ANA Discussion Forum
Watch and Wait => For those in the 'watch and wait' status => Topic started by: LisaP on February 04, 2009, 08:12:05 pm
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Hi Everyone,
The News is Great!!! I have no growth!!! My husband and I are so relieved!!! I do not have to go back for a year now unless my symptoms get worse.
Dr. McKenna was great, he said the nausea, (I think I spelled it wrong)* dizziness and balance issues is a normal part of the AN. If the symptoms get worse then he would do surgery. But I'm not ready for that and will just have to figure a way out to deal with my new "normal everyday" symptoms.
I did have a hard time with the MRI test, keeping my head still like that caused me to have a headache and made my stomach sick, but I was able to hold my brother's picture in my arms and with him watching over me, I was able to get through it.
Also I want to thank everyone for the well wishes especially you my dear fellow Red Sox Fan (Pearl), and thank God for this forum and the friends I have made on it!!!
LisaP ;D
* I fixed it. :) Jim
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Hello LisaP,
"
I am so happy that you got good news about the "no growth" of your AN. That's what we all in this "Watch and Wait" mode strive for and pray for. Good for you! May those always be the words you hear!!! Now relax for a year! May your blessings continue,
Jackie
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Congratulations, Lisa. Watch and wait some more. I hope you are able to manage your everyday symptoms.
Steve
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Lisa,
I knew someone very special was there with you and watching over you during the MRI.. and see... you came through will ultimate flying BoSox colors! I'm thrilled to hear this news.... and btw, truck rolls out tomorrow am and I may just be passing it as I go en route to one of my brain booger docs at the Brigham. :) will think of you if I get the honor of seeing it!
congrats on the news! Hang tough! See you at the brunch in April and thrilled you are ok! :)
Phyl
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Congratulations, Lisa.
No growth is great news ;D
Jan
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I`m a firm believer that if something has run its course then let it be! Of course thats with minimal symptoms and no apparent danger( Small AN ) especially in older patients. Controled MRI`s are what you need to confirm this and for the most part AN`s are slow enough growing to give you the luxury to do this. It is a legitimate treatment. When necessary to act then it`s time to seek a new treatment. Just my opinion, we all are different and whatever your choice may God bless! Mickey
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Lisa:
Please accept my congratulations on your good MRI results! May your symptoms decrease and surgery never become necessary.
Jim
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Congrats Lisa
It is so encouraging to see the non-growers around here. My first follow-up is in May - and messages like this one make me feel more and more that I too just might stay in the same category for a wee bit longer.
Ann
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WONDERFUL WONDERFUL!! As another "Bostonian" (sort of) and "Wait and Watcher" I am thrilled with your news as the saying goes, "I've been there, done that" and completely understand.
By the way Phyl and all you other BoSox fans, I'm only 15 minutes from their spring training camp during the winter and look forward to the truck arriving soon - hopefully it will warm up down here soon, but I doubt anyone has any sympathy for me in a sweatshirt, jacket, and heat running in the house!!
Sheryl
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Hi, Lisa P and Sheryl.
NO sympathy, Sheryl, from up here in arctic NH! I, too, was watch and wait with Dr. McKenna for seven years, but it doubled in size last year, so I'm off to Boston for lipo and a face lift on the 27th.
Cheers!
NancyMc
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Lisa, congrats on your MRI results! More to celebrate in April!
And Nancy, as another one of Dr. McKenna's group, I wish you good luck on your upcoming surgery. Love your description of it! If I had thought of it that way, I may have done the trans lab instead of radiation!! ;D
Elaine
(Also frozen in Massachusetts! and jealous of you, Cheryl! :) )
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That is FABULOUS news!!!!!!!
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Elaine,
Thank you for your encouragement. I had hoped to do radiosurgery, but with the substantial growth and cystic component, I decided against it. Did you have Loeffler at MGH or some other facility?
Surgical patients,
Can they take a little more than they need when they do the lipo . . . or perhaps a lot more than they need? It seems a fair trade-off.
Out to shovel more snow,
NancyMc
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Hi, Nancy
Yes, I had the radiation with Dr L at MGH. Both he and Dr. M told me I could W&W longer, but I decided my time for treatment had come! How large is your AN?
Have you been to the Worcester brunch yet? If you can't join us this April (kind of soon after surgery?). maybe you can come down for the next one (Nov, ususally).
So, wishing you the best ...
Elaine
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Oh, I'll be there. I plan on a speedy recovery. In October, the tumor was 1.9 cm x 1.9 cm. It's probably larger now. I wished I had gone ahead with the radiation, but having a choice no longer, I'll just have to be satisfied with whatever outcome surgery provides. Can't do much better than McKenna and Barker.
Thanks!
Nancy
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Thank you, thank you, and Thank you, to all of the well wishes,
Nancy good luck with your upcoming surgery, Jim, thanks for the spell check.
I plan to stay on the watch and wait until I have to do somekind of treatment. I do have symptoms daily but they are managable. What every treatment people have there is always risks and for the next year, hopefully I will not have to worry.
This forum continues to be a blessing for me.
Thanks
LisaP ;D
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Lisa, that is good news, now if you can just settle it down and move on with life, you sound relieved and content with W&W for a while. We seem to be McKenna's bunch on this post, I just saw him last Monday. I too feel content after I see him to hang in there a bit longer. It will be good to see you at the April brnch.
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Rivergirl,
I e-mail you, please respond back, I would love an update on how you are doing????
LisaP ;D