Author Topic: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN  (Read 5650 times)

Keri

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This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« on: June 02, 2009, 08:39:26 pm »
I miss the updates and summaries. LADavid, we all welcome you to take this over again when you'd like (look at me, I'm starting on Tuesday night, for cryin' out loud). In the  meantime, I will try to update, hoping not to spell anyone's name wrong or miss anything crucial.

Please chime in with any other info you may know about what's going on with our AN forumites!

In the follow up MRI category:
Tim (migoi) rested in the tube of gloom Monday and is awaiting results. Good thing you had time to rest up from your long trip all over Ark, Tx, NM and a lot of other places!
Anne Marie also has a follow up MRI
The calendar shows a follow up appointment for Scarlett (SML) on Sunday (is that right, Scarlett or Rich)?
We wish you well and let us know how it went.

Saralynn143 has a 1 year post MVD. I don't know what that means, but I hope all is well. Sara, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. I'm so sorry about the loss of your father.

Jan (leapyrtwins) wins the anniversary category - she's celebrating two! Her 2 year surgery anniversary and the 1 year anniversary of her BAHA implant. Congrats Jan! Thanks for all the detailed help you provide us who are awaiting (or planning) for our BAHA's.

MaryBK Ariz is celebrating a 1 year CK anniversary.

And, although this isn't on the calendar - I read a nice post from Michelle (mimoore) thanking all for the support she's received since her surgery (also 1 year ago this week).

Cheryl R has a birthday Wednesday. Happy Birthday!

Regarding the new 'posties':
Let's see, Mats / Cat Lover have been humourously updating Helene's progress since her surgery. She's making a lot of progress (see post treatment)
Adrienne - we wonder how you are doing. Your husband updated a little last week. I hope your recovery is going well (the latest update I know of is in post treatment)
Brenda / Teff also had surgery last week and is recovering / making progress. The latest I know of her story is here in AN Community.
We wish you all well - you're past those F3D's!

If anyone wants to elaborate on any of the above, please do. I remember there was a post surgery thread that we were all going to try to look for but I'm not sure where it went!

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Keri
1.5 left side; hearing loss; translab scheduled for 1/29/09 at Univ of MD at Baltimore
My head feels weird!!

leapyrtwins

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2009, 09:06:58 pm »
Keri -

very good job on the weekly update.  Thanks for picking this up  ;D

Although we all have access to the AN Calendar it's nice to see everything condensed and recapped in a post.

Good luck to all those having appts., and tests this week - may your results be good ones!  Congratulations to Mary BK and Michelle.  And a very happy birthday to Cheryl R.  Don't forget to share some cake with those cute grandchildren of yours, Cheryl  ;D

And to latest group of newbie posties - be patient, you're all recovering quite nicely.  Remember things take time, so don't overdo it and get some rest.

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

saralynn143

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2009, 09:39:11 pm »
Thanks for taking over this week's update, Keri.

MVD stands for microvascular decompression. It is a surgical technique for hemifacial spasm, which I had, and trigeminal neuralgia and involves padding blood vessels that lie directly on nerves, in my case the seventh cranial, or facial, nerve. There is a pretty good page on hemifacial spasm at wikipedia. It's roughly half as common as AN.

Thank you also for your condolence. I don't think dad's death has really hit me yet. There's so much to do that I don't have to think about it that much. I think that visitation on Thursday will be the hardest. I sure won't be able to ignore it after that.

All my best to those having tests or procedures this week, or celebrating milestones.

Happy anniversary to my surgery sisters Trish and Michelle!

Sara
MVD for hemifacial spasm 6/2/08
left side facial paresis
 12/100 facial function - 7/29/08
 46 - 11/25/08
 53 - 05/12/09
left side SSD approx. 4 weeks
 low-frequency hearing loss; 85% speech recognition 7/28/08
1.8 gram thin profile platinum eyelid weight 8/12/08
Fitted for scleral lens 5/9/13

wendysig

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2009, 02:31:17 am »
Keri

Thanks for picking up the slack in David's absemce,

David I hope all is well with you.

Good luck to all being treated and visiting the Tube of Gloom.  May you have speedy recovers and clearn MRIs.

Jan
Congratulations on your two your ANniversay

Happy Birthday Cheryl with many happy returns.

Best to all,
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!

grega

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2009, 07:03:47 am »
Thanks Keri for your report .... just seeing the names and a little blurb about each allows me to offer prayers for our friends you mentioned.

I also liked how you remembered to use the proper language to, hopefully, make Catlover and Mats feel right at home.

Keep up the good work  :D
Greg
1.5 cm AN retrosig 11/04.
Drs. Henry Brem & Michael Holliday @ Johns Hopkins, Baltimore
SSD right. Tinnitus big-time, only when thinking of it.
BAHA since 7/20/10 ... really helps w/ hearing, specially after programming in subliminal message: "Hey, don't listen to your tinnitus!"

Kaybo

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2009, 07:13:57 am »
Thanks, Keri.

