Neal (NTeeman) Surgery Update

[ppearl214]

Neal,

"Day by day, inch by inch..."    I tell you what you already know... Hang in there and know I'm sending wellness wishes your way!

Phyl

[wendysig]

Hi Neal,
Congratulations on reaching the milestone of driving!!!  I know it was a real morale booster for me and gave me my sense of independence back.  Amazing that you've reached this point so early in your recovery.  I couldn't be happier for you!

Onward and upward!

Wendy

[nteeman]

Yes, things are progressing well, then all of a sudden I am exhausted and need to stop and rest.  Also my IV sites on my right arm look like they are completely healed but are still sore to the touch. Doctor says it will just take time as there are nerve issues from the IV site. Just give it time. I will.

Neal

[Pooter]

Wow!  Congrats!  It seems like just yesterday you had surgery.. how time flies.  Good that you're back in the saddle again, as it were.  You'll get bouts of fatigue like that for awhile.  You'll learn to adjust to them and one day you'll notice that they're gone.  You're definitely on the fast track.  Congrats!

Brian

[Seal]

Neil,

Congratulations on a quick and speedy recovery!    Looks like you will just need rest from here on out.     Thanks for your detailed posts on your progress.    This gives me some idea of post op progress as well as HOPE for as good a result as you've obviously had.      Please keep posting on your progress.     Your info helps those of us on the "other side".

Steve

[wcrimi]

Neil,

You seem to have had an amazing result.

Congratulations.

Driving already etc...

Do you have any wonkyheadiness or dizziness when you walk around etc... ?

Wayne

[nteeman]

Neil,

You seem to have had an amazing result.

Congratulations.

Driving already etc...

Do you have any wonkyheadiness or dizziness when you walk around etc... ?

Wayne

Yes, my recovery is coming along fine, but there are some issues though minor ones:

I do have wonkyheadiness but it is manageable. If I walk or turn too fast I get dizzy, though no problem driving.  The site of my IV cathode on my right arm appears healed up but is still sore to the touch. I find a heating pad helps. This too is getting better and I think that now that I am finished with the dexamethasone it will heal faster. 

No bad headaches but dull aches at the back of my neck and a little more toward the AN side.

Still deaf in my AN ear.

I've taken the approach that instead of pushing myself I am taking the Kitty Cat method of R&R -- pick a comfy spot, lie down, and purr.

 

[Jim Scott]

Neil:

Kudos on your swift recovery...and thanks for the detailed updates.  Your recovery is quite similar to mine; no real problems, just a few nagging reminders that you had brain surgery.   Otherwise, you're doing great!  I hope your experience can be an encouragement to those contemplating (and probably dreading) AN removal surgery in the near future. 

Jim

[wcrimi]

Neil,

Yours is an ecouraging story both in results and attitude!


Wayne

[nteeman]

Greetings All,

Today I saw Dr. Smouha, my Otolarygologist, and the good news is that he is thrilled with my recovery and he feels that I should not have any problem returning to my regular routine.  I mentioned that I can juggle three balls, nothing fancy just the regular cascade and since surgery I attempted this and I could juggle as well as I ever could. He felt that if I could juggle I could do anything.

Then we got to my hearing ability, or lack of it, in my AN ear. He said we didn't want to say anything until the Audiologist did the tests. So off I went to see the Audiologist.

Now the bad news: there is absolutely no sign of any hearing ability in my AN ear.  The Audiologist showed me the different hearing aid options but advised me not to make up mind yet, just consider them all as well as doing nothing and see how SSD effects me. I did get to try out the sample BAHA and it worked fine but I am still undecided about hearing aids.

Back to Dr. Smouha -- he wasn't surprised. He said that my tumor was so big he did not think there was much chance of the nerve functioning after the surgery but he did not want to say anything until I was tested. He did tell me before the surgery that there was a strong chance that I would never hear again in my AN ear so I knew the deal.

I still feel very positive about my results and both my surgeons.

Next month I go back to my neurologist and get an post surgery MRI. If all is well I won't need another for a year.

BTW, Wayne C, I sent your regards to Dr. Smouha and he had very nice things to say about you.

Cheers,
Neal

[nteeman]

I have been feeling more and more like my old self and I am scheduled to return to work on Friday, 2/27/2009.  I have been working out (C2 rowing machine) but not quite as hard as before my surgery, still, it gets better everyday.

I still haven't totally accepted my SSD but started to look into hearing aids. I am intrigued with the TransEar.  I will have to get more info. Still, I wish some hearing ability would return to my AN ear.   I need more time. Maybe once I am back into my regular routine I will come to grips with my SSD condition.

Cheers
Neal

[wcrimi]

Neal,

I had my follow up MRI late last week and will see Dr. Smouha and Dr. Post on Tuesday 3/3.  Dr. Post is not around this week and I want to see both on the same day to cut down on the potential for missing work etc...  I'll send regards to Dr. Smouha. LOL

I hope everything works out for you regarding hearing aids etc...

Wayne   

[nteeman]

It has been over 6 weeks now and I am back at work. I consider myself pretty much recovered. However I do find that I am having some difficulty adjusting to being deaf on one side - SSD.  I feel lucky that I did not experience any of the other conditions that many of the members here have encountered, but I do find myself having difficulty hearing my family and in situations where I am with groups of people. According to the hearing tests my hearing ability in my good ear is excellent.

I have an appointment to see an Audiologist on Friday about a hearing device (TransEar or CROS). I did try the BAHA demo version in the hospital and I wasn't impressed. I fear that if the BAHA did not do it for me, these other aids won't help me either.

The doctor (ENT) told me that he does not expect the ability to hear to return to my AN ear.  In noisy situations I hear a ringing sound in my AN ear.
I hope that in time I can get used to this and/or I find a device that helps.

Any advise?

Neal

[Jim Scott]

Neal ~

Thanks for the very encouraging update.  I'm pleased to learn about your excellent recovery.  I trust that you'll find a workable solution to the SSD problem, in time.  However, many of us who are SSD do learn to handle it and devise strategies and coping mechanisms that we use to function with only 50% hearing.  Body placement that puts your 'good' ear closer to a speaker is basic, as is avoiding very noisy environments and not being afraid to tell someone that you're deaf in one ear.  In a group, I'll often subtly turn my body so that my 'good' ear is toward the center of the group.  Eventually, these small actions become automatic.  I'm fortunate, like you, in that my 'good' ear has excellent hearing acuity.  SSD is a deficit but it can be managed.  I do it on a daily basis and so do many other AN patients. 

I'm surprised you weren't impressed with the BAHA unit.  Almost everyone who has tried one has raved about it.  Of course, it isn't 'natural' hearing but it does seem to help.  I gradually lost my hearing in the AN-affected ear over a 5-year period and slowly but surely adjusted to it.  It was about gone by the time I told my wife of the problem.  She had began to suspect I was getting 'hard of hearing' (I said 'what? quite often).  This gradual loss helped me to learn coping skills and they have served me well.  I don't feel the need for a hearing aid (I'm retired and that's a factor) but if I ever did, I would definitely consider the BAHA unit.     

Again, congratulations on your successful surgery and impressive recovery.  May it only continue.

Jim

[Mickey]

Hi Neal! Its not even two months since our Jan. lunchen. Great progress for you. Makes me even reevaluate my own W+W situation. If I didn`t feel this good  I probably would jump right in. Well anyhow it gives alot of us people confidence going into the future. I`m so happy that everything workd out for you. Mickey