Excellent essay in The Guardian by an AN sufferer

[Trent in WA]

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere, but this seemed like the best place for it. The Guardian published an essay by an AN patient due for surgery in a few days. Here's the link:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/12/my-brain-tumour-acoustic-neuroma

It's a good, thoughtful, and funny piece.

Trent

[MDemisay]

Dear Trent,

To be brief, I agree with your summary! Succinct and to the point.....refreshing must- read for newbies and Watch and Waits!

Mike

[ANGuy]

I couldn't get through more than a couple of paragraphs.  Her writing is tedious and she comes across as vapid.  I'm big on sarcasm, and tried to attribute some of the things she prattled about to being sarcasm and inside whit particular to the UK and somehow I just didn't understand her, but I soon realized she just was too disjointed to follow.

My comment regarding her self-absorption is in regard to her going on and on about her daily life.  Her life is just not interesting to anyone other than her, at least not me.  I've met enough people who actually are interesting to be able to tell the difference. 

[keithmac]

I'm a Brit in AZ for the winter.

 I enjoyed the piece by (presumably) a Brit writing about how stuff is in the UK.  I like the forums of ANA - it knocks those of BANA (UK) into a cocked hat but much that's written here doesn't apply to the UK. 

The acoustic neuromas do though - they don't recognise international boundaries so I read what folk say and take what I can from them and relate it to what I know about our 'National Health Service' in the UK.  And the way people react has nothing to do which side of the 'big pond' we live.  That's down to raw emotion.

I enjoyed the article thoroughly.  If I ever find myself in a similar position I hope I'll be able to express myself as well as that writer but really I'm dreaming that I'll die of old age with my a.n. no more a problem than it is today.

[Jill Marie]

I too liked reading the article.  It's not about how her life is interesting to others, it's about how she is dealing with having an AN.  It's been 22 years since my surgery yet I still can clearly recall thinking a lot of the same things she did before surgery.  She unlike I, took time out to appreciate the good things in her life and write about it, the small everyday things we often take for granted.  I came to appreciate them a whole lot more after the surgery and continue to do so.  Thanks for sharing the article, Jill

[Susan59]

Thanks for posting the link. I really enjoyed the article. So many things resonated with me!  I hope she is doing well.

[Crazycat]

Trent,

Just saw this. I can relate to so much of it! Thanks for turning me on!

Guess that qualifies me as a vapid, uninteresting boor; but then again, if I hadn't gone through having a huge tumor and several
surgeries, I probably wouldn't understand what she was talking about either.

Wow........

[ANGuy]

if I hadn't gone through having a huge tumor and several
surgeries, I probably wouldn't understand what she was talking about either.

Wow........

Or, having seen human suffering, true human suffering, having met survivors of the Nazi death camps, having performed CPR on a dying child with his mother, having met some of the greatest, most accomplished people in our time, having dug through the rubble of a terror attack that killed nearly 3,000 innocent people with your bare hands, maybe after having some of those experiences, this woman's daily activities might not seem so significant. 

MAybe if her writing style was a little less focused on her, she would be more readable, and would attract a larger audience.  But, maybe that wasn't her goal.

[keithmac]

Isn't this thread now going rather off-topic? 

[Jill Marie]

Just because her surgery wasn't in the top 10 or 20 worse things that can happen to a person it doesn't mean she shouldn't write about how it affects HER!  She didn't know what the outcome would be, that's scary!  I would assume most people are thinking mainly of themselves right before the surgery as they are the one going through it.  When you reach that point yourself and are no longer in watch and wait, please feel free to write your feelings.  I'm sure there are people that are willing to read what you say no matter what it is or if they agree, hopefully they won't feel the need to make negative comments about what you write.  Jill

 

[Crazycat]

"A little less focused on her"  Huh? Are you for real pal? Maybe the problem here is that you're just a little too focused on yourself.......if the terrible truth be told. Did you really have to tie the Nazi death camps in on this as well? Figures. Oh wait, I forgot: you proclaimed you were Jewish in a previous post (as if that had anything to do with the topic in concern). My bad.

And yes, the topic has been a bit derailed (thanks to you know who).

[ANGuy]

"A little less focused on her"  Huh? Are you for real pal? Maybe the problem here is that you're just a little too focused on yourself.......if the terrible truth be told. Did you really have to tie the Nazi death camps in on this as well? Figures. Oh wait, I forgot: you proclaimed you were Jewish in a previous post (as if that had anything to do with the topic in concern). My bad.

And yes, the topic has been a bit derailed (thanks to you know who).

Antisemitism for the win!

There is just so much fail in your offensive post, it's hard to know where to start.  So, I'll leave it to the mods and report your offensive post.

[ppearl214]

This has gone exceptionally off-topic! 

Should this continue, this thread will be locked.  Period.

The article that was originally shared is noting one particular, unique AN journey. As we know, "individual results may vary" based on many criteria... size, shape, location of treatment, post treatment, insurance, etc.

Please be respectful of what the article notes.... as you would not want others knocking your unique AN journey as well.  We all walk difficult shoes......

Watching carefully.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Phyl

[ANGuy]

Just because her surgery wasn't in the top 10 or 20 worse things that can happen to a person it doesn't mean she shouldn't write about how it affects HER!  She didn't know what the outcome would be, that's scary!  I would assume most people are thinking mainly of themselves right before the surgery as they are the one going through.  When you reach that point yourself and are no longer in watch and wait, please feel free to write your feelings.  I'm sure there are people that are willing to read what you say no matter what it is or if they agree, hopefully they won't feel the need to make negative comments about what you write.  Jill

 

Thank you for posting your response in a thoughtful, respectful way.  You are entitled to your opinion, and I'm glad you posted it here.  That's what this forum is for, and that's why the OP posted the article in the first place.

If some people respected MY RIGHT to comment on the article in the first place, I wouldn't have had to report another members post to the moderator.

As for your point about her article, I can see your point about the level of difficulty that AN surgery can cause in one's life and as to how much of a "big deal" it can be.  While I don't think it's a trivial matter, I don't place the level of importance and doom on it that some do. 

But, I think you are attributing something to me that I never posted.  In all fairness, with the group-think and hyperbole that proceeded your post, it can be easy to loose track of things.  I never said she shouldn't have written the article.  What I said was that it was poorly written and that I don't find her, or her story, interesting enough to bother finishing the article.  Hey, I think Charlotte Bronte is full of hot air too.  It's my opinion.  When I was questioned on it, rudely, I supported my opinion with stories, both mine and those of others I have met, that I DO FIND COMPELLING.  I'm sorry, but having met Elie Wiesel and heard what he had to say, having met "Dutch" Van Kirk,  I think her story is pretty mundane and poorly told.

Since the original post contained an opinion on how good the article was, I think I am entitled to post MY OPINION as well. 

As for how serious these AN matters are, yes they are serious.  But, let's not take ourselves to seriously.  In the end of it all, we will be put UNDER the grass.  We will be worm food or ashes.  Also, I have news for some on this board, EVERYBODY GETS SOMETHING.  This society has gotten so focused on every news anchor's suspicious lump that we have lost sight of the fact that a generation or two ago, everybody knew everybody gets lumps, blood diseases, coronary issues, emphysema etc.  Did you really think you'd live forever without a single scary health issue?

So, some can enjoy this woman's article about herself, I don't find her interesting.  And, I'll choose to admire people who focus their efforts on others more than I will admire those who focus on themselves.

[ppearl214]

Yes, we are entitled to note whether or not we enjoyed a particular article... the form of elaboration of why and comparisons should be written to understand that the general audience of these forums may be new members to the forum that are just learning their way around or others may find offensive.

Should anyone feel the need to direct to particular posters of an opinion that would not be beneficial to other posters here on this forum or be off initial topic of the thread, my suggestion is to take it offline to PM between the parties...

I continue to watch. My inbox is always open.

Thanks.
Phyl