Lisa:
Thank you for your wonderful and positive account of your 'AN experience'. I'm sure it will give hope to many. It has to me.
Like most of us, I had no real option other than to have the AN tumor removed as soon as it was discovered on the MRI in May, 2006. I read all the post-op stories, good and bad, and I prayed and hoped for the best. The surgery took place on Wednesday, June 7th, 2006. 9 hours. I had a very experienced surgeon and a top-notch surgical team that monitored all the facial/cranial nerves during the surgery. I was assured that they would avoid any nerve damage if humanly possible. My surgeon said I was in excellent health going in so that was in my favor. I was also determined to get through this and get my life back, once the tumor was gone. 4 days in ICU, 1 day on the 'ward' and I was home by June 12, with my physician's approval.
Now, I'm over one month post-op. The surgeon managed to remove 90-95% of the tumor and will schedule me for final radiation/removal in August (moved up from October). On my first post-op doctor visit, yesterday (June 19) Dr. Goodrich removed the surgical staples and informed me that I was in the
'top 5% range' of recovery for this surgery. He seemed a bit surprised - but very pleased. My strength is slowly coming back, my balance is improving every day and my sleeping and digestive systems are also stabilizing now that the hospital-administered drugs are out of my system and I can sleep and eat on a 'normal' (non-hospital) schedule. I am hard at work on the 'balance issue' so my doctor will allow me to drive, again, which I miss, as I feel over-dependent on my wife, who has been an absolute rock during this ordeal. I do specific balance exercises and walk as much as possible, as my strength allows.
I imagine looking back on this experience six months to a year from now and having it seem like a dream. Although I know my 'AN experience' will always be a part of my life and who I am it is not the core of my existence but simply an experience to live through and assimilate into my persona. It happened. I survived it..quite well, too. Life goes on.
Jim