This Week (12/28) in the Really Quiet AN World

[LADavid]

After a flurry of activity in the Fall and a trickle this month things have pretty much ground to a halt.

There is one event.  Tormorrow, Syl gets her (as she put it) fancy new black and silver Ziga Resound hearing aid.  That just sounds cool.  And black and silver -- I'm envious.  With the Bluetooth in today's society, aids don't have to look like they are attempting to blend in like my flesh colored BTE.  Good luck with yours Syl.  I hope it does wonders for you.

And other than that, Happy New Year everyone.  May you enjoy a year of health, peace and prosperity.

David

[leapyrtwins]

Wow, Syl, didn't read about the Ziga Resound yet, but I'm sure you've posted details somewhere on the forum; I can't wait to read about it.  I hope it works great 

Happy New Year to all - I'll take a double dose of prosperity if no one minds 

Wendy -  countdown to the BAHA is getting closer by the minute.  Been thinking about you.

Jan

[wendysig]

Hi Syl,
Your new black and silver hearing aid sounds really cool -- hope it works wonders for you!  Let us know how you like it.

Best wishes,
Wendy

[sgerrard]

Looks like the pressure is on Syl this week to give us some exciting news. Go Syl! Go Ziga Resound! Go Black and Silver!

Happy New Year, everybody. Drive safe!

Steve

[Jim Scott]

At my age, with more years behind me than there are ahead of me, seeing another New Year arrive becomes slightly more significant than it use to be.    So, Happy New Year! to all.

Let me add my good wishes to those being directed at our own SYL and her coveted Ziga Resound hearing aid, which I'm sure will be a big help as well as fashion accessory for her. 

Jim

[marg]

I hope all of you have a great 2009.  As we continue the AN journey (it never really ends...  ) I appreciate my AN friends here even more... God bless you every one !
marg

[ppearl214]

ah, well ... one event missed that I did not post on the calander (as it shouldn't be there anyway....)

Some of you know that I am currently in the UK (SE) on holiday with the bloke and his family.  Well, I heard in this tiny town/village, there are quite a few AN'ers... even a married couple! (she had surgery, he was recently diagnosed). So, I have put together the Holiday AN UK brunch here in SE UK.... and our own JeWeL (who I spoke to on the phone the other day and wow, what a lovely lady!) will be joining us as well... so... keep a keen eye open for the updates and piccies!

As for Syl.... hopng the appt has gone well and what a way to start the new year. 

Happy new year to all.. make it a good, safe, HEALTHY!!!!, fabulous time!

Phyl

[Tisha]

Hi Phyl,

Hope you're having a "lovely" time in the UK.  My neighbor is from Manchester and is visiting there as we "speak".  Have fun meeting with new friends and have a Happy New Year.  Tisha

[yardtick]

Here's my adventure in AN World for Dec 29.  I last saw the specialist in Sept.  When I left his office his receptionist was on lunch so I had to call in for a follow up appointment.  I called in Nov and I was told Monday Dec 29 @ 10:30 am.  I wrote it on the calendar and in my husbands work schedule book so he would book the day off.  I got up early today to get ready and off we went to Toronto General.  Prepaid the parking for 90 mins, took the elevator up to the 7th floor......no one was there.  A woman who is part of the bone density clinic came out of her area and asked why we were there.  I told her I had an appointment, she said my Doctor and his staff will not be back until Jan 5.  I was stunned.  She told me to call his office and I did, I got voice mail and left a message.  I know I'm a scatter brain at times, but I know what I heard, because I wrote the date out twice.  I also called my disability manager to update her. 

Well since Christmas was busy with lots of family, cooking and visiting, my husband and I didn't get to spend much alone time together.  Today we had an hour in the car on the way to the hospital and an hour on the way home.  Not the type of alone time him or I had in mind, but it was alone time     Now I wait until Jan 5.  My appointment is probably Thurs Jan 29.  So I guess you can say I did have an adventure in AN World

Anne Marie

P.S.  Thank goodness gas was only 64.9 cents a litre when we filled up yesterday!

[Brendalu]

Happy New Year, to all.  I wish health, happiness and a new adventure to each of you

Brenda

[Keeping Up]

Hey Anne Marie

When you mentioned your appointment last week, I should have said that my side of the office was definitely on vacation I think until the 7th (I have a balance test on the 7th and a follow-up on the 9th).  I just assumed that your side of the office was still open - the drive would be a pain for a doctor's appointment, a whole day affair (I am a simple subway ride away so just a $2.25 token).

My updates - other than visiting here and googling, my anxiety has decreased substantially and think my hearing has actually improved.  I still think about the thing but don't talk to anyone but you all (my husband is so not medical that he wouldn't ever mention it again if he had a choice).

I got my next MRI appointment for the 6 month follow-up.  A bit shocking to see the MRI is at a different hospital (part of the network and across the street) but is the major cancer center in Toronto - I sometimes think I am severely under-rating the seriousness of this whole event (easier in W&W) and the idea of even going into a cancer hospital (even though I know this thing is benign) has me freaked out.  The MRI is at 6:30am so nullifies the subway as too early - wondering if I should change it to slightly later on that date or just take what I get given!

[sgerrard]

I sometimes think I am severely under-rating the seriousness of this whole event (easier in W&W) and the idea of even going into a cancer hospital (even though I know this thing is benign) has me freaked out.

I know that feeling. The radiation treatment centers I have seen (Gammaknife in Portland and Cyberknife at Stanford) were both presented as cancer treatment centers - I guess that is the main thing they do. Unwanted growths inside your head are a fairly serious thing, even if they are benign and slow growing. Fortunately ANs turn out to be manageable and treatable.

Steve

[Jim Scott]

Steve makes a good point.  Why am I not surprised? 

In the respect that our tumors are non-malignant and can be surgically removed or effectively destroyed, we're fortunate.  I underwent 26 FSR treatments at a radiation center that was primarily dedicated to cancer patients.   I not only saw many people who were clearly, seriously ill but even had brief conversations with some that were receiving radiation for cancers that we both knew could easily turn out to be fatal.  Still, they seemed to 'accept' me a fellow patient and were interested in my benign tumor and my state of health, which was almost embarrassingly good. These folks helped me appreciate the fact that I was not going to die and that, once my radiation treatments were over, I would probably be fine.  I was - and I'm not only grateful to God for that huge blessing but thankful for the experience of meeting some good people dealing with a fatal illness but that managed to keep a positive outlook in the face of their impending and likely unpleasant death.  Their strength of character helped me put my benign tumor and successful surgery/radiation into it's proper perspective. 

Jim