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Author Topic: Newbie  (Read 6824 times)

Lynn Mc

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Newbie
« on: December 03, 2009, 08:13:23 am »
My surgery is scheduled for 1/20.  I am nervous & can't wait all at the same time!  Most of my questions have been answered but I can't seem to get any onfo on driving.  What is the average time before I will be good to go.  Also I ride a horse,(which I can do actually do better now than walk!),I am assuming this will not be a problem in the future.  As you can see I am more worried at this point about being independently mobile ASAP.

Thanks,
Lynn
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Translab 01/22/10.  12 x 11.7 x 8.2 mm.
Dr's McKenna/McCall at Mass Eye & Ear,
Dr. Barker at MGH. 
SSD - No other significant problems post surgery, just some minor inconveniences!  Yipee!!
BAHA implant 04/08/11 Dr. Merchant
BAHA Gotcha 07/25/11
"Life is Good"

cindyj

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2009, 08:45:10 am »
Hi, Lynn, and welcome!  The "average" time before most folks drive is four weeks or so...as always, it will just depend as everyone's recovery is different!  Some certainly drive sooner, others don't start til later.  I was in the car at about 3 weeks, but ONLY to go very short distances.  I picked routes so that I only had to make right turns and little to no backing up ;)  But, it didn't take long for me to get back to normal driving.  Like you, I really needed/wanted to be mobile quickly!

There are other horse people here on the forum...Tricia (horse/kayak), Amy (amye) to name a couple.  Know they were/are very concerned also about being able to ride post treatment.  There are many here who do some challenging vestibular activities post op (bike riding, standup paddleboarding, tenns, etc), so I'm sure you'll be back on your horse in no time...well, maybe a little bit of time ;D

Where are you having your surgery?  Which approach?  What size is your AN?  Just things we like to know around here...we're nosy that way ;)

Cindy
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rt side 1.5 cm - Translab on 11/07/08 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of House Ear Institute,
feeling great!

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clr

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2009, 08:51:43 am »
I think the longest Betsy went without driving was a week. Now, this is driving to the local grocery store or her friends house. The mall, about a 25 mile drive, she probably did in about 2-3 weeks.  She recovered very quickly from her surgeries, though.

Cindy
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I do not have an AN, my 23 yo daughter does. Her username here is Bets.
4.6cm x 3.6cm x 4.4cm  UPMC Retrosigmoid 12/29/2009, 01/19/2009, 06/22/2009 
CK Oct 2009, Dr. Hirsch
SSD before & after surgery
After 3 surgeries, some facial paralysis, but will come back

NancyMc

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2009, 09:32:45 am »
Hi, Lynn.
I drove 11 days after surgery, and it was smooth sailing thereafter.  I see you are from Massachusetts.  Are you being followed by MEEI and MGH?
Best of luck and keep us posted.
Nancy
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Watch and Wait since 9/19/01
Increased from 1.1 x 1.9 to 1.9 x 1.9 cm as of 10/27/08
Right SSD, tinnitus, compensating balance
Dr. McKenna at Mass Eye and Ear and Dr. Barker at MGH
Translab April 8, 9 hours, 18 mm Tumor all gone SSD some facial weakness

lawmama

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2009, 12:01:40 pm »
Hi Lynn from a Lyn!   :D

I am a pre-op person myself (my surgery is 12-14-09), so I can't really answer your queston about driving.  I just wanted to welcome you to the board and wish you the best of luck.  I understand the anticipation.  I'm anxious to have this over with and get on with the recovery and my life.  It's just another little hurdle to overcome.  It will be our turns soon!

Lyn
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9mm X 7mm tumor (left side), diagnosed 10-15-09
Retrosigmoid on 12-14-09 by Drs. Antonelli and Lewis (my heroes!)
Shands in Gainesville, FL
SSD, but no facial issues.  Mild tinnitus.

CHD63

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2009, 12:12:27 pm »
Lynn .....

Just adding my welcome to this Forum ..... we will be with you all the way through until you are driving ..... and beyond!   ::)

Others have already said driving is a very individual thing.  It all depends upon how quickly your brain has adapted or will adapt to the loss of your AN side vestibular nerve ..... and how quickly you regain your gaze stabilization.  You sound highly motivated so I suspect you will be one of the shorter ones.

Best wishes ..... and thoughts and prayers.

Clarice
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Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

Lynn Mc

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2009, 01:02:04 pm »
Quote from: NancyMc on December 03, 2009, 09:32:45 am
Hi, Lynn.
I drove 11 days after surgery, and it was smooth sailing thereafter.  I see you are from Massachusetts.  Are you being followed by MEEI and MGH?
Best of luck and keep us posted.
Nancy


Nancy,

Yes!  I have the same Doctors as you.  Really like them. 
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Translab 01/22/10.  12 x 11.7 x 8.2 mm.
Dr's McKenna/McCall at Mass Eye & Ear,
Dr. Barker at MGH. 
SSD - No other significant problems post surgery, just some minor inconveniences!  Yipee!!
BAHA implant 04/08/11 Dr. Merchant
BAHA Gotcha 07/25/11
"Life is Good"

