Hi Zinger,
There are similar symptoms between our two tumors. I had 100% hearing going in with a tumor similar in size to yours. Mine was 1.5 cm. also.
I did have middle fossa surgery because statistically there was a better chance for hearing preservation. Like you, I wanted to give it my best shot to retain my hearing since it was intact before surgery. I was also prepared to lose it. I've retained 80% high frequency, 50% low frequency and had 84% speech discrimination. The speech discrimination score is important as sometimes hearing retained is not audible. Over the past seven years, my speech discrimination seems to be changing causing for some funny conversations with people.
The other thing I was told is that the symptoms like tinnutus that you have prior to surgery most likely stay. They may be reduced, but symptom may stay.
Regarding my surgery, I had it at St Vincents (hospital House uses) on November 29, 2001 with Dr.
Brackmann and Dr. Hitselberger. The staff there was very professional and
used to handling acoustic patients. As a matter of fact, House takes up the
whole sixth floor of St. Vincent's Hospital. I live in the Chicago area and had no problems travelling. I was told Airplane travel is recommended for any travel over three hours.
My surgery was 4-41/2 hours. You complete several tests the day before
surgery including a hearing test, a meeting with the surgeons, bloodwork
etc..
The day of surgery is interesting. They typically start the operations in
the late morning/early afternoon. You check into the hospital about 9 am and
you go to the sixth floor and wait in a private hospital room until surgery.
When it is time, you are wheeled down a corridor toward surgery. It seems
funny to remember this, but I remember the sunlight streaming in through all
of the windows. Then you are taken to a room where you meet with the
anesthesiologist. The doctor confirms the correct side of the AN and marks
your ear. I remember the anesthesiologist asking me what I was most afraid
of prior to surgery. I remember answering her and her reassuring me. Then
I was out and before you know it they are waking you up and asking you to
wrinkle your nose and smile. These are actually informal observations that
they use to determine your facial nerve outcome.
You are kept in ICU 24 hours and then discharged to your own room. All of
the rooms are individual (private) by design. The first 24 hours were the
hardest for me because I was dizzy. But before you know it, you are
returning to the sixth floor. My surgery was Thursday, I was in ICU until
Friday night and discharged to Seton Hall on Monday. (Seton Hall is adjacent
to the hospital and is a facility where you recover). It is like a Holiday
Inn and the charge is a nominal.
Let me know if I can answer any questions you may have.
Kate
