Lessons I've Learned From My AN Experience

[pswift00]

A few life lessons I've learned in the past few months:

1) Contrary to popular belief, your eyeball will not pop out of your head if you don't shut your eyes while sneezing.

2) The folks who design hospital menus have a really sick sense of humor.  Why else would they have served me pork medallions, au gratin potatoes, and collard greens the day after my surgery?

3) Post-surgical nausea is a FANTASTIC way to lose weight.

4) According to my wife, I look totally badass with a shaved head.

5) People are really, really nice to you when you get a brain tumor; even the people who really weren't all that friendly before.

6) Apparantly whistling requires that both sides of your mouth work.  Eating a Big Mac is also much easier when both sides of your mouth work properly.

7) Chicks really do dig scars.

8  Having 'selective hearing' is a really good way to avoid difficult questions and awkward situations.

And finally,

Things are never as bad as they seem, nor are things ever as difficult or as scary as they appear.  We are all much braver than we think. We should never, ever sweat the small stuff, and in the end, it's all small stuff.

Please add your own life lessons.

[Tisha]

I think this is the first time I've laughed since I found out about my AN last week. 

Thank you. 

[leharner]

Thank you for the reminder about small stufff...I have forgotten that and allowed way too many crappy things at work to have an influence in my life lately.

Going to buy me a coffee mug...I have a brain tumor, what's your excuse?
Laura

[EJTampa]

A few life lessons I've learned in the past few months:

8  Having 'selective hearing' is a really good way to avoid difficult questions and awkward situations.

I'm afraid my wife has already found a way around this one.  She makes sure she tells me the "important" things in my "good" ear.
 
Thanks for the great list!  Brought a smile to my face 
 
Ernie

[wendysig]

I have to agree with everything you said, plus:

1. I am stronger than I ever knew I was.

2. I am wiser than I knew I was.

3. You really can learn something new every day.

4. People I always thought would be there for me sometimes let me down.

5. People I had no expectatoins of supported me more than I would have ever thought.

6. I have learned the importance of putting myself first sometimes -- something I never used to do.

7. My faith in human nature has been restored.

8. I' leraning to be more patient

9.  All of life is a journey - I'm a work in progress.

10. This experience has, ironically, changed my life for the better.

Wendy

P.S.  I don't think I'd look all that great with a shaved head and luckily, the doctor spared me that particular look by shaving as little hair as possible.

[pswift00]

wn.

5. People I had no expectatoins of supported me more than I would have ever thought.

You are spot-on with that one. 

[lori67]

P -

That is hysterical!  Thanks for the laugh today!   

Not sure if this is a lesson, but it's definitely a plus - Facial paralysis means fewer wrinkles on the AN side - and it doesn't hurt to tweeze your eyebrows!   

The selective hearing is also a good way to get a good night's sleep!

The "brain tumor excuse" is a good one to get out of social events you really don't want to go to.   

Lori

[vjgfamily]

Now, when someone says, "It's not brain surgery", you can come up with all kinds of snappy responses!

There's no need to buy headphones, either.  I did buy a nice set of Sennheiser ear buds.  I use one of the buds in my left ear, and taped the other bud to the cord (to keep it from flapping around).  I set the left/right channel bar all the way to the left to get all the sound.  When I wear out the little speaker in the ear bud, now i've got a spare!  Hopefully, I don't wear out my good ear, first.

Verl

[pswift00]

I think we can also all agree on the importance of having a positive attitude through the whole thing.  Negativity is worse than an infection, and humor is better than penicillin.  A lot easier to swallow, too.

[Kaybo]

This is great list - thanks for the laugh!!
If you have a paralyzed face, it is easier to "keep a straight face" if you turn to that side!!   

K

[TT]

I have greater neck mobility than I ever dreamed I'd have.

It never fails. I'm in a situation of where to sit at a crowded table. After careful planning, I always put my deaf side to the person who can't stop talking.

[vjgfamily]

TT,

When you've been a pain in the petunia as long as I have about seating arrangements, people learn to save the "correct" seat for you.  Or at least they defer until I pick my seat (no jokes, here, please).

Thanks,
VERL

(Hi Verl... had to change your wording to "pain in the petunia".... although the word you chose was better, just not allowed here. Thanks for understanding. Young eyes view this website. Phyl)

[Syl]

A have some items to add:

1) The term "It's like riding a bike," has a different meaning now.
2) Having a phone conversation in a noisy environment is no longer a problem.
3) After my AN surgery, I thought I was in bad shape for not being able to stand on one foot with my eyes closed. My PT informed me that it's a challenge for most people.
4) Unlike many people, I enjoyed hearing the crickets at night.
5) Having a lazy eye is beneficial after AN surgery--I didn't get the double vision.

Syl

[leapyrtwins]

I think we can also all agree on the importance of having a positive attitude through the whole thing.  Negativity is worse than an infection, and humor is better than penicillin.

Totally agree with that comment.

Also with Wendy's point of being stronger than I ever knew I was. 

Jan

[kenneth_k]

The lame duck maneouvre.........

Recovery after surgery is a brilliant excuse for bying a nintendo Wii with Wii Fit balance games My wife fell for it - anyway i didn't hear her say no.

Kenneth