A place to vent

[Static]

Yep, same here Matti.  I felt like I didn't want to say too much cause I really don't retain things very well, especially after the surgery and I really didn't understand alot of the scientific stuff.  There's no way I could've taken notes or remembered things like KRbonner or Gennysmom or any of the others did from the symposium.  Things will come back to me here and there, but I totally suck at taking notes.  I take it in as it comes and makes my decisions with that.  Raydean was there for me while I was making my decision too.  Not sure if she remembers me tho.  I was under list serv as Karen, (I may have used a last initial, not sure).  Anyway, the forum is way better now, and we don't want it messed up, that's for sure!
~Karen

[lori78]

Already said, I know... but.

Why shouldn't we have a place to vent?  I go to work every day, help disabled people discover MUSIC (no tinnitus, Thank God) and come home exhausted.  I am a therapist trying tol live this life, understand why bad things happen to good people, and my right to vent should be 'toned down'?  AND is NOT G-rated.  Nothing about it is.  While we are here to support each other, we must remember that venting is healthy.  Why do people hit punching bags, work out like mad, etc?  We all have ways of taking out our frustrations, and if our medium is IM and words, then peace!  I AM SCK OF BEING SICK OF THIS DEBATE.  VENT AWAY!!

[Captain Deb]

Lori--
there is a big difference between venting and hurling personal insults and threats at another forum member, which is what this person did a while back.  I agree we all gett really angry at our situation from time to time--venting is healthly and this is a good place to do it!

Capt Deb

[linnilue]

Hi all,  Could you maybe tell the rest of us what is going on here?  Is there someone that we are suppose to be aware of or something?  I've been watching these posts for a few days and now I jsut have to ask, what is going on?  I'm curious but if it's something private then I won't ask.

[TP]

Nikynu, I was wondering the exact same thing. I was searching thru the posts and couldn't figure out who was this guy/gal.

[linnilue]

Thanks for the update Bruce.  Since I am only a member for a few months now, I was taken aback by this but it has been explained quite well and now I can move on.  I think I need to hear some more news about Lindsay Lohan, so back to the news.       Thanks.

[matti]

Apparently Brittney is back in the news as well, but at least Paris is behaving herself (this week).   

Cheryl

[lori78]

Thanks.  I am obviously a very (stubborn...aries) newbie!!!

[Captain Deb]

Thanks for the update Bruce. Funny how this guy we're talking about has been signing the same name as the guy who got banned....hmmmm...

Now about Paris and Lindsay and Britney. Hope none of you come down with an AN. Then you will know exactly what reality is, ladies.

Be Well and Sail On,
Capt Deb

[Sue]

Speaking of banned, I think the "Troubled Trio" should be banned from the news!! 

However, did anyone watch the show last night (Wednesday) The Next Best Thing that's about people who do impressions of famous people?  The finalists were so talented. One did Paris Hilton and she was hilarious. 


Sue in Vancouver USA

[Mel]

I need to vent----------------but there IS so much.
Why do friends and family seem to be ignoring my AN!!  Why did a friend say to me " You are not having Brain Surgery", they're just pushing your BRAIN out of the way!!"?  Why am I thinking that this is a mistake? Not Real.  OH, the nooise runs me crazy at night so I use an old tick-tock clock, still hear the noise.
Is it going to go away after surgery?  Will I have headaches, never been much of a headache person.  Welllllllll, maybe these are just questions
I feel better now for the moment----Got to get to work
Thanks
Mel

[Brendalu]

Mel,
I'm sorry you are having so many problems!  This is the place to unload them tho.........we understand.  Yes, it is brain surgery.  They may be "pushing" the brain out of the way but they are still "messing" with it.  The noises?  For some people the tinnitus goes away, for others it is worse.  I'm told that you learn to ignore it.  So far that hasn't worked for me, but I keep trying.  I still wake up some mornings and think I can hear and that having the surgery was just a bad dream.  Then I remember that it wasn't a dream, but I do wake up.  You just have to take one day at a time.  Sometimes I can only take one minute at a time.  I just do whatever it takes.  I would tell your friends and family that they need to start reading about the Acoustic Neuroma and its affects on you and start being supportive and be there for you.  Don't let them diminnish this problem.  It is a very big deal.
Hugs,
Brendalu

[Betsy]

Hi Mel,

It's just overwhelming, isn't it?  There's so much unknown about these things.  Most of my friends are ignoring my AN too, in fact only one has even stayed in contact with me since the diagnosis and he's 500 miles away.  My family, who lives out of town, doesn't seem to know how to react, so it's like they're ignoring it as well.  I think they're scared too, so I try not to bring it up.  Once, someone at work actually asked me how I was and I practically burst in to tears...no one asks me that anymore.  And after my emotional reaction, that person is avoiding me!  It's so hard to keep this all inside.  Thank goodness for this forum.

The tick-tock wasn't enough for me either.  I'm trying one of those air cleaners now.  It's quieter than a fan, but it seems to do a better job at masking the smoke alarm in my head.

Betsy

[Cheryl R]

Ok, duh!      I thought I had just lost the post I had started so surprised to see where it had went.    I was starting to say that it would be interesting to see what the friend would say if it was their brain  being operated on!       It might be a different story.
I even had my surgeon say it wasn't brain surgery to me when I called it that at an office visit.    Then several sentences later he called it brain surgery!           
I had a family dr tell me where I work prior to my 2001 surgery that he knew someone who had AN surgery.       Yeah, they just have the droopy face and can't hear out of that side.     No big deal.       I am glad I am not his patient.
 We have no answers for the tinnitis.               Not everyone gets headaches though.   I have been thru 3 AN related surgeries and have never had any.
                                                     Cheryl R

[Captain Deb]

AN surgery has been called the "Queen of Brain Surgeries" and should never be minimized as not being real brain surgery. Sometimes those who love us tend to minimize our outcomes, symptoms,fears, because the reality of the situation is too overwhelming for them to cope with--it's not that they don't care--it's quite the opposite and is a form of denial.  I, too have been distanced from some friends and family, but most of that is of my own doing.

The headaches for me have been life-altering, but I had a family history of migraine going into this and was beginning to experience them mysself but not in the way I have been post-op. The tinnitus doesn't really bother me at all--I've never been a big fan of silence--I like to hear music, the ocean, waves slapping the hull, tree frogs, breeze in the palm trees etc. Now I have the ocean and the tree frogs with me all the time!

This journey needs to be lived one day at a time or it can eat us up.  My Headache Wizard said to me th other day that I could let my pain drive me crazy or I could go out and have as much fun as possible in spite of it. He is a very wise man for his young years--I wish every AN-Headacher could be treated by him.

Be Well and Sail On!

Capt Deb