Author Topic: Debbi Bifulco Update  (Read 113907 times)

Pooter

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #690 on: July 22, 2008, 04:40:39 pm »
Soon we'll all be talking about the good ol' days like Phyl, Jan, Steve, and Jim.  ;)

Hey, who are you calling old???   ;D  LOL

Jan

If the shoe fits.... or, in one of our cases, if the Blinkeze fits.  ;)

Brian
Diagnosed 4/10/08 - 3cm Right AN
12hr retrosig 5/8/08 w/Drs Vrabec and Trask in Houston, Tx
Some facial paralysis post-op but most movement is back, some tinitus.  SSD on right.
Story documented here:  http://briansbrainbooger.blogspot.com/

"I must be having fun all wrong!"  - Roger Creager

Debbi

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #691 on: July 22, 2008, 06:17:48 pm »
Wait, is someone besmirching my Blinkeze???? >:(
Debbi - diagnosed March 4, 2008 
2.4 cm Right Side AN
Translab April 30, 2008 at NYU with Drs. Golfinos and Roland
SSD Right ear, Mild synkinesis and facial nerve damage
BAHA "installed" Feb 2011 by Dr. Cosetti @ NYU

http://debsanadventure.blogspot.com

leapyrtwins

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #692 on: July 22, 2008, 07:04:12 pm »
"Besmirching", Debbi  ???

Have you been reading Jim's posts again!!!  :D

Jim, if you're out there, can you give us the definition of "besmirching" ?

Jan - probably older than both Pooter and Debbi  :(
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

lori67

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #693 on: July 22, 2008, 09:30:09 pm »
Debbi - I'm glad to be back!  And yes, the shore met all my expectations!  I have such good memories of it from going there as a child with my family so it was very nostalgic (hey, that's almost a big word!)  I'm sure I ate enough pizza to last a year or so.  It's always fun to watch my kids enjoying the same things I used to do.  And my son actually beat me in skee-ball, which is something that's never been done by anyone in my family.  I am no longer the highest scorer - the torch has been passed.  It was a sad day.

Anyway, I'm very intrigued (look at that - another big word) by your Blinkeze.  I'm scheduled to have the 7-12 nerve jump in October and I know I will be going back to square one as far as the facial issues go, so I may look into that.  It looks like it blends in very well in your picture - I'm surprised to hear that you think it stands out.  So, you Blinkeze girls, keep me posted on how you like them - even if they are besmirched.   ???

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

Pooter

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #694 on: July 23, 2008, 12:16:59 am »
Wait, is someone besmirching my Blinkeze???? >:(

I would NEVER!  (Whatever you're talking about!) ;)

Brian
Diagnosed 4/10/08 - 3cm Right AN
12hr retrosig 5/8/08 w/Drs Vrabec and Trask in Houston, Tx
Some facial paralysis post-op but most movement is back, some tinitus.  SSD on right.
Story documented here:  http://briansbrainbooger.blogspot.com/

"I must be having fun all wrong!"  - Roger Creager

wendysig

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #695 on: July 23, 2008, 06:07:25 am »
I thought "besmirching" meant something like making fun of something so I looked it up.  It actually means to detract from the honor or something (there's more but I thought that was enough of an explanation). 

Hi Lori -
Good to see you again.  I just knew you could use big words with the best of them!!  Is your surgery all set-- I mean do you have a date yet or will that ocme later?  Keep us posted.  It sounds like you had a wonderful time and that's what vacations are supposed to be about.   Hope your batteries are charged and you and Jan will start planning even better things for the garage business!

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!

Debbi

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #696 on: July 23, 2008, 07:51:31 am »
Yes, besmirching!  I'm trying to catch up with Jim in the big words category!  Thanks for giving us the official definition, Wendy!

And, Jan, I am quite sure I am older than you or Pooter!  My Big 50th birthday celebration was two years ago - do the math... ;D

Lori, so glad you had a good vacation, atlhough very sorry to hear about your mom.  Glad you are keeping the Skee ball thing in the family, though!  As for the Blinkeze, still loving it although I still am not totally adept at getting it the right exact spot on my eyelid.  It shows up more "in person" than in the picture - several people have asked what I did to my eye because it looks like a tiny band aid.  Of coruse, if I am smiling, they don't bother to ask about my eye - ever notice how NO one wants to ask " Hey, what happened to your face?"   ;D

Brian, I've got my eye (the good one) on you, man - don't try any funny stuff with the besmirching and all!

Hey, it took me two days to recover from my trip into NYC on Saturday - had to nap both Sunday and Monday, but felt fine yesterday.  And, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!!

