Surgery next week

[Ugne3030]

While I made up my mind to have surgery. I was bumped in January.  In the past year my AN went from 2.5 cm to 2.6c cm and the headaches started about 2 months ago. I have been able to continue working, go to the gym and lift weights. I find taking a night school class helps me focus but now the panic is returning.

 So next Monday, the bugger comes out. My fear about facial paralysis has resulted in the surgical team planning on leaving a bit of the tumour on the facial nerve and recommending radiation afterwards. I will be okay until Sunday, then the nerves will get charred up again. I know lots of you vets out there have been through the battles and war. I am praying for a good outcome. Can't help the feeling in my gut, I know everything will be okay but still worry. I have been told 4 months off work, as they don't want me in a gym with 30 kids. The time off will be nice to gain some inter-perspective. Will miss some of the hearing I have regained in my AN ear. Wish me well.

Adam

[ANGuy]

Wishing you well!  Good luck and please follow up on here when you are able.

[Mimispree]

Hey Adam:

We're all wishing you the best outcome and good recovery.  I think it's great that you know up-front you're going to take time off before going back to work.  It sounds like you know how to take care of yourself and I find that's half the battle.

Keep us posted!

Mimispree

[Susang8]

Good luck Adam...wishing you a quick and smooth recovery!

I had Translab surgery on October 27th to remove a 2.8cm AN and my recovery was completely uneventful.  I hope yours will be as well....

Susan

[NS]

Good luck Adam! Wishing you the best for your surgery and recovery. Please keep us updated on your progress.

[Ugne3030]

Believe it or not I am home. Surgery concluded about 6 pm monday -10 hours regis segimold surgery...so far no facial,paralysis, eye drop, no new balance issues- just no hearing in right ear. Tinnitus full bore.

Tumour had elongated 3 cm in height but was 2.6 everywhere else. It hit a major arterial,point and was in serious issue of causing a stroke. My amazing surgeons went from considering translab to regis siegmold in order to deal with it. Apparently when i came to I was advising that Dr. Hebb was the best surgeon in the world and I highly recommended him. Turns out I was bang on. Lets see what happens over the next couple of weeks. Walked a ton and had really good recovery the past few days. Hardest part is taking it easy. Thank God, this support group, and the amazing medical professionals, especially the university of western hospital staff, dr. Hebb, dr. Aggarwal and their teams.

Adam

[ANGuy]

Believe it or not I am home. Surgery concluded about 6 pm monday -10 hours regis segimold surgery...so far no facial,paralysis, eye drop, no new balance issues- just no hearing in right ear. Tinnitus full bore.

Tumour had elongated 3 cm in height but was 2.6 everywhere else. It hit a major arterial,point and was in serious issue of causing a stroke. My amazing surgeons went from considering translab to regis siegmold in order to deal with it. Apparently when i came to I was advising that Dr. Hebb was the best surgeon in the world and I highly recommended him. Turns out I was bang on. Lets see what happens over the next couple of weeks. Walked a ton and had really good recovery the past few days. Hardest part is taking it easy. Thank God, this support group, and the amazing medical professionals, especially the university of western hospital staff, dr. Hebb, dr. Aggarwal and their teams.

Adam

God Bless you!

[Ugne3030]

Hey Everyone,

Three weeks since surgery, my stitches are out. I feel euphoric that I have survived. I have survived coughing and sneezing, man it hurt. At physio last week, she released my neck muscles and I ended up in bed for 2 days with elevator pressure and pain but that is now gone. I feel guilty not to be back at work. My physio therapist is working on balance exercises, I escaped with good balance but working to always improve my balance. My right ear is still stone cold deaf. I am very fortunate and thank God for my life and so far a good AN journey. I.have a Ct with contrast Thursday at 8 am and then see the nerusurgeon Thursday afternoon. If the tumour starts to grow again I will have to have radiation, cyber knife seems most appropriate I think, as I am told the left over tumour will be tiny. It is hard to relax, I wanted to try some push ups but worry about pressure in my old noggin. Any advice. Remember sport fans, life is a game, enjoy ever minute and remember cherish every minute with your family/loved ones/teammates! Glory to God and thankful for this forum and AN friends.

