I just found out. :-(

[Kaybo]

Sue~
I finally get to "see' you!!  Love the picture!!   

K

[Sue]

Yeah, I finally decided to add my mug to the AN "line-up".  I agonized over the photo, and I was going to find one of me from 30 years ago, but finally thought - oh well! 

Sue in Vancouver USA

[Jackie]

Hello Sue,

You have a lovely face, can't understand why you have been hiding it for so long!!!
Your neighbor in Beaverton,
Jackie

[Sue]

*blush*
Thank you.  But, you know - gravity has had it's way with me. 

Sue

[yardtick]

Sue,

You are beautiful!!! 

Anne Marie

[Sue]

Ah gosh, now yer all goin' ter give me a swelled head, and everything! 


Sue in, oh you know...that town next to Portland.

[Nancy Drew]

Wcriml,
 

Interesting about your hearing.  I have the same thing.  Better hearing in my nonAN ear also.  Go figure.  However, I do think the AN swells sometimes, and it affects my hearing.  I am going into GK with fairly good hearing, and I hope to come out with fairly good hearing.  Best of luck with your research, dealing with your insurance and making your decision.  My GK is next week.  I am on edge, but I am glad the date is in sight. 

Nancy

[calimama]

I just wanted to say that i don't agree that vertigo is a certainty. I am nearly 4 months from surgery and have no dizziness or vertigo. My balance is great, even with my left eye covered (due to double vision, which is resolving slowing and paralysis).

I was dizzy in the hospital (7 days) and left in a wheel chair and had a walker. But i ditched the walker after a day. I was picking up my 18 month old (carefully!) after 3 weeks. I avoided the stairs at home (only to the basement as we have a bungalow) for a month, out of caution. I was walking outside after 2 weeks (although i had company and used the baby stroller for additional support) and did my first run at 2 months. I am now back at work (wearing 2 inch heels).

I don't know if this is all "normal" and certainly i have some challenges. I just wanted to mention that everyone is different and not to assume any result is a given. I am 39 and in good health, but was sure much better before surgery... I had only some hearing loss and tinitus. On a good day i feel about 95%, happy and healthy. On a bad day i feel broken and frustrated. I definitely have a lot more good days than bad. I like to look on the bright side.... that i have a "condition" which gets a little better every day (unlike something that gets worse over time).

The recovery has not been easy, and it feels like a long long road. Everyone has a different experience. Good luck with your decision and try to stay positive.

[leapyrtwins]

wcrimi -

I don't think every doctor does the exact same thing, but there are certain commonalities to AN surgery.  I think it's fairly common to cut the balance nerve and I believe mine was cut in the course of my surgery.  The body does adapt over time and while my balance isn't perfect, it's definitely much better than it was pre-op and for the first few months post op. 

Now I only notice my balance issues - and they are fairly slight - when I'm tired.

Jan

[Nancy Drew]

Calimama,

That was such a positive story to tell.  Thanks for sharing.  Your baby looks so cute, and I bet she is happy to have her mommy doing so well.  I think there are a lot of positive stories here, and they give inspiration.

Nancy

[Debbi]

Hey Sue and Jackie -
I was just in Beaverton last week visiting my parents!  Of course, we also visited some pinot noir vineyards, too!     Beautiful part of the country.

And, Sue, everyone's right - you look gorgeous!

Debbi, back in NJ

[Sue]

Thank you for the nice compliments.  That photo was taken on March 1, my 62nd birthday, just about 2 weeks short of 2 years since my diagnosis. I am scrunched between my hubby and tall son, so I had to crop the picture.  If, when I had those very brief dizzy spells back in about 1994 or so,and it'd been bad enough that I would have had an MRI,  I'd have been treated then.  For some reason I wasn't supposed to do that then, I guess.  Different path, different outcome, who knows?

Sue in Vancouver, USA

[Jackie]

Ah Gee Deb,

Wish I had known you were coming, It would have been fun to meet! Did we have our great weather for you, I hope?? Next time, do let us know, we could all have a get together, including Steve and DHM, and Kelly and Sue................

Jackie

[Sue]

You bet!  Let us know!

Sue

[wcrimi]

I saw Dr. Eric Smuhas at Mt. Sinai the other day.  He is a team member with Dr. Kalmon Post.  He did some more tests on me and feels that the chances of me retaining my hearing are in the 70% range because eveything is pretty normal now.  The only symptom I have now is mild tinitus.

I have decided to have surgery.  All I have to do now is make a decision about which team will do it   (Post or Galfinos) and set things up.  Both are very experienced and made me feel very comfortable. I am leaning towards Post only because my original ENT recommended him and told me that's who he would go to.