OK. So I did it all a little backwards
![Tongue :P](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/tongue.gif)
. I made my surgery date at Stanford just so I'd be "in" once I finally did decide. Good thing. I got the last appointment w/Dr. Jackler in May as he's not available until July.
As everyone else, I've gone on the emotional roller coaster. Thank goodness for this forum & encouragement & support. I have found out that I am "special" after all. Most people have facial spasms POST-op, but I have it PRE-op. I'm posting this update because in my searches on this site, I found very few who had it pre-op & just as few who were informed that it may be a facial schwanomma prior to surgery.
My facial spasms are approx. 2 minutes long. Usually start at the corner of my eye, to the corner of my mouth & completely freeze. They mostly happen when I am exercising but have started occurring early in the morning.
I've had my consults at UCSF, Stanford & House Clinic.. They all recommended the same: surgery guys=surgery, radiation guys=radiation.It makes it all very confusing. I'd leave one ap.ed "Wide Decompression" if it were a facial neuroma. This is drilling extra space around the facial nerve in the skull, to give the tumor some room. Everyone said if it is a facial tumor, they will close me up, then recommend radiation treatment. I made it to the support group meeting in Sacramento & everyone was so supportive, it was great to be amongst my own kind:) But, no one there has had facial spasms prior also. It's been a tough decision, but here's how I figured...
With Radiation, the tumor will never go away. It will most likely swell before it shrinks...if it ever does. Therefore my symptoms will get worse & possibly stay the same. Stanford gave me some reading material & what hit home was: The tumor's surface will then be uneven & rough after radiation. I figured since the tumor is already pressing on the facial nerve, it will still be there & still aggravate my facial nerve, thus, I chose surgery. Surgery date is May 20.
I received a wealth of information from both House Clinic & Stanford. Does ANA have a site where they post these PDF files?
Now on to arranging childcare for my 20 month old. This part has been more stressful than deciding on treatment as I hear I may not be able to lift him anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months post op. Oh yea, also shopping for big glasses, decent pajamas, coloring all my gray so I still look good
![Wink ;)](https://www.anausa.org/smf/Smileys/classic/wink.gif)
& lots of chapstick.
I hope this helps other fellow pre-op facial spasm patients.
Carolyn