Author Topic: I'm back!!!!!!!!!  (Read 6818 times)

ppearl214

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2008, 05:31:35 am »
*runs in to give Lori healing huggles*

Great news Lori and you're home and resting.... me likes good news.  You know the mantra.... "onward and upward to wellness" :)

Feel better... get some rest.... will look for updates later!

Phyl
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"

Captain Deb

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2008, 08:19:11 am »
Glad to have you back onboard Lori and hope things start happening for you soon.  You have great pirattitude and guts and are a true wench!

Hugs,

Capt Deb
"You only have two choices, having fun or freaking out"-Jimmy Buffett
50-ish with a 1x.7x.8cm.AN
Mid-fossa HEI, Jan 03 Friedman & Hitselberger
Chronic post-op headaches
Captain & Designated Driver of the PBW

lori67

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2008, 08:29:34 am »
Thanks everyone!  Feeling a little better today.  I might even go out and get some ice cream later!   ;D

I think the surgery took about 3 hours, but of course, the surgery before mine ran late so I got in late, blah, blah... I told the anesthesiologist if he didn't start shoving twinkies in my IV, things were going to get out of hand!  Fortunately, it didn't come to that.  Anyway, the scar is right where the front of my ear attaches to my head so once that heals it won't show at all, and then it goes behind my ear lobe a bit and just a little down onto my neck.  He said he put the incision "where the crease is" so it won't show.  I guess "crease" is the new politically correct term for WRINKLE!!   >:(

David, as luck would have it - I STILL can't jump!  Maybe that's what I have to wait 6 months for?  I suppose I'll have to postpone my career in the WNBA for now.

Lori
p.s.  OMG - welcome back!  We missed you!
And Jan, I'll be John McCain and you can be Sarah Palin.  She's much prettier!  And I don't think I'd mind being second banana if I looked like her!
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

Omaschwannoma

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #18 on: October 01, 2008, 01:52:06 pm »
Hey Lori your back!   :D

Congrats Lori and glad to hear you haven't lost your sense of humor!  Very happy all went well for you and you are a real trooper!  May your pain be less and less as the minutes tic by and may your healing be quick, successful and making you want to jump for joy!

I was choking myself after reading what you were eating in the hospital!    EEEEEWWWWW mashed potatoes with peanut chocolate chunks!   ;)  ;D
1/05 Retrosigmoid 1.5cm AN left ear, SSD
2/08 Labyrinthectomy left ear 
Dr. Patrick Antonelli Shands at University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
12/09 diagnosis of semicircular canal dehiscence right ear

lori67

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #19 on: October 01, 2008, 05:52:44 pm »
Oh, Karen!  Yuk!  Have I mentioned I'm a bit of a picky eater to begin with?  I'm one of those people that can't even allow 2 foods to touch each other on the plate, so I definitely wasn't mixing my peanut butter with my mashed potatoes!  Even only being able to taste on half of my mouth, that sounds gross!   :D

I did go to a really good gelato place for dinner tonight - ice cream seems to go down with no problem!  I think I'll stick with that for a little while!

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

MAlegant

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #20 on: October 01, 2008, 06:50:39 pm »
Hey Lori!
Glad you're back and feisty as ever.  Gelato and peanut butter cups--the perfect diet!!  We've missed you around here.  I'm happy for you that you've gotten this over and done with; now onto the next phase of recovery.  How exactly does this nerve-jump thing work?
All best,
Marci
3cmx4cm trigeminal neuroma, involved all the facial nerves, dx July 8, 2008, tx July 22, 2008, home on July 24, 2008. Amazing care at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

lori67

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #21 on: October 01, 2008, 06:59:43 pm »
Well, since there wasn't quite enough "juice" getting through my facial nerve to get the muscles to fire, they sortof hook up part of the hypoglossal nerve like jumper cables to give it a little more boost to get the facial muscles going again.  Of course, there's still the waiting for the nerve to regenerate and heal at it's lightning fast pace, so it's going to be a while before I know if it worked or not.  I think I can handle 6 months, since I've been waiting 18 months already!

You know how when you're in the hospital awaiting surgery and 50 people have to come and ask you what procedure you're having done?  Let me tell you, you can have some fun with the whole 7-12 thing - because no one has heard of it and they don't know what the heck you're talking about.  One nurse asked me, I told her - a 7-12 jump.  She looked at the markings my doctor made on the side of my face and I told her I was having a face lift, but I could only afford to have one side done right now.  She just said "oh, okay." and walked away.  I figured it was safe to mess with her since she wasn't the one who was going to be doing the cutting and pasting anyway!

