Surgery scheduled!

[EJTampa]

Retrosigmoid on March 5th.  It's on the calendar.  I could share so much information that I have received from Dr. Bartels, but while most of it fascinates me, it will probably bore most of you .
 
Suffice to say my balance nerve is still very much intact, so when they remove it, I will have a bit of a tough time early on.  Doc says to push myself hard to recover sooner rather than later, but either way he expects this to be a good outcome with about a 60 percent chance of saving my hearing due to tumor location.
 
Any fellow AN'ers from the Tampa or Central Florida area still reading these boards?
 
Ernie

[kenneth_k]

Hi Ernie.

Good luck with surgery. This is a huge step forward.

Best regards, Kenneth

[JohnnyDiaz]

A fellow AN'er from North Florida wishing you the best on March 5th. Stay positive and keep us updated....

[cindyj]

Hey, Ernie!  As you know from hanging around here, getting treatment scheduled is a huge deal and relief, usually.  The day will be here before you know it!  We wish you well and will be watching for updates!

Take care,

Cindy (previously from North Florida)

[Ellenmn]

GOOD LUCK FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL SURGERY

[satman]

prayers from dallas,good luck !

[leapyrtwins]

Ernie -

congratulations on your date 

I can't speak for everyone, but strangely enough nothing AN really bores me, so feel free to share your information.  Those who are bored have the choice of tuning out if they want to.

You never know what might help a newbie - or even an oldie.

Jan

[Syl]

Yes, Ernie, please share.

Jan: Didn't your Dr. give you vestibular exercises to do pre-surgery so that your recovery would be quicker? Ernie, you might try this.

Syl

[leapyrtwins]

Jan: Didn't your Dr. give you vestibular exercises to do pre-surgery so that your recovery would be quicker?

Yes, he did.  I had to do them both pre and post op and they really helped with my balance and my wonky head.

I still have a xeroxed copy of the exercises, so if you want them Ernie (or anyone else) just PM me your address and I'll be glad to send them to you.

Jan

[Jim Scott]

Ernie:

I'm a long way from Florida (darn it!) but allow me to add my congratulations on your securing a surgery date.  As you know, this is a major milestone on the AN 'journey'.  You seem to be comfortable with your doctors and this is a crucial factor in a successful AN surgery because it affects your attitude, which appears to be excellent at this point.  I wish you a complication-free surgery and a rapid, recovery. 

Jim   

[Captain Deb]

Ernie, I'm in Sarasota till the end of the month, PM me if you want to talk on the phone or aything. I'd be glad to answer any questions. 

Capt Deb

[EJTampa]

Thanks for all the well wishes!  At least I still have a month to get things in order here.  Doctor appointments seem to be piling up on me.  I just got a call today to schedule a visit with the neurosurgeon, and I think I'll meet the anesthesiologist (sp) the day before surgery during pre-op.
 
My MRI will be 5 months old by my surgery date, but when I asked the doctor if we needed a fresh one, he said "No, we know where it is and how to get to it"
 
Well, time to get some sleep for now.
 
Ernie

[Debbi]

Hey Ernie-

Congrats on getting your date!  The next few weeks will probably be a strange mix of too fast and too slow.  I found that time moved at its own pace during that time.  Try to do some fun things, and also try to relax a bit if you can.

Debbi

[msmaggie]

Yea!  You are on the calendar!  The decision is made and you will be ready when the time comes.  Best of luck for a speedy, uneventful recovery.
Priscilla

[EJTampa]

By the way, how was the cruise?

Cheri

Thanks for all the well wishes (again) .  The cruise was fun, but there was an epidemic of the norovirus that started on day 2 of the cruise and lasted through day 8.  My dad was confined to his room for the last 3 days of the cruise .
 
I think this time is going to go by too fast.  This Thursday my daughter makes her confirmation to our faith (Catholic), then Friday we leave for Orlando for some fun at Universal Studios until Sunday.  Then it's back to work the next week and before you know it, we're approaching the end of a short month .
 
I have doctor appointments galore it seems.  I used to donate money to my health insurance company every month (I never get sick, and rarely require any care), but now I'll be collecting on all that .  I'm still following everyone's posts here even though I don't always respond.  Cheri's surgery came at a time when I was just learning about the whole AN/Surgery/Radiation thing, so it really helped me to see her (you!) continue to post after surgery!  I will have my wife post about my outcome as well shortly after surgery.
 
This goes for everyone here that is post surgery or post radiation...You guys make this place what it is.  Without you all hanging around and posting about your ups and downs after treatment, I, and people like myself, would have no peace or comfort in our decisions prior to surgery.  You are all heroes in my book.  A big THANKS to you all from all us pre-posties.
 
Ernie