Debbi, having a good day... :)
Debbi - diagnosed March 4, 2008 
2.4 cm Right Side AN
Translab April 30, 2008 at NYU with Drs. Golfinos and Roland
SSD Right ear, Mild synkinesis and facial nerve damage
BAHA "installed" Feb 2011 by Dr. Cosetti @ NYU

http://debsanadventure.blogspot.com

lori67

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #697 on: July 23, 2008, 09:39:07 am »
Well, according to my math...Debbi should be about.....29?   ;)  I told you I was never good at math.

Wendy, my 7-12 is scheduled for October 3rd, but I'm on the cancellation list, so if something opens up sooner, I'll grab an earlier spot.  Since we'll be leaving here in about a year, I'd like to have as much of this taken care of here before we go.  I'm not sure what's going to be available in Virginia Beach, although since my AN surgeon is now in NC, I could always go there - I think it's only about 2 hours away.  Besides,I figure if I'm going to look worse for a while, I might as well get that over with here, where I hardly know anyone and the ones I do know are used to seeing me with a droopy face.

I haven't finished my coffee yet today, so no big words.  I'm having trouble typing the little ones right now!   :-\

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

Jim Scott

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #698 on: July 23, 2008, 11:38:02 am »
Lori: 

Good to have you among us again.

I'm glad you enjoyed your vacation at the shore, even if it marked the passing of the 'Skee-Ball® Champion' torch.  I used to be the 'house champion' at miniature golf.  No more.   Although my skill level hasn't changed much at all (I get the same scores as I did 5 years ago) my adult son can outplay me about 90% of the time.  Even my angelic wife, who was always an indifferent player, is very close to my playing level, now.  I would comment that its tough to get old but since no one here is, I'll resist that temptation. After all, 'we're only as old as we feel'.  I feel about 45 years old today, so age is not an issue for me.  :)

I trust your October-scheduled 7-12 operation will be totally successful.  I agree that observing Debbi's experience with Blinkezeâ„¢ is useful for future reference, in your case.  I think it's great that such an aid is available and that it seems to work so well for those who require it.  Debbi looks fine and I'm so pleased she is finding things easier with the Blinkezeâ„¢.

I hope I haven't annoyed anyone with 'big words' or, more likely, unfamiliar words.  It's just me being literate and assuming everyone else is, too.  Fortunately, despite some occasional good-natured kvetching, on this website/forum, I'm usually correct.  :)

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.

ppearl214

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #699 on: July 23, 2008, 11:54:39 am »
... despite some occasional good-natured kvetching, on this website/forum, I'm usually correct.  :)

Jim


I'm glad to see I'm finally rubbing off on you! ;)
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leapyrtwins

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #700 on: July 23, 2008, 12:54:51 pm »
Jim -

I can't speak for the others, but I personally love all the big words and just like to tease you  ;)

I've actually expanded my vocubulary greatly since I started reading your posts.

Lori - you Skee Ball Champion, you - did you remember to put your surgery on the AN Calendar?

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

wendysig

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #701 on: July 23, 2008, 03:51:26 pm »
Jim -
You make me stretch the the the limits of my vocabulary and I consider myself fairly articulate.  When you use a word I'm unsure of I just look it up --  no big deal.

Cheers,
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!

Debbi

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #702 on: July 23, 2008, 04:18:04 pm »
Yep, and I'm the nerdy friend from high school who used to actually read the dictionary!  Sad, but true...  of course, that was years ago ... ;)

Debbi
Debbi - diagnosed March 4, 2008 
2.4 cm Right Side AN
Translab April 30, 2008 at NYU with Drs. Golfinos and Roland
SSD Right ear, Mild synkinesis and facial nerve damage
BAHA "installed" Feb 2011 by Dr. Cosetti @ NYU

http://debsanadventure.blogspot.com

Tamara

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #703 on: July 23, 2008, 06:03:29 pm »
I used to read the encyclopedia, Debbi - almost as bad...

Tammy
7 mm AN left side
translab 6-12-08
postop issues including CSF leak, eye issues, and facial palsy.  All issues resolved at 9 mos. except slight facial palsy & weakness.  Continuing to improve...

leapyrtwins

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Re: Debbi Bifulco Update
« Reply #704 on: July 23, 2008, 06:14:42 pm »
Jim -
You make me stretch the the the limits of my vocabulary and I consider myself fairly articulate.  When you use a word I'm unsure of I just look it up --  no big deal.

Cheers,
Wendy

Wendy -

you're definitely a whole lot nicer than I am.  I usually just ask Jim to find me the definition - and thankfully, he usually accomodates me  8)

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