Home from House

[nipanddale]

Hi, Everyone!
Norma and I are back to Michigan from the House Clinic after two weeks. Drs Brackmann, Hitzleberger, Friedman, Cullen, and another young fella who’s name I cannot remember now, removed the 3.5 cm. AN from behind my left ear. I’m home and recovering well.

I am walking around the house, getting myself things to eat easily enough, and just relaxing. Norma went back to work today on a “part-time� basis. I’m just trying to find things to do that will speed up my recovery. I just finished reading Fight Club, and am moving into a lrge-print version of Othello (I'm teaching it this fall).

You guys all told me what to expect after the surgery, (translabrinthine) and I heard you, but just now understand that it will be a while before I feel some semblance of normalcy. You’ve probably been here—the left hemisphere of my head feels “dead.� I can only chew on one side of my mouth, and only taste on the same side. The single-sided deafness doesn’t bother me as much as the changes in pitch and tone on my right side (everyone sounds like they’re on a bit of helium)

Dr. Brackmann (cool dude btw) told me as he took off for his vacation in Russia that he’d removed the whole tumor, and was able to keep my facial muscle nerve in tact. Walking hasn’t been that hard, but I have been pretty careful.

The most annoying part is that my left eye hasn’t started making tears correctly yet. When I wake up, Norma helps me put drops in to lubricate, but it’s about an hour before I can see straight. The cycle repeats around lunchtime; my eye dries up, and I have to lube my eye again, and wait another hour before I can do anything except sit in my LaZboy and stare at a blurry TV.

I'll take that back- the MOST annoying thing is trying to sleep at night. Norma says I'm snoring, but I feel like I'm just laying there all night. I can only sleep in two postions, and I've never been one to sleep on my back. I'll get used to it.

Slightly-off-topic: The Seton Center is a blessing! Having a place to stay outside of St. Vincent’s to relax and meet people who’re going through the same experience helped so much! Norma and I met a couple from Alabama who were in the same boat. We walked together, talked, helped each other, and ate together each day. It made the whole process that much more bearable.

Finally, I want to thank all of you who on this group who encouraged us and steered us towards the House Clinic! I am so happy we went there instead of having the surgery here in Michigan. Dr. Brackmann and crew are the best! He removed my whole tumor and put in the BAHA implant in one shot! Dr. Friedman had to reopen me the following week to plug a CFS leak, but other than that, I just have to let my BAHA hole heal so they can tune in my implant.

I’ll wrap up for now, but I’ll post again tomorrow. Have a good one!

Dale

[HeadCase2]

Dale,
  Congratulations on doing so well.  It may not seem like it to you now, but for the size tumor you had you're doing very well.  Most people would not be doing the things you're doing after only two weeks.
  Here's wishing you further speedy recovery.  Know that the various symptoms you're having will improve with more time.
Regards,
 Rob

[matti]

Hi Dale and welcome back!

So glad you posted, I have been wondering how you are doing and it sure sounds like you are doing well    Totally sympathize as the left side of my face and head felt dead and the right side was working overtime and living in a blurred state is very frustrating.  The lacri-lube blurred my vision so much, that it threw my balance off even more. I was given a clear eye patch that mimicked a hot house effect and kept moisture in the eye, it helped quite a bit.

Does the reading make you dizzy or tired?

Again, happy to see you back and give your fabulous nurse Norma a hug for me.

Cheryl

[nipanddale]

Hey, Headcase-
you know what's funny about that: I found out that size doesn't always matter! I met a family from Chile at the House Clinic. The wife and mother of two teenagers had a 1mm AN and had it removed, but now has total facial paralysis on that side, and the docs suspect that she won't regain it for a year because of where it was growing. Her tumor was quite small, but in a sensitive place. I suppose the message is that just because it's a small tumor, it can cause as much, or more, damage than a large one like mine.

I do feel fortunate that I am as functional as I am! Thanks!

Cheryl- yeah, I get a little dizzy from reading and writing! I vow to keep trying, though. I gotta read and write to teach! I won't push it-- just practice.

Dale

[Boppie]

Doing the Hawthorn-Cox (VOR habituation) exercises several times a days indoors or outdoors helps a lot in the beginning weeks.  Google it.

[Joef]

He's at Russia!          lucky stiff,  I bet he's fishing for Salmon while he's there..  

I like Lacrilube, it really works the best .. but try Refresh Celluvisc  its the next best thing, and not as blurry!

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod352975&CATID=100216&skuid=sku352976&V=G&ec=frgl_674385

[Desilu]

Hi Dale,

So glad to hear from you and to know that everything went well! I couldn't be more happy for you! Give yourself some time to heal. It took me about two months before I was able to produce tears on my surgery side and reading was a real problem but take things slow and you'll be fine. You now have your own story to tell and I'm sure you will be an encouragement for others. I will be going to see Dr. Brackmann on August 1st for my one year check up. I am looking forward to seeing him. Please keep us posted on your progress.  Ann

[Obita]

Hi Nip and Dale:

Welcome home!!  The eye thing is a pain for sure!!  You will notice a huge difference (I hope) at about 6 weeks.  How is it at night?  Does your eye close all the way?

Best wishes for the speedy recovery you have such a good start on.

Kathy

[lmurray69]

Hi DAle glad that you are doing so good. hope you the best....