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Any musicians out there?

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DaisyJane:
Hello!

I was diagnosed with AN six weeks ago. I am to undergo surgery in about three weeks (leaning toward translab, but still weighing retrosigmoid). I am a musician and singer. My hearing on the AN side has been decreasing for six years, and while it is still functional hearing with 80% word recognition, it is not incredibly useful for something as nuanced as sound mixing. However, it is still useful for playing instruments, gaining feedback from the side of the hearing loss to inform my technique, and monitoring my voice. I would love to hear from other musicians about their experience of single-sided deafness -- specifically, how difficult was it to adjust to music again? Did playing music change in any way or become more difficult? Is there any rehab needed to be able to play with the same subtlety? Does singing sound weird or does the deafness make it difficult to sing? Any advice would be appreciated too!

Thank you!

CHD63:
Hi DaisyJane and welcome to this forum .....

Thank you for sharing your concerns re AN surgery.

If you have not already done so, please send for the ANA free informational materials.  See:  https://www.anausa.org/component/rsform/form/20-ana-contact-us-copy  These materials contain a wealth of accurate information.

One of the things that we stress is seeking a physician with vast, successful AN treatment.  Given that hearing is vitally important to your career, it is even more important to have the best possible care.

I am a musician also, so when I lost my hearing it felt devastating.  Each of us have different scenarios re our hearing loss and how it affects what we do or what is important to us.  I will not sugarcoat it that losing hearing has been a significant adjustment.  I was a singer and pianist/organist so it affected me in several ways.  In my case I have had two AN surgical removals because it grew back after the first surgery (this is very, very unusual so do not think it happens frequently).  The first surgery was retrosigmoid approach and I did retain 20% of my hearing with 100% speech discrimination so a traditional hearing aid helped tremendously.  However, music no longer sounded the same from both sides.  I learned to position myself when singing with others (whenever possible) to accommodate the deficit, which worked.

Following my second surgery via translab I, of course, became totally deaf in the AN ear.  Because I knew ahead of time this would be the case, my surgeon (Dr. Rick Friedman) implanted the abutment for my Oticon Medical Ponto (bone-anchored hearing device) at the same time.  The Ponto receives sound from my AN side and sends it to my only hearing ear via bone conduction.  Therefore directionality is greatly affected, but I do hear what is coming from both sides.

I still play without difficulty, but singing has been a difficult adjustment.  You do not say how old you are but if you are young, I feel your brain will make the needed adjustments and you will do fine.  Up until my first surgery I had "perfect pitch," so relearning how to "hear" music has been difficult.

If you would like to know more, I would be happy to talk with you.  Just PM me or let me know (do not put any identifying contact info in the body of a comment here, however).

Tell us a little more about your situation ..... size of your AN, treatment options you have considered, etc.

Thoughts and prayers.

Clarice

tweety:
I  had AN surgery June 8, 2010.  I am also a singer and there is definitely an adjustment curve but I am still active in my music club and sing lots.  You do learn where to position yourself so you can be sure to stay on pitch.  Like everything in life there are bumps in the road and you just take them the best you can and adjust.   Tweety

phantagrae:
I found myself asking similar questions when I was first diagnosed 3 years ago, except that I was a professional orchestral musician and the idea of losing my hearing  (or my facial nerve) was very frightening.
I opted for radiation as my ENT felt that was the best way to maintain what was then almost perfect hearing.  It worked for another season, but I noticed I had some hearing loss after all.
I had follow-up MRIs every 6 months and though my radiation doc felt good that the tumor seemed "dead", I still lost more hearing and my word recognition, which had been at 100% to begin with.  Last time I was tested I felt like I was taking a french test for which I hadn't studied.
Because I sat 2nd chair Bassoon in the symphony, all the nuance I needed to hear was on my deaf side.  I could hear well enough when it was just the woodwinds playing, but aL that got obliterated when the rest of the orchestra came in, etc..
After a while it became too difficult to play at the professional level and I had to make the heartbreaking decision to retire.
And now, because apparently my tumor has been slowly growing, I find myself about to have translab surgery which will, of course, end whatever vestiges of hearing I have.
My question has been, if I haven't had any tinnitus up until, am I likely to develop it after the surgery when my hearing nerve is cut?
Right now I can still play my instrument, though I haven't really played since Christmas, but I'm wondering if I'll be to do anything going forward.

lilith:
How are you doing? I really hope that your surgery went well and recovery is progressing.

I am not a musician (I wish!) but I am an academic and this AN situation is awful to write papers and read carefully. I cannot retire, I am only 43 and if I retire under the law for permanent disability, my pension won't allow me to live (I have a 5 year-old). But I do not want to retire, I have to do enormous efforts to write and think when my head is not wonky.

Hugs,

Lilith

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