With deep regrets I am sending out a Mass Mailing for many thank yous - Prayers, support, food, little happy notes & good thoughts; you all know what you did for us. And it makes my cry to think of all your kindnesses. The day of surgery & ICU is better gotten from Joe - I don't remember a lot of it which is a very good thing. Typical of me, I got very nauseaus & had a hard time gaining energy for the come-back Treatening to send me to rehab was a good move though :-) Actually, once you get on your feet & get the walkers & cane the Steroids kick in. You think you are better than you feel. I had surgery on Friday March 14 at
MassGeneral/MEEI with Barker & McKenna. There just is no better team, Barker seems always to be inventing new ways to get in & out of the brain without extra trauma. I had the best care from the best Doctors, to all the Nursing staffs, to the PCAs. A friend described it to me as looking for
a place where they do these techniques 2 years before others try it out. It was a big stretch for me to believe that medicine is not the same everywhere in the US - but there certainly are better places. I still cannot believe that I drove over 100 miles home OK - the tricks shared from here were to get a great Neck Support Pillow and a blindfold. It really helped keep keep me calm. The greatest pain I felt was just being wheeled down the floors in the wheelchair if you believe that? I had not been aware of the quiet environment before I first felt movement. Once on the road it was easy. My neighbors organized a dinner calendar when we got home, which Joe resisted - but after all the local therapy, cleaning, medications etc... it has proved to be a godsend. I don't know the details till follow up visits - but generally was 1.8cm x 1.4 cm beforehand. If you can believe the nerve of my body? I was originally scheduled 2/1/08 - developed bronchial asthma flu thing & had to wait another 6 weeks. But I will add that it gave me daily lenten masses to keep me calm --- and if you have a chance or inclination --- try Reiki healing the day before. I was so calmed by the process (Hartford Hospital uses this in the alternative Cancer Care).
I hope you let me stay with you guys - I had a Meningioma - not an AN. I had Retro-Sig because I really have decent hearing left (about 90% for sound. Still need final testing in a few weeks for word recognition.) They kept ALL of my nerves in tact - vestibular, facial & hearing. My hearing is no better nor worse than it was before. Easy to say now that it's over, but I do think the worry was worse than the surgery! I did not LIKE making all my own decisions -- and then I did not LIKE looking out of town for surgeons. But Please strongly consider that if you are moving along these lines. Meningioma has a higher recitivism rate - so I'll save Radiation for the next time if it comes back in several years (10%). I have a gut feel so I just went with it for my later resort. How great will medicine be by then! When I'm on my feet I'll be happy to be a local advocate for questions .... I couldn't stay OFF this site when I was first diagnosed, then I had to get away from it because I got pretty scared. But thank you all (especially Katie) for my last minute Q&A. Seems like everyone's case is just a bit different & nobody wants to say too much - statistics are pretty positive though - and luckily I have so far been OK. I know sliding backwards can happen - but then there's always the march forward again isn't there. I livein mid-CT, try to get to Hartford Grps & occassionally to the Worcester breakfasts. Thank you all, you are the ones who really know. Everyone else wants to help - but you KNOW!! HAPPY SPRING!!!
