AN pics--just figured this out!

[kristin]

Hi all! I just figured out how to get my pics on here! So...now you'll get them! Here are a few pics from LA when I had my surgery done. Hope I don't scare anyone...I was very pleased with my surgery. (That's Dr. Brackmann btw).




in ICU..smiling!! yah!


um...no explaination necessary...

[Sam Rush]

Thanks for the picture of Dr. Brackmann. He went to the same medical school I did, but was 2 yrs ahead of me. I didn't meet him until I was diagnosed w/ AN 2004. Was that picture of you with him pre-op or post-op?? 

[Lainie181818]

Hi Kristin,
you look great, I recognise that infamous ? scar. How long did it take you to look " back to normal?" I am 13 months post Mid Fossa and My eye is starting to blink but mouth still a little crooked. I also had Dr Brackman, so your pics brought back a lot of memories.
Thanks
Lainie.

[madshackle]

Kristin

Thanks for sharing ! That incision is wild looking !

I have read only good things about Dr. Brackmann and I love being able to put a face to a reputation.

peace
Dave

[Crazycat]

Good Lord!

   I had a huge growth and my scar was nothing like that! Is that because you had "Middle Fossa"? I must have had "translab". Forgive me for asking, never having met you before, but did they manage to salvage any hearing in your effected ear? How are you in the headache department?

                Welcome................to the club 

    Paul

[Joef]

Crazy cat , I'm sure you had a trans-lab like I did (cut was small and behind the ear).

I see the blue marking on the ear... the night before my surgery, the blue marking came off (to mark which side) .. and I was very worried the day of the surgery --- I made them put the marking back! -- I did not want to to operate on the wrong side!

[kristin]

hi all..sorry it took me so long to get back to you..

sam. that pic was pre-op...my 8 hour day of pre-op appts the day before surgery. how exhausting.

lainie...i'm not sure on "normal" i still get dizzy sometimes that i know is because they cut the left vestibular nerve. i freak out at line drives in softball...i can't see the ball. but i was back to work and back to running and playing (or trying to play) softball at 6 weeks.


paul..they did save most of my hearing. i had better hearing in my AN ear before surgery and only decreased in the higher frequencies. it's kind of interesting...if it's raining outside i can put my AN side down and not hear the rain. it's just at that certain frequency. headaches...just normal headaches, you know...like when i don't get my coffee in the morning?!

joef...i remember them asking over and over..middle fossa LEFT side? left side? middle fossa? LEFT? i was getting a little annoyed with it all, but you're right...i didn't want them to operate on the wrong side either, so i put up with it.

thanks all!!

kristin

[neal r. lyons]

kristin, thanks alot! it doesn"t get more real than that!  that's what makes this such a great website! i'llm be talking with Dr. Brackmann today concerning potential translab surgery in the near future   thanks again, neal

[Maria77]

Hi! I have an AN in left side 13x8x9 and i wil her the operación With dr Brackmann With middle fossa approach. I feel lost and wanted some advice. Should I shave all my head or just that part? Will the scar show forever after, it looks long in the photo. Isn't it better to
Choose a retro sigmoid approach so the scar is not that visible?
Any words will help me, thanks to all.

[Greece Lover]

The doctors will shave your head (at least they did mine). The hair will grow back. At three months, by scar has almost completely disappeared. You would never notice it. In my opinion, the incision should have NO Bearing on surgical approach!

[Maria77]

Thanks so much for your advice Greece Lover!
Did u have a middle fossa operation?

[Greece Lover]

Yes, I did.  May 9th, and mine went extremely well.  saved my hearing.  I had some facial weakness for a week or two, but its all gone away.  My jaw muscle is pretty much back to normal.  My balance is almost back to normal. (I rode my bike 50 miles last weekend).  It's not always easy, but I'm very pleased with my outcome. Let me know if you have other questions.

[ppg01080]

My middle fossa surgery was 5/26/16. They couldn't save my hearing. The surgeon said the nerve looked good until they were about to close. I have the same picture of my head except it's on the right side. I'm so glad the AN is out and I'm doing well. My balance is bad when I'm tired. My jaw is still sore but it's improving with PT.