Adam

[Ugne3030]

Surgery was one month today. No more headaches ( knock on wood). Saw My neurosurgeon this past week, things are going well. Lots of rest, don't fly, don't sweat, don't pick up anything heavier than 5 pounds. Truly blessed. They left two small capsules of tumour, one against the brain and another on a small bone. We will have to wait and see if they grow. 99 per cent of the tumour debulked.  I was told 70 per cent of,the time no blood supply and they residual capsule of tumour will,die, if it grows, small dose of radiation. Life looks good from where I am standing. Neurosurgeon reviewed everything they did, and miracles they avoided. Thank god for these true heroes.

[SueLL]

Congratulations on your recovery so far!  Thank you for staying in touch via the forum.  So many people are looking for hope as they move through this scary path, and your "success" story will be helpful.

[LakeErie]

I also had two tumor remnants, one on my facial nerve near the ear canal opening and the other on my brain stem.
95% to 97% was the estimated extent of tumor removed. I had no change in size at 12 months. 18 months after that there was again no change in the remnant on the facial nerve, and the sliver along my brain stem was no longer visible on the MRI. Like your case, if I do have regrowth I'll have GK. My next scan is in Oct this year which will be the 4 year mark from surgery. Good luck.

[Mimispree]

I'm so happy that your surgery went so well.  I too was told they had to leave two remnant tumors but just this week my surgeons showed me that neither of them can be seen on the my last MRI.  Microsurgery is amazing! 

Congratulations!

[Ugne3030]

Week 7 post-op. Things are going well. Still have numbness on the right side of my head by my scars. Each day it dissipates.  My hearing in my right ear has not returned, and I fully expect it will not. Physio has been good as I continue working on my balance which is pretty much where it was pre- surgery. I have been told no,need to see neurosurgeon unless a problem occurs...mri in may. Still feel fatigued but with the nicer weather I will start some much loner walks. I was able to get on my bike the other day and race my daughter...short distance but it was fun. Still feel very guilty about not returning to work as it has been explained minimum of 3 months for healing to occur from surgery. I wish everyone well and say a prayer for each of you and hope your battle stays strong. Never give up, never give up hope, fight like mad, love your loved ones like there is no tomorrow.

[Alix May]

You are very much working - recovering is working. That is great about the bike! I am looking forward to bike riding again post-treatment.

[Ugne3030]

Thanks everyone for your support. I appreciate the comments especially Alix's comment about recovery. So I just received my first post-surgical MRI report. The MRI showed that the one of the two tumour capsules left has dried up and apparently is dormant/dead. The neurosurgeon compared it to orange peels lying in the hot sun, all shrived up (no blood supply). The other tumour capsule left on a small boney portion that is attached to the facial nerve they are not sure about. The plan is to have another MRI in August but in the interim meet with radiation doctors and formulate a plan for the small piece that is left if it is alive and slowly growing.

Life for me has been great. I started bicycling this week on the bicycle trails doing about 25 km a day. Monday, I will hit the gym and we will see how that goes. Other than SSD, and fatigue,  I have persevered. Never give up, fight like hell and remember in the end you decide your destiny! Return to work in a few weeks and then the summer off on holidays. Back in September. I am contemplating walking 5 km in the Canadian Brain Tumour Walk for Life in a few weeks. Once again, I just want to reiterate thanks to everyone for your posts, I read them every other night. Your support on so many topics with our AN world provides hope and support for everyone.

Remember, AN provide quite a bump in our drive through life, but we control the direction, the speed and the route. So take your time and find a way to smell the roses, love your family and every once in a while, hit the gas pedal or stop and have a picnic. Life is too precious and so is this group!