As long as I stayed by a wall I felt secure.
Sunday AM my doctor came in and asked if I felt like going home!! I couldn't believe it. I must admit I was a little afraid - go home already? They had told me five to seven days..........He said I could go if someone stayed with me for another 48 hours but I had to come back tues. to get the bandage off.  Right then my sister walked in for a visit so I asked her if she could stay with me for a few days. She was as shocked as I was. Within a hour I was out walking to the parking ramp. We went through the tunnel which has railings. I walked and tapped the railing every few feet for security. I WAS OUT IN 72 HOURS!!
Being home was wonderful. My brother brought my dog back home and life was good. I was deaf in my left ear, I would soon have terrible muscle spasms in my neck due to the position my neck was in for 8.5 hours, the HUGE pressure bandage was a pain in the butt, I couldn't drink out of a pop can without making a huge mess, my eye dried up and I scratched my cornea a bit, off to the eye dr. for a patch and food tasted like crap but no headaches.
Two months later I was back at work, eye was fine and closing all the way again, taste was getting much better, the pop can thing was better, my hair had grown back and covered my scar and my dr. said: see you in a year.
One year: MRI showed no regrowth - taste was back to normal except for bananas tasted like crap.
Two year: MRI showed no regrowth - bananas still taste like crap - another MRI in a year.
So, other than being deaf in one ear and the banana thing (I really did like bananas) I think I came out of it about as good as you can.ÂÂ
Thats my story, Kathy O'Brien
