Author Topic: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!  (Read 6480 times)

highlife

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Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« on: March 09, 2009, 06:40:13 pm »
Friends,
I'm home!  I'm offically a postie!  This is day five after surgery last Wedesday morning with Dr. Shaninian of SBI.  I'm kind of goofy, can't type, and the tinnitus gets worse in my ear if I'm up much, but really don't have much to complain about.  I can't even complain to my stylist about the headshaving, because he just took a little behind my ear and I have a less than one inch incision with 4-5 staples.  BUT NO VACUUMING!  I promised.  It'll be hard but I've made my promise.  The best thing is that I will keep my hearing.  My mother-in-law knit me two caps for nothing, I'm afraid.
My best adivce is not to trust your poor head four days after surgery to the sadists that run the wheelchairs at the airports.
Shahinian created to tools to do my surgery, but now he has to work on the wheelchairs!
Steph
Rt ear AN - 10x6x4mm
dx 9/08
wait

EJTampa

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2009, 06:46:21 pm »
Hey Steph!  I forgot your surgery was like one day before mine.  You sound great!  The wren't able to save my hearing because that part of the tumor was just too sticky.  Otherwise, I'm doing very well and also home right now :).
 
While rest is important, don't forget to walk.  It's an amazing medicine for me!  I feel so much better after walking, although usually need a nap after :)
 
Keep us updated and great to see you home!
 
Ernie
-1.3 X 0.8 cm AN in the right cerebellopontine angle extending into the internal auditory canal.
-Retrosigmoid Surgery with Dr. Bartels and Dr. Danner at Tampa General 3/5/2009.
-Had to cut hearing nerve to get "sticky" tumor, so SSD right side.

anissa

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2009, 06:54:32 pm »
I don't know if we "met" before your surgery, I'm fairly new in these parts.  Just wanted to say "welcome home" and congrats on making in through with your hearing, you're very lucky!  Best wishes in your recovery.

Anissa
Anissa
2/11/09 Diagnosed AN 2.1cm
2/26/09 Consult with Dr. Clough Shelton, U of Utah
4/1/09 Translab with Shelton & Couldwell
--little teensy bit of tumor or cells on facial nerve, stuck! No facial weakness, Rt side SSD
4/8/10 1-yr MRI, "Looks great!"

rkks

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2009, 07:08:10 pm »
Hey Steph,
Fantastic news!  So glad to hear your surgery was a success and you are back home.  Your AN is gone and you retained your hearing: a win/win situation!!  Don't forget to sleep at the 45 degree angle to avoid the headaches.  Lots of rest and daily walks, if possible. 
Hope your recovery goes as well as Jared's did and before long you will be back to your old self.  Please keep us posted with your recovery and give us a call when you feel like it. 

Ron & Karen
Parents of Jared (age 19)
Right side AN (10x9x7 mm)
Diagnosed 9-17-08
Endoscopic surgery on 12-29-08
Skull Base Institute, Los Angeles
Dr. Hrayr Shahinian

sgerrard

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2009, 07:15:21 pm »
My mother-in-law knit me two caps for nothing, I'm afraid.

What do you mean, for nothing? Knit hats are always a useful accessory in my opinion.  ;D

Great to hear of another SBI success, and another surgery success, for that matter. I have also promised myself no vacuuming, and seem to stick with that no problem.  :D

Congratulations and take care,

Steve
8 mm left AN June 2007,  CK at Stanford Sept 2007.
Hearing lasted a while, but left side is deaf now.
Right side is weak too. Life is quiet.

leapyrtwins

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2009, 07:51:33 pm »
Glad you're home and that things went well, Steph.

I'm with Steve - knits hats are always useful  ;)

Hope your recovery continues to go well,

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Seal

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2009, 05:02:23 am »
Welcome back Steph!

Well one down, one to go!     I'm thrilled to hear of your great results, especially the hearing.     It seems like rare ocassion that they can save your hearing.  So that is great!!!!    I'm t-minus 7 days and counting.     I'll be looking foward to joining you as a postie late next week!      BTW, isn't vacuming a good balance nerve excercise?     Well, if it is, please don't tell my wife !!!!

