I haven't been online in quite awhile so I thought I would give everyone an update. I had retrosigmoid surgery 8/8/06. It's been three months now and I am doing very well. I do have a constant loud humming in my left ear, I have a metallic taste that didn't occur until 1 month post-surgery, and I walk a little clumbsy when I am really tired. I haven't had a hearing test yet to determine how much hearing loss I have as a result of the surgery, but my guess is that I lost about 60%. Prior to surgery, I would wake up in the middle of the night or early morning with terrible headaches that would last until noon. I haven't had a headache in 3 months and I can sleep like a baby now!! I must tell you that the doctors told me that didn't think my headaches had anything to do with the AN....I believe otherwise. I thought it might be a good idea to let others making an AN decision know some of the results after surgery. I spent 5 days at Johns Hopkins, which in my opinion is an awesome hospital with great staff. I didn't have to take any pain medicine other than tylenol after 3 days. My AN was very small, only 1.1, so I did have options. I chose surgery because I am the type of person that would lie in bed and think about all the "what if's". I am 51 and in good health. I thought surgery would be easier now than in my later years. I just wanted this whole thing behind me. I must tell you all that I am a big chicken. One who passes out when having my blood taken. Strangely, I never passed out, never shed a tear, and quite honestly, the whole experience wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined. It's amazing what we can do when we have to. I truly think I am a stronger person having gone through this experience. I am very surprised to learn that so many people that found out I had an AN have told me that had one, or someone they knew had one. I bet I could name 10 people within a 100 mile radius that experienced an AN. It makes me wonder if its true that only 1 out of 100,000 really get one. Maybe more people get MRI's now so it's much more easily detected. I know one thing though....I never played the lottery but I do now!!
I hope all those going through the decision making choose the best choice for them. I truly think the decision making was harder than the surgery. To all, best of luck.
Suzy
