Waiting for D day

[frenchjoey]

Hello, I'm new and I've been reading your posts a lot and they really help. I am to have Gamma Knife treatment on October 31st and as you can imagine I'm a bit nervous.  I was diagnosed with AN in May. I had been experiencing loss of balance for many months but hadn't paid much attention until it started getting really too much to deal with. And then the hissing and ringing in the ear started, making every normal conversation an ordeal (which is a pain because I'm very talkative). The hearing loss followed - the only positive thing being that my husband's snoring is easier to put up with - I wonder if someone is also going to receive treatment soon so we could share our experience, hopes, fears, anecdotes and, why not? .... jokes! I would also be really interested in hearing from someone who has just received treatment because it would probably reassure me.
One last thing: I live in the South of France and it might be interesting to compare bedside manners ..... although our doctors do not all wear berets!! Thanks for your help and support.

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Joey ~

Welcome!  Although I'm not undergoing Gamma Knife treatment I know some of our members will be, soon, just as you are.  I'm sure they'll respond to your post.  I agree that you're residing in France offers us the opportunity to compare doctors, facilities and their protocols.  It should be interesting!  I'm looking forward to seeing more of your posts in the day/weeks to come.

Jim 

[frenchjoey]

Hi Jim,
Thanks for your message. I'm really looking forward to hearing from members in the same situation.
United we stand and under no circumstances shall any of us fall 
Bye for now!
Joey

[Seamar]

Hello there, Joey!

So, we're in the same boat!  I do wonder at times why I'm doing this since my hearing is not likely to improve (might get worse), my tinnitus - ditto -, balance? dizziness? Ah, yes, the AN is "bulging out of the porus acusticus into the left cerebellopontine angle" and headed for the brain stem. We want to stop that!

At present I am doing what we do here on Long Island when a hurricane is coming: hope for the best but prepare for the worst.  I am cleaning the house top to bottom, cleaning up the garden and preparing and freezing soups and meals.  I've even done some Christmas shopping.  I am retired; my husband is self-sufficient and we don't even have a dog anymore.  I could sit in my rocking chair and enjoy poor health if need be.

I have complete faith in my choice of doctors and treatment. I know that the AN will be properly targeted, but after that....

I believe you have national health care in France.  Do you have a choice as to where you are treated, and how long does it take to see a specialist?  It will be easy to remember when you will be having your treatment -- October 31 is Halloween!

Thank you for your kind words on the Rocky Mountain thread,
                                                                                            C-Mar

 

[frenchjoey]

Hello C-Mar,

I know the feeling: we’re having a treatment that will not improve our symptoms but may at best hopefully get the “tenant” (as I call it) to move out or at least occupy less room. My friends just don’t believe me when I tell them this. This is not as it normally works when one is sick. It gets a while to get used to the idea but it quickly kicks in when you realise you do not have much of a choice.
I can see you’re keeping yourself busy, which I think is the best thing to do in such circumstances. I am a teacher and because it had become impossible to teach large groups (because of the hissing caused by the noise, including my own voice) I raised hell until they allowed me to teach small groups. I don’t have to speak very loud and it’s much more bearable. I just couldn’t face sitting at home and monitoring the variations of my tinnitus….. 

Yes we are quite lucky with our health care here in France. I sent my file to a hospital in Marseilles (2 hours’ drive from here) and it took them 3 months to give me a date for the treatment. How long does it take in the States to get an appointment? I suppose one of the main differences is the fee. Here it is virtually free! I just hope the results are just as good …..

Thank you for your message. It definitely makes me feel less lonely. I look forward to hearing from you.

Joey

[Seamar]

Hi, Joey,

I was hoping we would be joined by more GKers.  Perhaps there aren't too many persons "of a certain age" in this forum; and, even better, it could be that those that have been GK'd are doing so well that they log on infrequently.

To answer your question about scheduling, I saw Dr Golfinos on 9/19, I got a call for scheduling on 9/27, and I chose the soonest date 10/27.  For me the process from ENT to scheduling went very quickly.  From what I have read on this forum, such is not always the case.  If you were to read under the heading Insurance you would see that we in the U.S. have a hodge-podge of insurance plans which vary from state to state and boggle the mind.   I happen to be extremely fortunate in that my husband, who works part-time for one of our county's many school districts, is covered under NY state's civil service employees medical insurance.  It is very good as long as we stay in this state and use network providers.  Don't ask me what happened when I needed to visit the emergency room while visiting our son and family in West Virginia!

I am going to attempt to PM you.  Not sure how it works, but I'm going to give it a go.

8 more days for me -- 12 for you,
                                                 C-Mar   

[frenchjoey]

Hi C-Mar,

Great idea! I have had a go. Hope it worked.

Let me know

Best,
Joey