It's hard to believe 4 weeks have passed since the "day". I've looked back on the mini-steps that I have taken since surgery. I can drive (it's hard at dusk), I am back at work (limited capacity @ 2 weeks post-op). I can laugh at myself (I did before) and put people at ease if they think they have said something to offend me (like the hearing).
It is what it is and I try to make the best of it--it's better to make the oddities fun than be pessimistic (sp?)
I also think about what I still have to overcome--balance is still a major issue! I do excercises but I am still way off kilter. The surgeon said it could take 2 months or 2 years to resolve. I can't be like this for 2 years, somethings got to give. I try not to push to hard but I want the balance thing to GO away
I thought back when I first became deaf on the AN side. It took about a month for my right side to compensate the balance. It's been a month since surgery and no improvement post-surgical balance issues. I'm guessing because one vestibular nerve was destroyed (along with the auditory nerve) by the tumor and the intact, healthy vestibular nerve was severed because of the translab procedure and it's going to take longer to get my balance back. That's what I tell myself, lol.
Because of the balance thing I only drive very short distances, up to 5 miles from home. Because it takes everything I have to concentrate on what I'm doing it's very exhausting in what ever I do--driving, working. talking (forgetting words or names), short term memory issues-I forget simple things, like walking into a room and forgetting why I was there. Sometimes I feel so stupid because I can't remember the simpliest of things that just occurred and it takes a minute or two. I suppose all that can come from fatigue because it gets a lot better when I get A LOT of rest (like having the weekend to sleep or rest).
There's the SSD. I have adapted as best I can. It's still frustrating when I can't hear soft/deep voices or constantly adjusting the volume on the TV. It is frustrating for my family when I ask them to repeat what they have said or my "huh". My teenager will say--"nevermind". Hopefully, Anthem will grant my appeal for the BAHA. Sometimes it is nice just being able to hear out of one ear. When I go to sleep, if I lay on the good ear everything is blocked out making for a silent night.
I am having some "healing" pains from the surgical site. It is so tender and itchy. I have to watch how I lay on that side (that was my fave side I layed on before surgery). I cup my hand behind/over my ear kind of like a cradle so there is no contact with the tender part. Parts of the ear and surgical site are still numb. The doctor said the feeling would return in 6 to 8 weeks. It just feels weird. Like cardboard hanging off the side of my head instead of an ear
Although I have the balance and hearing things to deal with. The most important things are that the tumor has been 100% removed from my head (MRI in 1 year) and my facial nerve was not affected.
There is one good thing about the AN---it brought me to this site where I "met" some new friends that have/are having similar experiences and can relate to most of what I say