Best regards,
Steve
Diagnosed 1/14/09 - 2.4cm AN right side --- about 70% cycstic
Retrosigmoid wiih McKenna & Barker - total removal successful on April 13th. 
Issues: balance, facial & mouth numbness, hearing loss right side
Results:   numbness gone, balance is good, SSD right side. Great results.

Esperanza

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2009, 06:20:00 am »
Hi Steph,
Really pleased all went well for you, fantastic news about your hearing -  wishing you a continues safe and speedy and don't overdo anything!
x
Profoundly deaf suddenly on AN side with vertigo January 3rd 2008.
12mm left side AN diagnosed 20th Jan. 2008.  MRI  in July shows no growth. What do I do now?????

Pooter

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2009, 11:08:50 am »
Welcome home, Steph!  Relax, relax, relax..  You know the drill.  Frequent ice cream helps too!  At least I thought so! ;)

Regards,
Brian
Diagnosed 4/10/08 - 3cm Right AN
12hr retrosig 5/8/08 w/Drs Vrabec and Trask in Houston, Tx
Some facial paralysis post-op but most movement is back, some tinitus.  SSD on right.
Story documented here:  http://briansbrainbooger.blogspot.com/

"I must be having fun all wrong!"  - Roger Creager

Jim Scott

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2009, 12:06:56 pm »
Hey, Steph!

Congratulations - and welcome to 'Postie-Land':)  Thanks for posting so soon, too!

I'm so pleased to learn that you're surgery went well. and that your hearing is intact.  I'm glad you're a beneficiary of this newer and easier (for the patient) approach to AN surgery.  May your recovery be both swift and uneventful.  :)

Jim

4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

nancyann

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2009, 05:00:18 pm »
Hi Steph:  Posting at day 5 to me is amazing ! !
Now rest, rest, rest my friend,  keep a peaceful heart.

Continued healing,  always good thoughts,  Nancy
2.2cm length x 1.7cm width x 1.3cm  depth
retrosigmoid 6/19/06
Gold weight 7/19/06, removed 3/07
lateral tarsel strip X3
T3 procedure 11/20/07
1.6 Gm platinum weight 7/10/08
lateral canthal sling 11/14/08
Jones tube insert right inner eye 2/27/09
2.4 Gm. Platinum chain 2017
right facial paralysis

chopper

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2009, 05:50:58 pm »
Great news there, and retained hearing to boot.   Lucky S.O.B.!  ;D
3+cm AN, hit the chopping block 5 Sep 06 at the Skull Base Institute

Was 4.5cm at it's largest point, completely removed.  All motor functions normal.  Only complaint is SSD on the left side, which was expected anyway.

MAlegant

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2009, 09:34:54 pm »
Wow, that is a great result!  Rest up.
Marci
3cmx4cm trigeminal neuroma, involved all the facial nerves, dx July 8, 2008, tx July 22, 2008, home on July 24, 2008. Amazing care at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

GRACE1

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2009, 06:51:23 am »
Congratulations!!!  So now you are an ENDO-POSTIE.  I'm so happy about your hearing. 

Take care,
Grace
Diagnosed 7/06: AN - right side: 1.3cm in transverse dimension, 6mm in AP dimension, and 6mm in cephalocaudal dimension.
GK 12/06- Wake Forest Univ Baptist Med Ctr
MRI 5/07- Some necrosis;  Now SSD
MRI 12/08- AN size has reduced 50%
MRI 12/11- AN stable (unchanged from 12/08)
Next MRI: 12/16

lori67

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Re: Hey, Honeys, I'm Home!
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2009, 11:42:49 am »
Steph,

Congratulations on becoming a Postie!

And if you survived the Airport Wheelchair Drivers - you made it through the toughest part of the healing process!  Should be a piece of cake from here on in!

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.