NancyMc

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2009, 01:08:13 pm »
Okay.  Well, I'll let you in on a little secret.  Bake muffins.  They love it.  If you search for my spa day lipo and a face lift thread, you can find the recipe for one of the two flavors of muffin that I baked.  You take them with you on the gurney into the Grey surgical floor.  The aide will put them in the administrative area that the surgeons and nurses and anesthesiologists use for breaks.
Oh, and dealing with Mili is a challenge.  You have to follow up constantly and stay on top of things.  She can really make your life difficult.  She doesn't mean to; she's just totally inept.
Tell the boys I said Hello!
And good luck.
Nancy
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Watch and Wait since 9/19/01
Increased from 1.1 x 1.9 to 1.9 x 1.9 cm as of 10/27/08
Right SSD, tinnitus, compensating balance
Dr. McKenna at Mass Eye and Ear and Dr. Barker at MGH
Translab April 8, 9 hours, 18 mm Tumor all gone SSD some facial weakness

Lynn Mc

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2009, 01:42:18 pm »
I will bake them muffins!!!  Thanks for the insight.  As for Millie she was not there when they scheduled my surgery.  Basically they stated she was out indefinitely.  Don't know what happened. 

Lynn
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Translab 01/22/10.  12 x 11.7 x 8.2 mm.
Dr's McKenna/McCall at Mass Eye & Ear,
Dr. Barker at MGH. 
SSD - No other significant problems post surgery, just some minor inconveniences!  Yipee!!
BAHA implant 04/08/11 Dr. Merchant
BAHA Gotcha 07/25/11
"Life is Good"

NancyMc

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2009, 03:05:19 pm »
Hmmm . . . a mystery.
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Watch and Wait since 9/19/01
Increased from 1.1 x 1.9 to 1.9 x 1.9 cm as of 10/27/08
Right SSD, tinnitus, compensating balance
Dr. McKenna at Mass Eye and Ear and Dr. Barker at MGH
Translab April 8, 9 hours, 18 mm Tumor all gone SSD some facial weakness

Jim Scott

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2009, 05:32:49 pm »
Hello and welcome, Lynn ~

I don't have any muffin recipes but I can tell you that I was driving in a bit less than 2 weeks after my AN surgery.  I started on side roads but within an hour I was on the interstate and never had a problem.  Of course, as many posters have cautioned, there is no template for resuming driving.  Some folks are back behind the wheel within days, others take months.  However, be assured that you will be driving again.  With the good surgical outcome that I'm sure you'll experience (you're in good hands at MGH) probably within a short period of time. 

Jim
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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.

Kathy M

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2009, 05:57:26 pm »
HI!  I remember the feeling of relief when I got my surgery date, too.  The waiting is tough but you'll be through it in no time and counting the days until you are over the hump!

I was able to drive about 4 weeks post op.  The only trouble I had was turning my head around quick enough to look left and right before pulling into an intersection or looking over my left shoulder when passing someone on a 2-lane highway.  I actually didn't drive for a week or so after my maiden voyage because of that.  But, my balance issues didn't affect my driving at all (either pre or post op).  My neck muscles and reaction time were the essential factors for me.

Can't help a bit about the horse - I'm allergic!

Good luck to you!!!  You'll get through it just fine!

Kathy
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AN diagnosed 11/14/08, 3+cm, Retrosigmoid 1/13/09, Univ. Hosp., Cincinnati, Drs. Tew and Pensak
no facial nerve or eye issues!
3 more surgeries related to staph infections & osteomylitis over next 13 months.  New diagnosis of breast cancer.  Treatment completed 08/27/10.  Moving on!!!

leapyrtwins

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #12 on: December 03, 2009, 09:09:54 pm »
Hi, Lynn and welcome to the forum.

As someone already mentioned, we all recover at different rates and hit the "milestones" at different times.

I didn't start driving until 6 weeks post op.  I probably could have started sooner, but I had the luxury of a chauffeur   ;)

Actually my mom was living with me and my kids after my surgery for 6 weeks, so I was able to rely on her.  If she wouldn't have been driving all of us around, I'd have been forced to drive a lot sooner.  You know how it is, kids without a parent to taxi them around aren't happy campers!   :D

The most important thing when you do return to driving is to start slow.  Drive around the block a few times, during the day, in light or no traffic, etc., - and then when you feel comfortable with that, move on to busy roads with more cars and faster speeds, etc.

Good luck with your surgery,

Jan
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Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

ppearl214

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2009, 06:35:25 am »
Hi Lynn and welcome. Another one from MA here and welcome to the forums. You are in terrific hands at MGH/MEEI as there are MANY folks on these forums that have used the team there for their AN treatments and have done wonderfully in their outcomes.

There is a user here... okiesandy, from OKC, who had radiation (CK) but.... rides her horses.  We know balance issues can come into play, regardless of treatments done (ie: surgery, radiation) but Sandy has noted that since her AN treatment, she has been riding. She may be a good starting point to inquire about handling balance issues and riding (btw, I was also raised on horses... used to ride at N. Andover Riding Aced and kept our horse there when I was a child).

Again, welcome to the forums and look forward to your participation here.

Phyl
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Lynn Mc

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Re: Newbie
« Reply #14 on: December 04, 2009, 08:10:12 am »
Thanks everyone.  I really wish I had found this forum earlier.  It is really helpful and encouraging.  I was really feeling pretty alone in this.
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Translab 01/22/10.  12 x 11.7 x 8.2 mm.
Dr's McKenna/McCall at Mass Eye & Ear,
Dr. Barker at MGH. 
SSD - No other significant problems post surgery, just some minor inconveniences!  Yipee!!
BAHA implant 04/08/11 Dr. Merchant
BAHA Gotcha 07/25/11
"Life is Good"
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