Author Topic: Great news...Beth can hear!  (Read 3123 times)

NL

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Great news...Beth can hear!
« on: May 21, 2009, 12:13:13 am »
Hi All,

Back in March, I posted briefly about a young couple, Beth and Joseph, who Donnalynn had pointed in our direction when they were coming to House for Beth's fourth surgery. Catherine (Jerseygirl2) also met Joseph and his parents when they were staying at Seton last year. They're a remarkable couple, and have been through so much in the last few years.

Beth is NF2, and had lost hearing in both ears a couple of years ago. Last year the docs implanted an ABI (auditory brainstem implant), a surgically implanted electronic device that transmits sound to the brainstem to give a sense of hearing, but it didn't work. When they were here in March for her last translab, the doctors implanted another ABI which was turned on for the first time yesterday.

As you can see from the subject line, this time it worked! We met Beth and Joe today for a celebratory dinner today before they return to Louisiana in the morning. Though it'll take some time for her to adjust and interpret the way things sound, when there was no ambient noise around, she could hear and understand what I was saying. It was pretty amazing, and the docs say her hearing will continue to improve over the next few years.

Here are some pics we took today at The Grove:



     

Just had to share this wonderful news - congratulations to both Beth and Joseph!
1.6 cm left AN diagnosed Oct. '07
1.9 cm on 2nd MRI, May '08
Retrosigmoid surgery at House Clinic/St. Vincent's on 8/6/08
(no post-op dizziness, nausea, facial or balance issues)
Thankful for a fantastic team of doctors - Dr. Rick Friedman, Dr. Marc Schwartz, & Dr. Michael Stefan

CHD63

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2009, 07:28:24 am »
What wonderful news!  .... and great pictures.  Thanks for sharing this .... it gives much hope to others!

Clarice
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

sgerrard

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2009, 08:58:52 am »
Amazing news. Hearing for the first time after two years must be an incredible experience. Best wishes to Beth and Joseph.

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.

Debbi

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2009, 11:17:01 am »
Wow.  That is just amazing.  I got goose bumps all over when I read this - how incredible to be able to hear again after two years.  Wow - just wow.

Debbi
Debbi - diagnosed March 4, 2008 
2.4 cm Right Side AN
Translab April 30, 2008 at NYU with Drs. Golfinos and Roland
SSD Right ear, Mild synkinesis and facial nerve damage
BAHA "installed" Feb 2011 by Dr. Cosetti @ NYU

http://debsanadventure.blogspot.com

Cheryl R

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2009, 02:03:58 pm »
That is super for Beth to have her ABI work esp since of her prior experience.         I was close to no hearing and that was a very hard time.    Having none would be horrible.        I am very glad for her and hope she has no more future problems.  I can understand how grateful she must feel and happy to have more of a life again.
                                                         Cheryl R
Right mid fossa 11-01-01
  left tumor found 5-03,so have NF2
  trans lab for right facial nerve tumor
  with nerve graft 3-23-06
   CSF leak revision surgery 4-07-06
   left mid fossa 4-17-08
   near deaf on left before surgery
   with hearing much improved .
    Univ of Iowa for all care

Sue

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2009, 02:09:53 pm »
Great news!  So happy for her.

Sue in Vancouver USA
Sue in Vancouver, USA
 2 cm Left side
Diagnosed 3/13/06 GK 4-18-06
Gamma Knife Center of Oregon
My Blog, where you can read my story.


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The only good tumor be a dead tumor. Which it's becoming. Necrosis!
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EJTampa

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2009, 03:54:51 pm »
Wow!  I didn't even know they could do that!  So nice to hear of a happy ending!
 
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.

wendysig

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2009, 05:40:58 pm »
What really wonderful news!  Congratulations Beth and Joseph -- I'm sure this is a wonderful gift to both of you!

Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

Jim Scott

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2009, 12:11:02 pm »
Nancy ~

Thank you so much for the splendid news that Beth can hear again.  :)  I love these kinds of stories, especially when 'illustrated' with photos! 

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.

leapyrtwins

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2009, 04:54:53 pm »
Nancy -

thank you SO much for giving us this good news!  Beth - and Joseph - must both be so thrilled.

The pictures - like the news - are beautiful, too!

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

Kate B

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2009, 07:26:09 am »
Awesome news for Beth and Joseph.  Like Debbi, reading this story gave me goose bumps.

It must feel like a miracle.

Thank you for sharing the pictures too!

All the best,
Kate
Kate
Middle Fossa Surgery
@ House Ear Institute with
Dr. Brackmann, Dr. Hitselberger
November 2001
1.5 right sided AN

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lori67

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2009, 09:16:09 am »
She must be so thrilled!  I'm so happy for her - she has been through so much, she's definitely way overdue for some good news.

Thank you for sharing the news with us!

She's such a beautiful woman.  I'm so glad you guys were able to be there to support her.

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.

4cm in Pacific Northwest

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2009, 11:42:40 am »
WOW! Great news! :)

DHM
4cm Left, 08/22/07 R/S 11+ hr surgery Stanford U, Dr. Robert Jackler, Dr. Griffith Harsh, Canadian fellow Assist. Dr. Sumit Agrawal. SSD, 3/6 on HB facial scale, stick-on-eyeweight worked, 95% eye function@ 6 months. In neuromuscular facial retraining. Balance regained! Recent MRI -tumor receded!

chocolatetruffle

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2009, 03:43:08 pm »
YAHOOO!!!!! congrats and thanks for sharing the news and wonderful pictures with us!

here's to many many more blessings, joy and laughter!
chocolatetruffle


2.8 cm left AN
Translab @ House/St Vincent's 11/27/07
Drs. Brackmann, Schwartz, Wilkinson, Stefan

ppearl214

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Re: Great news...Beth can hear!
« Reply #14 on: May 25, 2009, 06:45:31 am »
this is wonderful news.... Beth, continued wellness wishes to you! :)

Phyl
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"