Acoustic Neuroma Patient Stories
Read stories from the ANA community and share your own acoustic neuroma story to help inspire others.
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Another Story of Remarkable Irony
Darren Raber
After reading A.J. Blum's article, A Remarkable Irony, on the ANA website, I felt we had something in common. It inspired me to finally share my story - also one of remarkable irony.
To begin, I am a very proud father of two deaf children that have cochlear implants. Since I'm "deafinitely left" myself, I have a greater appreciation for the hardships my children faced growing up and how they responded to those challenges. I am so proud of how special they are. Also a remarkable irony - I have a brother that also had acoustic neuroma. His surgery was about nine years ago.
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Struggles Led to a Sense of Purpose and Satisfaction
Tom Cutting
My wife and I have been residing in Florida for 35 years, but I was raised in Wisconsin. Yes, I am a “cheesehead” who still roots for the University of Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers! I grew up in a medical family. My degree in business with a medical focus allowed me to market capital equipment. Through the years, I was fortunate to work for Siemens Medical while culminating and establishing my own company providing services to physician practices.
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My AN Journey
Melanie Hok
A few years before my diagnosis, the only thing that would clue someone to the fact that something was wrong with me was the decreased hearing in my right ear. Otherwise I was fine. When I realized that the hearing in my right ear was almost completely gone, I made an appointment with an ENT. At my appointment an audiologist did a thorough hearing test and the ENT did a physical exam. I was told I had unilateral hearing loss, which, according to the ENT, was uncommon, especially for someone my age (35).
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Finding Support in Others and Something “Bigger”
Robert Fishbone
One of the hardest things I ever had to do was tell my two kids about my acoustic neuroma. It was June, 2017. Though I was assured it was benign, non-cancerous, not malignant, the words “I have something I need to tell you” have a frightening history for them.
Those were the same words we used when we told them back in 2006 that my wife had late stage ovarian cancer.
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Pleased With My Outcome
Richard Ryon
My first suspicion that something was wrong was not hearing or dizziness. It was balance. I have solar panels on my roof to heat my swimming pool. Occasionally, it is necessary to repair leaks. While doing so, I felt very uncomfortable walking near the edge of my roof. I subsequently noticed that I was weaving about like a drunken sailor when walking.
