7 days post surgery - surgery miracle

[jtyler]

You may remember me from my recent posts:

4/23/13 Severe Balance Symptoms appreared
5/2/13 Diagnosed with 2 cm by 1.8 cm x 1.5 cm an By an mri that i managed to talk my way into getting at my second emergency room trip at a different hospital.  I had been to an ent also but the first mri i could get scheduled in the whole of texas medical center with my excellent health insurance was months away
5/2/13 was admitted to neurosurgery ward and 5/3/13 checked out to get a second opinin at md anderson cancer center that same day
5/3/13 i scheduled for surgery at md anderson for 5/17/13
Discovered the ana forums and started educating myself about this rare tumor (i posted question about md anderson doctors). From my reading on the forum
I selected House Dr schwartz and dr Friedman on 5/10/13.  Dr friedman called me within 30 mins of my calling house, We consulted on phone several times and i text messaged my mri and within 30 min surgery was scheduled All within 1 hour.
5/29/13 Ret sigmoid surgery at house by friedman and schwartz (i posted question about staying at seton on my own)

Please be assured that this haste was driven by me and my pushy personality
There was absolutely no pressure applied on me by any of the three sets of doctors to do surgery
They fully explained all the options but i did my own research and was so immobilized by the balance symptoms and didnt want to wait to lose my hearing that the immediate surgery choice along with its risks was the choice that i was most comfortable with. I am young (43) and was in the best physical shape of my life. I was blessed to have found three sets of excellent doctors that saw me so fast

Just wanted to tell you how i did and how your advise helped me: This will be my last post but i am more than happy to answer anyones questions on anything - just email me

Stitches come out today. The tumor was 100% removed and i have no facial nerve damage. I had apparently already lost 87% of my vestibular function on the right side before the surgery so had done the hard work of accomodating to the loss of balance and nausea already such that i had little nausea after surgery and am walking almost perfectly. The hearing is not noticebly worse than Before Surgery - lost some of the upper range sounds in my right ear although my head feels full with pressure and there is constant rushing noises in my ear.  Apparently this is due to my surgery ear being filled with blood and fluid and should drain out over the next months. I am extremely sensitive to noises such as scraping paper flushing toilets so i keep ear Plugs in all the time when i am not in control of all the  noises in my surroundings. The doctor has said that he sees this after ret sigmoid surgery in others immediately after surgery. If this doesnt resolve i am quite content at present to wear ear plugs for the rest of my life around people and outside. Yes i will appear strange but i am strange and i feel like i have dodged a bullet. If any of you have any advice on whether this sensitivity goes away i would love to hear ( i learned about it and ear plugs on the forum
So was prepared)
 
The pain of surgery was tough  but bearable with meds and the sleep deprivation in hospital is brutal - shouldve taken sleeping pills sooner though it is hard to sleep when you are on machines that monitor your blood pressure every 15 mins constant leg circulation massagers and constant interruptions.

You were all right - The doctors would not let me be on my own at seton and my best girl friend and husband each stayed with me for a week before / after surgery To be honest i would have preferred physically to have been on my own for the past week as every noise and movement killed my head - after the first night i had to ask my husband not to sleep in my bed because each time he moved in bed the discomfort went straight thru my head.  However if anything bad would have happened on my own i can see that could be very dangerous because physically i was pretty useless. However emotionally i definately appreciated the support for the first few days after the surgery Even in the icu my blood pressure went over 170 ( it is usually about 90) and so they put me on bp medicine and my blood sugar went high so they put me on insulin - i freaked and needed reassurance and support from friend. The meds make your skin itch like crazy and my friend moisturized  me and stroked my hair to help me relax. These experiences were priceless and i will forever be grateful for their love and self sacrifices

My husband leaves for houston this morning to go back to our triplets ( we flew the inlaws down from canada for the week to look after them)  i get my stitches out today   My friends from san diego turn up today and we have lots of fun day trips planned until monday 5/10/13 when they will drop me off at lax to fly home - if my luck continues i have a feeling i will get a first class upgrade.

I wish you all the best of luck with our disease. Whether or not my hearing improves or worsens i Will live the rest of my life with no regrets and pure gratitude for my excellent outcome and life.

[james e]

I have been anxious to hear from you. Glad to hear it worked out well for you. More than glad to hear you had family there to support you. It is a difficult surgery, and we all needed help following it. Now, if you can compare having those triplets vs this surgery...

James

[jtyler]

Thanks James

When I had my stitches out at post surgery day 7 I had my hearing tested and it had significantly improved since before the surgery.  Dr Friedman at hei thought it was amazing as well as my having no problems with walking and he gave me a big hug.  He really is a fantastic doctor.  Two weeks after surgery i was driving the car and back at work full time. At three weeks out from surgery My hyperacusis has now subsided and I am back to normal, with the exception of headpain when I bend forward.   I am so grateful for finding such fantastic surgeons as dr Friedman and Schwartz

[CHD63]

So glad it all worked out and you are doing amazingly well.  Drs. Friedman/Schwartz did their magic once again!!  I, too, will be forever grateful for not only their skills, but their caring attitudes!

Clarice

[Jim Scott]

JT ~

Congratulations on your highly successful AN surgery!  Its always gratifying to read of these good outcomes.  Thanks for sharing yours. 

Jim

[Petrone]

Congrats, on your successful procedure!  Wishing you the best in your recovery! 

Best, Petrone

[kareno]

JT:

Congratulations on your successful surgery!  Best Wishes with your recovery!!

Sincerely,

Karen