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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Accepting Tinnitus
Jon Plasse
I started hearing the unwelcome swirling and ringing noises in different parts of my head in March 2015, three years after my 2012 acoustic neuroma surgery. My surgeon quickly diagnosed the noises as tinnitus.
But identifying the condition did little to ease my concerns. I felt anxious most of the time, constantly monitoring the noises, hoping they would go away. The anxiety often spread into feelings of free-floating fear. I didn’t know if I would be able to sleep. Brief periods of relative calm quickly backslid into anxiety.
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Stuck
Rich Dobson
For me, the hardest part of my acoustic neuroma journey was the decision process. To say that I struggled with my decision is an understatement of epic proportions. I overanalyzed to the point where I could not make a decision.
Some days I thought I would never make it through – I was stuck. But I finally did, and also had a great result.
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Finding My Way Post-Surgically with the Assistance of Holistic/Alternative Practices
Elizabeth Derosa
My journey into holistic medicine began with my son who was diagnosed with asthma and allergies. As the years passed, my son experienced several other health issues. After years of antibiotics, steroids, inhalers, and nebulizer machines, I finally said, “enough is enough.” I was in search of physical freedom for him and was, unknowingly, preparing for my own future health struggle with a 3.2 cm acoustic neuroma.
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A Tale of Two Acoustic Neuromas
Celeste and David Ventners
This is a story of not one, but two acoustic neuroma experiences. What is unique about this story is that the two subjects happen to be married.
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Flight Against All Odds
Rick Gaetano
On Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, three men boarded a routine United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Raleigh, North Carolina. It is what they learned about each other over the duration of the flight that made this trip anything but routine.
