follow up

[marjoryb]

I just got back from my 4 month post-op follow up .    I saw both surgeons and both were very pleased with my progress.   My face - except for my eye - are almost back to normal.   They seemed to focus on that more than anything else.   I guess because my face was completely paralyzed on the left side after surgery and because my facial nerve was on top of the tumor (dorsal) which they said was unusual and made it more complicated and the nerve experienced alot more stress. 

The neurosurgeon said that my mouth and smile are working well (almost there), and that crunching my forehead and raising my eyebrows is and little bit slower.    Any thoughts on the order things return to function?   It seems in my case that the eye will be the last to repair - it now closes all the way, but not without closing the other eye and I can't blink and can't produce tears.    But what's there to cry about?

They both want to see me again in 6 months.      How often do you all go in for follow up visits during the couple years?     

We discussed headaches and they advised that some people get them - it's a mystery why; and that they will probably go away over time.    How often do you headache sufferers have headaches ?   I have them almost daily.    Is that unusual?

We also went over many other things...  All in all, it was a pretty positive visit.

Marjoryb

  Now I just have to be "the little engine that could" (send me some positive vibes)- we're going skiing in January!   

[nancyann]

Marjoryb:    WAY TO GO!!!!!!    Glad to hear you're doing so well.

Don't forget your ski goggles (?name - i'm obviously not a skier) - i'm sure the wind can be fierce when you're flying down the slopes.
I  had surgery 6/06, next visit in 1 year with neurologist,  Jan. visit with ENT after repeat facial emg.

Best wishes for continued success!!!!  nancy

[Jim Scott]

marjoryb:

Congratulations from one 'postie' to another.  I'm glad your post-op symptoms are resolving themselves and your doctors are encouraging.

FYI: I had AN removal surgery (retrosigmoid) in June of 2006 and a subsequent, planned series of 26 fractionalized radiation treatments in September & October, ending October 16th. 

I had 3 follow-up visits with my neurosurgeon between June and September, basically one visit every 30 days.  At each visit, he did a brief neurological exam and asked how I was doing, to which my honesat response was always: "great"!  I saw the radiation oncologist last week (11/17) and he performed a fairly cursory neuro exam.  He said I was doing fine (I had no issues resulting from the radiation).  I'm scheduled for a 'baseline' MRI on December 1st and a scheduled (15 minute) visit with my neurosurgeon, which I expect will consist of another perfunctory neuro exam and questioning regarding my balance, etc.  Fortunately, I'm doing quite well and have little to report to him except continued progress, which he'll enjoy hearing, I'm sure. 

I expect to have semi-annual MRI scans for a few years, along with what will probably be a very brief "How are you doing"-type 'exam' by my neurosurgeon - and that should be it, as long as the MRI scans don't show any tumor re-growth.  I assume most neurosurgeons have similar follow-up approaches but you'll have to ask your NS what his plan for seeing you in the future may be, as we all recover at a different pace and mine was both rapid and with very few complications, making frequent doctor visits unnecessary.   


Jim