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

MAlegant

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #22 on: October 01, 2008, 07:08:56 pm »
 :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
3cmx4cm trigeminal neuroma, involved all the facial nerves, dx July 8, 2008, tx July 22, 2008, home on July 24, 2008. Amazing care at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

leapyrtwins

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #23 on: October 01, 2008, 09:59:49 pm »
Lori -

Half a face lift  :D  What a riot  :D

I know just what you mean about everyone having to know about your procedure and then when you tell them, they have no idea what it involves  ::)   My BAHA surgery was the first one my doc performed at the particular hospital where I was, so I had to explain the whole concept to about a million people including lots of nurses.  I was impressed by one nurse though who told me she read all about the BAHA surgery on the internet the night before.  I told her the hospital should give her a big raise for that effort  ;D

I'm happy to hear you're alive and kicking - and even happier to hear you aren't mixing mashed potatoes with chocolate.  Although these are two of my very favorite food groups, I think I'd "lose my lunch" if I combined them  :P

I'll agree to be John McCain and let you be Sarah Palin if you agree to not make me die before you.  Afterall, John's no spring chicken - but then again, neither is Joe Biden  ;D

Don't get me talking politics, Phyl will be censoring me before you know it  :o

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Kaybo

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #24 on: October 02, 2008, 06:37:36 am »
SO Lori~

Did they use the black electrical tape?

The people asking the same question so many times makes me think of when Dave & I were getting married - when people would find out he was so much older than I was EVERYBODY asked, "Has he been married before?"  I finally got so sick of saying no that I would answer, "NO, but I think he has a few kids running around somewhere, we just don't know where they are..."  Pretty quiet after that!!   ;D

K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

Debbi

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #25 on: October 02, 2008, 08:49:20 am »
Lori-

SO glad you're back!  I missed your post earlier and have been wondering how you are doing!  Haven't lost that dazzling sense of humor, I'm glad to see.  I think the ice cream diet may be a medical necessity, btw.  It is cold, therefore good for swelling. 

Continue to heal, and keep smiling!  (okay, half smiling!)

Debbi, flashing a pirate smile back at ya
Debbi - diagnosed March 4, 2008 
2.4 cm Right Side AN
Translab April 30, 2008 at NYU with Drs. Golfinos and Roland
SSD Right ear, Mild synkinesis and facial nerve damage
BAHA "installed" Feb 2011 by Dr. Cosetti @ NYU

http://debsanadventure.blogspot.com

HeadCase2

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #26 on: October 02, 2008, 12:27:33 pm »
Lori,
  Great to hear that they didn't mess up the Chocolate tasting nerve.  Here's wishing you much piratude to have the patience to wait for things to heal.
Regards,
  Rob
1.5 X 1.0 cm AN- left side
Retrosigmoid 2/9/06
Duke Univ. Hospital

GrogMeister of the PBW

lori67

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #27 on: October 02, 2008, 12:40:37 pm »
I think my chocolate nerve is the only think working properly in my head these days!   :D

Kay, I think they did use electrical tape for the splicing, along with a little gorilla glue and an extra coat of duct tape, just to be sure.  I keep smelling bubble gum though, so I think they might have reinforced the whole thing will a little bit of Bazooka gum.  You can't be too cautious with these things.

Dr. Debbi - if you say ice cream is a medical necessity - who am I to argue!!    Gotta keep that sweilling down....It's a price I'm willing to pay.

Rob - are pirates patient?  I never thought they were, but I guess if they're dealing with AN's - they have no choice!  Here's to making the world a more patient place - one pirate at a time!

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

wendysig

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #28 on: October 03, 2008, 07:01:27 am »
Lori,
Glad to see your sense of humor wasn't effected!  I completely agree that ice cream should help bring the swelling down and if your chocolate nerve is the only thing working, chocolate chocolate chip would be a good choice!!  Seriously though, glad to see you are on the mend.

Best wishes,
Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

leapyrtwins

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Re: I'm back!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #29 on: October 03, 2008, 11:15:29 pm »
The people asking the same question so many times makes me think of when Dave & I were getting married - when people would find out he was so much older than I was EVERYBODY asked, "Has he been married before?"  I finally got so sick of saying no that I would answer, "NO, but I think he has a few kids running around somewhere, we just don't know where they are..." 

So, K, does this mean you'll be changing the name of your website  ???  LOL

Lori -

gorilla glue  ???  Bazooka bubble gum  ???

I see you're back in rare form - just how we like you  :D

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways