my wife was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma a few days ago...

[arkansasfarmgirl]

Hugs to you!

I was 34 and had a 3 year old and a 6 week old when I was diagnosed.  My AN was much larger, so surgery was my only option.  I went to House Ear Institute in Los Angeles and was very happy with the treatment I received there.   The staff there was very supportive and accomodating to my desire to continue breastfeeding the baby (which was successful, btw).  She was 14 weeks at surgery time...  We moved in with my parents for a month afterwards and that helped tremendously to spread the burden over more people.  I was able to care for the kids by myself again within 6 weeks of surgery, and was feeling mostly back to myself by 3 months out.

My only complication was that my tumor was involved with the facial nerve (possibly facial neuroma) and they were unable to save my facial nerve.  But they did a graft that was very successfull and I have very good movement in my face now.  Most people would not notice anything was "off".  The type of surgery I had sacrificed the hearing nerve, but being single sided deaf has not been that great of a burden.  I can plug my good ear with one hand and drive with the other when they are being bad in the car.  LOL  My balance is great--I can do anything I want with the kids, and am back to barrel racing my horses.  Life is, indeed, very good.  :-)

Good luck and prayers for you and your family!!!!!
Vonda

[krbonner]

You've gotten loads of great advice so far.  Take the holidays and enjoy, and come back to it after.

My kids were 9 weeks and 3 years when I was diagnosed.  (They're now 8 and 5, and we've added a third who's 20 months).  My AN was 1.8cm when I was diagnosed, and I spent a year just watching to see what it would do.  At the time my only symptom was hearing loss.  It turned out that my AN was growing much faster than average (a year later it was 2.3 cm), so after many appointments and consults and much soul-searching, I decided to move forward with surgery (kids were 4.5 and 1.5 when I had surgery).  I had no long-term effects from the surgery other than complete hearing loss (no facial palsy, no headaches, no balance issues, nuthin'), which is manageable.  I was taking care of the kids on my own at about 6 weeks post-op, though utterly wiped at the end of the day.

I'm now 4 years post-op, and rarely even think about my AN.  I try to remember to come here and lend support whenever I can, but life gets busy with three young children.  The time of diagnosis/treatment is scary and difficult, but you get through it eventually.  Life will go on.

Enjoy the holidays, and please continue asking any and all questions you can think of.

Katie

[Vivian B.]

Welcome to the forum. I am sorry that your wife has an AN but glad you found us. She has both options surgery or readiation as you have quickly learned. It's all what she is comfortable with and the decision is not easy but it will come to her as she continues to research. Since it is 2cm, she has some time to make a decision. Good luck.

Vivian.

[rayden1]

Hi alphonso,

so sorry about your wife. My tumor was 2.5 cm. Was told could not have cyberknife so had surgery here in Ireland 4 years ago. I think Dr Chang is reputed as the best before mine got so l
large had a consult about gamma knife treatment all that was available here and was advised serious risk of swallowing issue so check this out. thoughts and prayers to you all good luck.
ann