Well, I actually wrote my experience out and it's like 10 pages, so I'll condense it for this board and if anyone wants the full version, just email me at sryan@villagegreen.com
Last July while moving I cut my head and had to go in for stitches ... whiile there, they did a CAT scan and noticed something unrelated. I took it to my Dr., followed up with an MRI and ended up with a Neurosurgeon, Dr. Pieper who was telling me that I had a 3.5cm Acoustic Neuroma pressing on the brainstem that needed to be removed or it could be a matter of life & death.
My surgery was on October 7th, 2004 with Dr. Pieper & Dr. LaRouere at Providence Hospital in Southfield, MI. I tried to maintain my composure, but I was scared beyond belief and couldn't even hold back the tears in pre-op. I remember going to the bathroom in pre-op just to look at my head one more time in the mirror and make my peace with God. I actually had a momemt when I looked in the mirror and was sure that it was the last time I'd ever see myself. Scary stuff. Even worse when I went back out and faced my wife and family thinkinh these may be my last few minutes on Earth.
My tumor was partially removed but I had some massive swelling so they had to close me up and I was out for about three days before I remember waking up in ICU. I spent two weeks in ICU just trying to get myself back to full consciousness, and then spent the next two weeks on the rehab floor because I couldn't walk or move anything on the left side of my body.
Besides hearing which was completely gone on my left side, they had to sever my Vestibular nerve which took awile to recover from and still has me off balance, and I was very weak on my left side (couldn't open a milk carton) and my fine motor skills were gone (couldn't pick up a quarter).
Through a lot of rehab & therapy I'm able to walk and do most normal things again but I use to be pretty active which has come to a hault & the left side of my head is still completely numb which has left me with eye problems. I've also lost a lot of confidence and am depressed quite a bit simply because I'm a shadow of what I use to be. It's embarrasing to fall of balance in public, or not feel food on your face at a restaurant, and I can't quite get over that yet.
I recently had a follow up MRI and the residual tumor is about 8mm but needs to be removed. We are going to set a surgery in December to give me a little more time to recover, but I'm scared all over again. One Brain surgery sucks enough, but two? Cmon now, what did I do to deserve this?
Anyone else here have two stages of surgery?
