I have never been so glad to be home in my whole life. California can KEEP Los Angeles and all that traffic. Yuck.
Just thought I would post my surgery story for all to peruse. I had a trans lab done with the House Ear Institute at St Vincent on November 19.
As it turns out, I am one of the very special ones whose tumor was not a true AN, but a facial nerve neuroma. Lucky me. It was also apparently exceptionally large. As one of the docs put it, he's been doing this for 27 years and my tumor was one for the record books, both for its size and for the lack of complications for the size it was. They couldn't tell me just how big it was, but it was larger than the 4.5 cm x 3.6 cm that was expected. 100% of it was removed.
I can't remember alll the names of my surgical team, but it was Brackmann, Schwartz, L-something, Bessin (sp?) and Stefan. My 6-8 hour surgery turned into 11 hours by the time they got that ginormous thing out and did the facial nerve graft. Amazingly enough, the paralysis from cutting the facial nerve is the only real complication I had. And even more amazing, I am getting movement back already and it's only been 2 weeks. I was told over and over and over again how fortunate I was to have come through things so well, so I guess it must be true. I can tell you that my eye is driving me insane though.
![Tongue :P](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/tongue.gif)
It took a couple of days to get my balance back, but I feel normal 99% of the time and am not having any problems from that. No problems chewing/swallowing/talking, etc.
It's amazing how my previous eye problems (nystagmus) have gone away, my neck problems went away immediately, and I have been dreaming constantly. My head feels kind of empty now though.
![Grin ;D](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/grin.gif)
I do have a couple of minor nagging things. One is I got blood in my spinal fluid and am still ouchy from that. The other is my right hand swelled over my ID band and I got pressure sores and nerve damage in my hand. It's just surface on my thumb and the bottom of my index finger, but it's very annoying. Dr Stefan said it should heal. I also have a numb spot in my left foot, I guess from being in restraints for so long.
BTW, will I ever feel my left ear again? As far as I can tell, I don't have an ear unless I reach up and touch it with my hand. LOL Very strange feeling.
My 3 year old son is very helpful--he lifts my mouth for me when I smile so I can smile with both sides.
![Cheesy :D](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/cheesy.gif)
And my baby will be 4 months on December 7 and is still a breastfed baby. I'm so proud of myself that I managed that. It was NOT fun pumping while I was in the hospital, especially 2 am in ICU, but it was worth it.
Thank God I got through this.
Vonda