the stupidist thing people said....

[Mark]

Hi Karla,

I agree with you that I see AN's classified as brain tumors on a lot of very reputable medical center web sites or in discussions with very widely respected clinicians. My own theory is that it is the simplest way to categorize for people doing web searches or in talking to patients so they can understand the general location. I had this discussion with Dr. Chang and technically it is simply a skull based tumor or a vestibular schwanoma. It occurs in the skull, but it never does become involved with or connected to the brain. I'd be willing to bet money that if your countered any neurosurgeon who called it a brain tumor with those terms, they wouldn't disagree.

Mark

[Karla83401]

Mark,

Frankly I like the idea of it not really being a brain tumor and that it just happens to occur within the skull. It also makes sense because my reading has also indicated that the tumor actually starts in the ear and simply grows into the skull. I have told people all along that if I was going to have a tumor that was by my brain that this was the type to get. I can also see why doctors attempt to explain the tumors in the simpliest way possible. I think that most people (myself included) are freaked out when they are told that they may have to have their skull opened up to remove a tumor. I will try explaining it the way that you did when talking to people as I think that it will help reduce confusion and unneccessary worry in friends and familyl.

Thank again,

Karla

[Gennysmom]

I haven't run for the Webster's yet, but I suppose it depends on if you're considering "brain" as strictly being the cerebral cortex.  It's what most people think of when they think brains, the grey matter.  But I also think that the bits attached to it are all part of it, including the nerves, hypothalimus, pituitary gland, etc.  All that together is the "brain". 

What I've been tellng people to ease them into it is that I have an overgrowth of cells on the nerve that is in charge of hearing/balance.  Depending on who the person is, I may go into it more than that.  Or they may ask me.  At first, I was trying to be real careful because it bothered me to say something that obviously made them uncomfortable, but at some point realized that I didn't want to feel any more uncomfortable than I already do.  I find if I distract most people with technical details, and make it sound like an interesting thing to study, most people walk down that "fascinating" path with me, and are put at ease.  This just comes with the level of comfort I feel in my research about what I have.  Amazing what one can learn in a few short weeks. 

Having the ANA booklets around for anyone that is really that interested in me has been helpful as well. 

[GM]

I refer to my tumor (when someone asks me about it), as a non-cancerous tumor on my left hearing nerve...that seems to be plain enough for them...

[Kathleen_Mc]

Mark: In fact A.N. can become involved with the brain. Although it doesn't innervate the brain it can displace the lobes and cause temporary damage. I believe also the cranial nerves are considered "part of" the brain but I could be wrong about that.
Kathleen

[Mark]

Kathleen,

I agree that the AN can affect the brain through displacement of the cerebellum and other elements if it gets to sufficient size, but that would still not "organically" make it a brain tumor per say. The second part of your post is a very interesting perspective which I hadn't considered before. Are the cranial nerves considered a part of the brain by extension? It's a fair question and I really don't know the answer. Everything is interconnected at some level, so then would the spine and nervous system also be considered part of the brain? If the cranial nerves are truly considered part of the physical brain, than an AN would clearly be a tumor of part of the brain and I would concede my previous point. It is a bit of a stretch for me, but I couldn't dispute the point you make. I shall ponder it with a glass ( or two) of wine tonight, which BTW will affect my cerebellum 

mark

[Gennysmom]

OK, now I had to go to Webster's just to satiate the curious.  Not sure if it really answers the question, but does say enclosed in the skull, as the AN is.  Continue on with your drinking, I will join you soon!

Main Entry: 1brain
Pronunciation: 'brAn
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English brægen; akin to Middle Low German bregen brain, and perhaps to Greek brechmos front part of the head
1 a : the portion of the vertebrate central nervous system that constitutes the organ of thought and neural coordination, includes all the higher nervous centers receiving stimuli from the sense organs and interpreting and correlating them to formulate the motor impulses, is made up of neurons and supporting and nutritive structures, is enclosed within the skull, and is continuous with the spinal cord through the foramen magnum b : a nervous center in invertebrates comparable in position and function to the vertebrate brain

[Karla83401]

oh my did somebody mention a couple of glasses of wine!!??? If there is wine involved then I certainly think that we should all sit down with a glass of fine wine and discuss if our tumors are brain tumors or not. Perhaps if we are not able to come to a consenus with one glass, we may have to  have two glasses. Speaking for myself strictly, I am a cheap drunk so if we discuss it long enough it won't matter to me if it is a brain tumor or a toe tumor..lol

I personally think that I will stick with the wart idea when talking to other though

You guys are the greatest medicine!

Karla

[Battyp]

I"m so confused with this conversation I'm going to have a whole case of wine to ponder it all  lol

[Captain Deb]

Jeez, me too, Batty!  I'm havin' some dark chocolate. I had a salad for lunch, to I can now have a third of a chocolate bar as a reward---OH
Back to the thread--I old someone once that to get the tumor out the docs had to severe my balance nerve on the left side and her response was--"Well, can you sue them for that?"
Captain Deb

[Karla83401]

Now that sounds like a great combination, wine and chocolate.....who knows if ponder just what exactly these tumors are and come to a consensus maybe we will have to celebrate with something really crazy like a mixed drink...

Karla

[Captain Deb]

I heard they have someting now called a chocolate martini!  Too bad I quit drinking!
Capt Deb

[Karla83401]

Well Captain, being the good deck hand that I am, I will try the it for you and let you know how it was lol

Karla

[Captain Deb]

OH YEAH! Such a good little crew-wench ye be! Such Sacrifice!
CD

[Desilu]

My three cousins flew in from California to see me after my surgery. They were staying at a local hotel. I drove over to meet them in the hotel lobby. When I saw them, I greeted them by name and gave them all big hugs. My oldest cousin ( in his 60's), said "the surgery must have been a sucess, she can still remember who we are!" Some people just don't get it! Ann