Another new AN person

[HTownANGuy]

Hi everyone, I was diagnosed a couple weeks ago with a 6mm AN. I woke up one morning with severe hearing loss and scheduled an appt with my ENT. The ENT thought it was Sudden Idiopathic hearing loss but wanted me to get a MRI just incase. I did a hearing test day 1 and had severe hearing loss and started steroid injections into my ear.

Fortunately, I got in for a MRI very quickly and found my AN. I have was sent to a specialist at a large Cancer hospital here in Houston and met with a great team who specializes in AN's. Looks like the steroid injection helped somehow and moved me from severe to moderately severe hearing loss which is good.

I have done tons of research and have close family who are Physician Assistants to help out with understanding everything. I am 33 and have 3 small kids so becoming almost deaf in one ear has been difficult. I own my own startup company and dealing with this while trying to maintain my business has been difficult.  The dizziness and mind fog has hit me this week more than I expected.

Currently we are on a 3 month wait and watch to see if its growing and how my symptoms are. As of now I can't imagine living daily with dizziness for a long time.

My wife and I have a cruise planned for our 13th wedding anniversary in a couple months. Nervous how that will go, anyone managed one with AN?

[jami]

Hi HTownANGuy,

Sorry so long to reply!! Curious how things are going as it has been 3 months.

RE; the cruise, I say go for it, and dont worry too much. The single sided hearing has been my biggest adjustment. But I learn every day about more people who live with single sided hearing -- someone who works for me actually has since he was a child. It makes me rethink what accommodations we have give him.

-walk as much as you can
-avoid noisy venues if you can
-enjoy every minute, because nothing will be perfect!!

Jami

[HTownANGuy]

Hey Jami,

Thanks for checking back in. We did go on the cruise and it was fine for the most part. I had a follow up MRI a couple weeks ago and my AN has grown 3mm in 3 months. So we have surgery scheduled for Sept 24th. So just mentally prepping for that!

[jami]

Am glad the cruise was good!

And it sounds like you have a good attitude re: the Sept surgery. I just hit my 1 year surgery mark (TODAY)  and its amazing how much better things are today than last year. Many positive thoughts and wishes for you and your family