Good wishes please - and a Friday SMILE!

[Denisex2boys]

I have my appointment on the 25th of September at University Hospital in London, ON Canada with Dr. Lorne Parnes (I am told he is one of the best here in Canada) - please send me good wishes!  What should I expect from this first appointment?  Will they want to do more tests, MRI's, etc.  I am sooooo scared - - I wonder too - - how can they tell by the MRI that this is benign and not malignant - I am feeling relatively good of late other than the hearing loss and some 'loopy' moments - but if you talked to anyone that knows me - they would say that I am loopy anyway - LOL!

....... and on a 'Happy Friday' note ...... I just wanted to share with you pics of my kids - Mitchell JUST started kindergarten this week and Brendan is in Grade 3!

Have a good, safe weekend everyone!  My hopes and prayers and well wishes are with all of you!

[Boppie]

Denise, If you have not had an enhanced MRI done, the doctor will want one done.  If you have a recent enhanced MRI from another doctor, take the films with you.  The doctor knows fairly well by the appearance and location of the tumor on the MRI that you have a benign mass there.  Just smile and ask plenty of questions.  Take your written check list of questions.  Are you taking a second pair of ears with you?

You should have a personal calendar with you in case the doctor wants to schedule you for treatment while you are there.  A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

You have beautiful children.

[krbonner]

Your boys are beautiful!  I love the Kindergarten Survival Kit!   

If you already have a relatively recent MRI with contrast, you may not need another one.  At my first appt, the specialist confirmed the diagnosis, reviewed treatment options, and recommended a plan (watch and wait at the time, with another MRI in 6 months).  It was also my time to ask all sorts of questions.

I don't know the exact answer to your benign vs. malignant question, but my understanding is that malignant tumors have very different characteristics and symptoms (even if they're in the same space), and there's usually additional markers in bloodwork.  But that's a great question to ask during your appt.

Good luck!
Katie

[yardtick]

Good luck to my Canadian AN sister!!!  Your boys are beautiful.  I have 4 sons 16-20.  I have loved every minute of motherhood.  I'll have to see if I can figure out how to post a picture or two of my gorgeous monsters.

The MRI isn't that bad.  I've had 3 with no sedative.  If I can do it anyone can and I HATE SMALL SPACES.

Anne Marie

[sgerrard]

  If the radiologists report on the MRI said it was "most likely" an AN, or something to that effect, then you probably don't need another MRI. The diagnosis is usually very clear, and yours sounds like a typical AN to me. They basically consider all ANs to be benign, without even doing any further tests on them. The one or two malignant ones reported in the last twenty years are true exceptions that occurred in very specific and rare circumstances.
  I would recommend, whenever possible, that you get copies of the MRI and all reports from your doctors, and carry them with you. I made use of mine on two occasions in particular, one with the insurance company, another with one of the doctors, who had not received copies of all the tests. It can make the process go much smoother, and makes sure that everyone knows all the available information.
  Oh and the boys look great, somebody is a proud mom, I would say.
Steve

[Boppie]

Denise, I asked the same question, "How can they tell by the MRI that this is benign and not malignant?" An intern explained some extra details.. the presence of the tumor on the nerve (originates in the Schwann cells around the nerve) plus the lack of vascularity that is seen in cancers establishes two markers for "benign neuroma".  But the surgeon always orders pathology on the tumor when it is removed to make sure.  The path report is routine.  "Benign" is the only good part of an AN.