Hey everyone!
No I did not fall off the face of the earth dispite popular rumor..I did finally graduate from school though! Yeah!!, speaking of which, I need to call Batty princess..
So Cindy,
In response to your dilemna,
I actually had the pleasure of both. I have something similar to an AN which is how I wound up in this group and they have been nice enough to let me still hang out.
My tumor was not readily identifiable so a biopsy was needed before proceeding with CK or any other type of stereotactic radiation. In order to get a biopsy, none of my options were too great as I have a skull base tumor..hard to reach without re-arranging my brain...so, I opted for a unique approach of transphenoidal endoscopic surgery in the hopes of removal without re-arranging my brain, and at the very least getting a biopsy.
The tumor could not be removed but I was able to identify the growth...a benign annoying little thing in a bad spot....about the size of a walnut and still needing to be dealt with.
Originally my preference would have been to just remove it, period, out of my head , gone etc!, however, there is much evidence that these types of benign growths tend to recur....Now dont panic!!! many do not ever ever ever come back, but after suffering through surgery which even the route I took, was not fun.
I had to follow up with stereotactic radiation and I chose, much to my neurosurgeons dismay the cyber system..he uses gamma.....after my three month MRI, my tumor is dying, smaller in size and I did not miss one days work during the cyber treatment! In fact as you noted at the beginning, I was in college the entire time through both surgery and radiation....the cyber was a lot easier believe me!
Does it behoove you to try and find a neuro whom offers both surgery and radiation? yes it does, and even then you still may have to decide which type of radiation treatment to use as there are many different types. The idea of having the tumor inside myhead is a little creepy, but as time goes by and I see it dying, and I have no to little side effects, it bothers me less and less. After all, I have fillings in my teeth, metal in both my arm and my knee and that doesnt freak me out, so why should a piece of dead tissue.
Lots to think about and remember you have time, you may even opt for watch and wait, which definately was not for me....but works well for plenty of others if the AN is not really bothering you too much.
Good luck and feel free to contact me. Keep us posted as to your progress.
Ceeceek
