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Author Topic: I'm back  (Read 5773 times)

onebadass350bird

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I'm back
« on: January 05, 2007, 01:47:08 pm »
For those who are newer and those who just don't remember, I'm Tom, lol.  I'm 15 months post op now and gonna start surfing the board again more now that things may has settled down a bit I hope.

Tom
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17 hour Retrosigmoid on 10/19/05 for removal of 4cm AN

Raydean

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2007, 03:44:39 pm »
Welcome back Tom!!!!  Good to hear that  things are settling down and you're able to drop back in.
Look forward to your posts.

Have a great day
Raydean
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Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Gennysmom

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2007, 06:01:23 pm »
Tom, didn't you have GK?  How did it go?  Good to see you back!
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Obita

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2007, 06:22:38 pm »
Hi Tom:

Welcome back!!  I have told your story of you being in jail on suspicion of being drunk or on drugs a zillion times.  I even used your story as an example to a news reporter.  I am trying to get the media here in Mpls./St. Paul to do a story on AN awareness both for patients and physicians.  No luck yet but I am still working on it.

Can you post a quick note for all the newbies to read re: your jail time?  We have four law enforcement officers that just came on and they might like to hear about a sober guy that couldn't walk straight because he had a huge, not yet diagnosed AN.

Will be seeing you around, Kathy
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University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
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onebadass350bird

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2007, 07:23:35 pm »
Yes Genny, I did have the GK in May of 05 and I went for my follow up in Dec. and everything seems to look good and expected so far.

And here is my DUI story that I went back and found and copied:

YUP, DUI arrest on Aug 15th last year, spent 9 hours in the hole.  I did have a few drinks, so they smelled that and really had probable cause, after failing the roadside miserably they took me in and I blew well under the legal limit.  Then they were thinking I was on drugs since they won't show up in a BA test, and my BA was signifigantly lower then what my balance and nystagmus showed.  Anyway, after that, I went to the ENT about my hearing loss to try and get medical evidence for court, and he sent me down for an MRI which revealed the AN.  Anway, went to jail on Aug 15th, took the MRI on Sept 9th, surgery on Oct 19th, DUI case was finally dropped in Dec due to overwhelming evidence that my balance and eye problem (nystagmus) was not known by me at the time nor did it affect my ability to drive.
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Battyp

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2007, 08:57:33 pm »
Hi Tom how are you doing? 
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onebadass350bird

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2007, 09:13:27 pm »
Hey, how are ya?  I've been so so.  How have you been.  I was just up in Orlando for facial therapy and may be back there in 4-6 weeks so if I do, I'll come see ya if ya have the time.

Tom
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17 hour Retrosigmoid on 10/19/05 for removal of 4cm AN

JohnC23

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2007, 10:26:49 am »
Hi Tom!

I am one of those law enforcement newbies on here and was just reading about your DUI experience.  I am sure that was not fun and confusing to you all at the same time.  Speaking from my past, when I was a younger cop (I am 39 now), I received several governor's awards for DUI enforcement.  I could do field sobriety test in my sleep.  As I got older The DUI enforcement was handled by the younger cops but--- THEN a few years ago, I started having balance issues etc...I could not walk a straight line very well.  I could never pass a field sobriety test perfectly sober.  Even though I was in pretty good health and shape.  After going to my DR and seeing an ENT and getting an intial MRI, I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease.  I lived and worked with this for 5 years until last summer when my symptoms changed and the tinnitus got so bad with the hearing loss they gave me another MRI and found the AN.  (the surgeaons think the AN was to small to see on the first MRI..and yes I made sure that the Nuero DR. compared the two MRI's).  I felt like I was "drunk" alot.  I was uncomfortable giving people roadside field sobriety test, because we are trained to explain the test and demonstrate the test and I could not physically do them anymore. 
After surgery, It took me several weeks of physical therapy to get my balance back.  I am now 8 monthe post op. and my balance is almost like it was 10 years ago.
Tom, I know that if I was in your shoes at the time I would not have been able to past the test myself.  2 or 3 beers would not make you leaglly drunk or impaired but the failing of the FST is such a horribly bad way didn't help your cause.  I feel for you and I am sure that the officer that arrested you felt bad about putting you in jail unknowingly for a medical condition.  At least I know the cops on this site would have felt bad about it!   :o
 All of the training that cops get for impairment talks about drinking and drugs and the medical issues only deal with diabetics.  I myself had never even heard of AN until I was diagnosed.  I had never even heard of Meneire's Disease or the fact that it can cause sever balance problems. 
Sorry for being so long here, but good luck to you, John
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Jeanlea

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2007, 01:09:49 pm »
Hi Tom,

When did you start facial therapy?  Is it helping you?  My doctor told me it wouldn't help me when I saw him last August. 

Jean
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Jim Scott

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2007, 01:34:20 pm »
Hi, Tom:

Welcome back.

Although I'm a relative 'newbie' here and never saw your earlier posts, I'm always happy to see another AN patient share his or her experiences.  Your DUI story is something that a lot of us feared could happen to any of us, pre-op.  Once I started losing my capability to balance - well before my AN diagnosis - I left the driving to my wife.  6 weeks post-op, I was driving regularly again with no problem.  Well, at least the DUI situation was eventually settled in your favor, as it should have been. 

Now, let's have an update on your recovery and present condition, if you care to share it with us.


Jim[/color]
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4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

Battyp

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2007, 07:09:06 pm »
Hi Tom, I'm hanging in.  Still dealing with post surgical issues.  Are you back to work at all?  By all means give me a holler when you're coming up.

John, I couldn't pass a dui test before treatment and can't pass one now after treatment.  I was advised to carry my diagnosis in my glove box in case I got stopped and really hadn't been drinking.  Ok, now tell us the deal with the ICE in the cell phone.  What's your depts stance on that?
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JohnC23

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2007, 08:04:01 pm »
Ok battyprincess you got me on the ICE in the cell phone thing.  ??? (me being a drug cop I first thought of ICE=crystal meth), but my wife informs me that it means "In case of Emergency".  I never had heard that.  We don't have a policy on it and it has to my knowledge never came up.  I have on several occasions, for lost phones called the programed "home" on them to return them to the owner and in an emergency or medical situatuion I would resort to that situation as well.   I have "home" programed on my cell in case I ever loose it.

John
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Suboccipital transmeatal, left side, April 7-2006 @ University of Cincinnati Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio.  (Dr. Philip Theodosopoulos, Mayfield Group and Dr. Myles Pensak, U.C. Head and Neck Surgery)  4 year post-op MRI done Oct. 2010 and was all cear!

Battyp

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Re: I'm back
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2007, 11:01:02 pm »
It was a thing going around the internet where they were telling you to put ICE and someone to contact.  I was informed locally that the police were not allowed to look in your cell for the info (this is at an accident or if you collapsed out in public somewhere).  I was told by a local firefighter that I should keep medical docs in my freezer in a plastic bag as this is where they would go look if it was a home emergency.  No, I'm not talking Meth  LOL  Hmm..I have Mom in my phone and home is under my son's name..guess maybe I should change that eh?
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