Good thread. Thanks for the idea, Sue.
I may not be the very best person to comment on this subject, based on the fact that I had only minor post-op symptoms. Not that this will stop me from commenting.
![Wink ;)](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/wink.gif)
I was one of those fortunate folks who went through life with almost no medical problems - until my AN symptoms led to a (rare) doctor visit and an MRI. That, of course, led to the discovery of a large tumor, lots of angst, microsurgery, radiation and now, almost total recovery over a year later. I am thankful to God for His mercies.
I do have a few lingering symptoms but they are mild and easily ignored. If necessary, I work around them. My balance is good, very functional, but not yet where it once was (and may never be, again, I know) but I generally have no problem walking, going up and down stairs, etc. I have a few small 'numb' spots on the side of my tongue, occasionally on my lip, but I can ignore them as they do not affect talking, eating or taste. My left eye (the AN side) will feel a bit scratchy (the dreaded 'dry eye') if I get too tired or find myself in a breezy or windy environment, so I try to get my rest and avoid windy conditions whenever possible. That is my 'workaround'. I find my SSD to be my biggest handicap, yet I've had it so long now that I've fully adjusted and have incorporated it into my life. I'm just thankful that I had excellent hearing for almost 60 years. My tinnitus is a constant that I block out of my consciousness, for the most part.
I'm rather pleased to be in at a restaurant or at the mall, just walking around, and thinking
'no one here would ever know I had major surgery last year'. I think of my current condition as one of triumph, not loss. My 'philosophy' is one of:
'This happened, I'm dealing with it and I'm doing pretty well, too'. I accept the hearing loss and the relatively minor lingering symptoms of the AN but I've made a real effort, as others have, of getting back to my 'normal' life. As a matter of course, I don't dwell on the fact that I had an acoustic neuroma, major brain surgery and extensive radiation. I don't try to deny these realities, I simply refuse to make my AN the focus of my life from this point on. My last MRI showed positive tumor shrinkage and visible necrosis. My neurosurgeon said my last neurological exam showed marked improvement. I feel great. As my signature says: life is good.
As a frequent visitor to this forum I'm well aware that not every AN 'postie' can be as sanguine. That only increases my willingness to be thankful and grateful to God for the outcome and to not allow less than a 100% 'perfect' recovery to be taken (by me) as some sort of insult. Hardly. I know the future holds an even further recovery and I look forward to that, rather than what I may have lost due to my tumor. Indeed, life goes on. How we choose to live it is up to us.
Jim