Good luck and prayers to all!

K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

ppearl214

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2009, 12:49:45 pm »
Keri!

Great job! You just earned another apple dumplin at the next brunch! (If you can make it!). Thanks for keeping this up in LADavid's absence.

Sending my wishes to everyone this week... those having treatments, a very speedy recovery to you. 

To my AnneMarie and the tube o' gloom..... aw, you're gonna do great!  :-*

to my Mary.... YAY!!!!!! 1 yr CK anniversary, you CK Pirate!!!!   Well done!

Brenda, a VERY hearty Hippy Burpday to you!  :-*

for anything I may have missed... my continued wellness wishes... and Mats/Helene, what time is cocktail hour? :D

Phyl
« Last Edit: June 03, 2009, 12:51:59 pm by ppearl214 »
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"

NancyMc

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2009, 01:23:05 pm »
Happy Anniversaries, All!  Good luck on MRIs, All!  And Happy Birthday, Cheryl!
Today is the 8th week anniversary for DLM4me and Moi!
Face is gradually improving, eye irritation with driving or staring at monitor or TV, balance is fine, metallic taste, biting lip while eating, trouble spitting (sorry), increased tinnitus and increased SSD.  Social events are very frustrating.  But on the whole . . .
Watch and Wait since 9/19/01
Increased from 1.1 x 1.9 to 1.9 x 1.9 cm as of 10/27/08
Right SSD, tinnitus, compensating balance
Dr. McKenna at Mass Eye and Ear and Dr. Barker at MGH
Translab April 8, 9 hours, 18 mm Tumor all gone SSD some facial weakness

Jim Scott

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2009, 01:48:41 pm »
Keri ~

Good Job!  Thanks for stepping up in David's absence.  Your effort is clearly appreciated.

Congratulations to our singularly intrepid poster, Jan, on her 2nd surgery anniversary and her 1st BAHA anniversary.  Congratulations also to Mary BK on her first CK anniversary.  Happy Birthday to Cheryl and of course, good vibes to Tim and Anne Marie as they await their respective MRI results.  I trust that Scarlett and Sara had positive follow-up exams.  We hope the new 'posties' are all recovering nicely.  We know Helene ('cat lover') in Sweden is doing great (she posted photos!) and so is Brenda ('Teff').  We sure hope Adrienne is doing well, too.   Next week is fairly quiet (1 surgery and a 2-year MRI) but if David is again absent, we know you can handle it, Keri.  :)

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.

SML

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2009, 02:39:16 pm »
Keri,

Excellent post! Having a “This week in….� thread gives us all, a place to collectively wish our fellow forumites our prayers and best wishes. Thank you :) you're a sweetheart :-*

Wishing all new posties well in their recoveries, and good results for all that are having/had their follow up tests (yes Keri … I did have mine on Sunday at MGH. Made the drive in a breeze!).

Happy Birthday/Anniversary to everyone celebrating this week!

Sara, our deepest sympathy on the loss of your father. We will keep you and your family in our prayers.

LADavid, we miss you and hope all is well.

Scarlett and Rich
SML(Scarlett)-Massachusetts
1.5 cm x 2.5 cm Cystic AN - Right side
Retrosigmoid 3/18/09 at MGH in Boston,MA.
Dr. Barker - Neurosurgeon, MGH - Dr. Lee - Neuro-Otology, MEEI
no facial issues, SSD right side, balance issues to work on.
Outstanding Surgeons, I'm very happy with the results.

stoneaxe

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2009, 10:12:15 pm »
Thanks Keri,

Best wishes all!
Bob - Official Member of the Postie/Toasty Club
6mm AN treated with Proton Beam Radiosurgery in March 2004
at Mass General Hospital, Dr's Loeffler and Chapman
Cut the little bugger out the second time around in 2009..translab at MGH with Dr's McKenna and Barker.
http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

sgerrard

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2009, 10:31:23 pm »
LA Keri - works for me!  ;D

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.

moe

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2009, 12:22:57 am »
Thanks, Keri,
I'm sure it takes time and brains to come up with an update.
Very nice job.
Where is Dave, BTW?
Sara- you and your family are in my prayers for peace during this emotional week.
Maureen
06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

cin605

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #13 on: June 04, 2009, 04:28:49 pm »
I am also wondering?Wheres dave?Not Waldo...Dave??? ;D
2cm removed retrosig 6/26/08
DartmouthHitchcock medical center lebanon,N.H.
43yrs old

yardtick

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Re: This week (6/1) in the half gone week of AN
« Reply #14 on: June 04, 2009, 05:21:01 pm »
David has been on face book, so he is around.  I also know he is either on jury duty or will be starting jury duty soon.   

Anne Marie
« Last Edit: June 04, 2009, 09:46:28 pm by yardtick »
Sept 8/06 Translab
Post surgical headaches, hemifacial spasms and a scar neuroma. 
Our we having fun YET!!! 
Watch & Wait for more fun & games