Author Topic: Counting down  (Read 7744 times)

EJTampa

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 604
  • Rays Vs Red Sox Game 2 ALCS (Isabel and Ernie)
Counting down
« on: February 22, 2009, 02:08:33 am »
11 days and counting :)  Thats all I have to say (biting nails, losing sleep).
 
Ernie
-1.3 X 0.8 cm AN in the right cerebellopontine angle extending into the internal auditory canal.
-Retrosigmoid Surgery with Dr. Bartels and Dr. Danner at Tampa General 3/5/2009.
-Had to cut hearing nerve to get "sticky" tumor, so SSD right side.

kenneth_k

  • Guest
Re: Counting down
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2009, 02:50:30 am »
Almost like Christmas?   NOT ;D

Hang in there,   Kenneth

Jwh

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 224
Re: Counting down
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2009, 08:10:05 am »
Just think about "12" days from now!  It will be all behind you ( :  Keep strong... 

I'll be 4 weeks tomorrow post op  ;)  It goes by fast.

Jen
5/01  1.3 AN removed at NYU using Retrosig. Approach
2/07  Rediagnosed with Regrowth 8 mm (wait & watch mode)
1/09  1.4 AN removed at NYU using Translab (total tumor removal)

cindyj

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1434
Re: Counting down
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2009, 09:08:47 am »
We're with you, Ernie!  The time will fly by...before and after...

Cindy
rt side 1.5 cm - Translab on 11/07/08 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of House Ear Institute,
feeling great!

"Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you do hold."  Josh Billings

hruss

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 203
  • young and cheerful!
    • I made this group to help others!! (the group is in Bulgarian and in English)
Re: Counting down
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2009, 02:39:16 pm »
I know how depressing the countdown days to a planned surgery are, Ernie!! Think about it like an ordinary day, thus it will come by and  flies away faster. You will only have memories to tell (or not ;) ) of it!!

Fingers crossed,
hrissy
4.5cm right AN pressing on the brain stem, dn Sept 2007
2 Retrosigm surgeries in Oct 2007 and Jan 2008 by the Bulgarian prof. Kyrkeselian partially removed.
3rd retro surgery in Hannover,Germany by prof Samii, Oct 2008. SSD
Got rid of my bugger, temp facial paresis
hrissysexperiences.blogspot.co

Jim Scott

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7241
  • 1943-2020 Please keep Jim's family in your hearts
Re: Counting down
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2009, 03:33:06 pm »
Ernie:

So, who's counting?  :D

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.

LisaP

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 414
Re: Counting down
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2009, 04:53:01 pm »
Ernie,

We will all be thinking of you and yes biting our nails tooo.

Best wishes

LisaP ;D
LisaP
AN at 12mm by 7mm by 7mm,  shown no growth as of September 26, 2013, 5.5 years into this journey.  Next MRI 2015. Doctors: Mason and McKenna.  Continue to W&W

EJTampa

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 604
  • Rays Vs Red Sox Game 2 ALCS (Isabel and Ernie)
Re: Counting down
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2009, 08:40:46 pm »
I'm actually working Monday through Friday 2 PM to 10 PM, so those days will fly by.  Then I work 10 PM to 6 AM Saturday night, Sunday night, and Monday night...then sleep each day for 6 or 7 hours so those days will go by fast too.  That brings me to Wednesday, which is pre-op, so there won't be too much spare time for me to think about Thursday (surgery day) :).
 
And yes, I know that the worst days are the first days after surgery, and it gets better quickly after that :).
 
Thanks for all the encouragement!
 
Ernie
-1.3 X 0.8 cm AN in the right cerebellopontine angle extending into the internal auditory canal.
-Retrosigmoid Surgery with Dr. Bartels and Dr. Danner at Tampa General 3/5/2009.
-Had to cut hearing nerve to get "sticky" tumor, so SSD right side.

satman

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 411
Re: Counting down
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2009, 07:01:47 am »
looking forward to coming over to the postie side,hang in there bud.
kicked my little 8cm buddy to the curb-c ya !

ScoobyDoo

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 33
  • Budding scurvy pirate.
Re: Counting down
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2009, 10:33:56 am »
Someone should come up with an AN advent-type calendar, where you get a chocolate every day you count down.

I can't imagine what you're going through, but I wish all the best for you!  My wishes are for an uneventful day and a quick recovery with lots of usable hearing left!
Budding scurvy pirate.

MAlegant

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1295
  • 50th birthday party pic
Re: Counting down
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2009, 12:42:52 pm »
Yes, the anxiety of the unknown is not to be underestimated.  I needed meds to get me through those couple of weeks before surgery as I wasn't really eating or sleeping well.  Once I did that I concentrated on being healthy and exercising, sort of like training.

Time will fly and you will be done with it and on the road to recovery.  I'll be sending good thoughts your way, along with the other folks here.
Best,
Marci
3cmx4cm trigeminal neuroma, involved all the facial nerves, dx July 8, 2008, tx July 22, 2008, home on July 24, 2008. Amazing care at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

lori67

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3113
Re: Counting down
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2009, 01:23:35 pm »
Someone should come up with an AN advent-type calendar, where you get a chocolate every day you count down.



I like this idea!   ;D  I'd be willing to count down with everyone!

Ernie, good luck to you!  You'll do great!!

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.

Syl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 765
  • Forgive me. I'm having an AN moment.
Re: Counting down
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2009, 03:27:17 pm »
Ernie:

Once I decided on retrosig, I was pretty calm and at peace with my decision. I think I was more nervous about getting to the hospital, which is about 70 miles from my home, on time. I was supposed to be there at 6am. We made it on time. Once there, I was calm again. Then, when I stepped into the operating room and saw about 5 staff members preping the room for me, I was nervous again. One of them said to me, "Don't worry, there will be a bunch more people showing up soon, just for you." Then I got really scared because it put into perspective what a big deal an AN is.

But that fear was short-lived. About 10 minutes later the anesthesiologist began working her magic. She put the mask over my face and began saying something like "You'll begin feeling sleepy in a ....."  Next thing I knew, the neurotologist was waking me up to tell me the surgery was a success.

Now I'm 8 months post-op and amazed at how fast time goes by. Before you know it you'll be a postie too.
You do have good reason to be nervous because it is a big deal. But you will be OK.
Good luck.

Syl
1.5cm AN rt side; Retrosig June 16, 2008; preserved facial and hearing nerves;
FINALLY FREE OF CHRONIC HEADACHES 4.5 years post-op!!!!!!!
Drs. Kato, Blumenfeld, and Cheung.

LADavid

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 940
Re: Counting down
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2009, 04:46:24 pm »
Look at it this way, Ernie.  Two weeks from now, you'll be home recovering and taking a bunch of naps.  I was sort of like Syl up until surgery -- I was worried about other things like -- what was insurance going to cover?

Best wishes with the countdown.

David
Right ear tinnitus w/80% hearing loss 1985.
Left ear 40% hearing loss 8/07.
1.5 CM Translab Rt ear.
Sort of quiet around here.
http://my.calendars.net/AN_Treatments

EJTampa

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 604
  • Rays Vs Red Sox Game 2 ALCS (Isabel and Ernie)
Re: Counting down
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2009, 11:18:37 pm »
Look at it this way, Ernie.  Two weeks from now, you'll be home recovering and taking a bunch of naps. 

Naps or nips?  Or both but in the reverse order maybe? :).
 
Ok.  I will stop counting down the days until surgery.  It's 19 minutes after midnight, time for one more read through the forums before the days done for me. Until then, I'll try not to think too much about my up and coming surgery.
 
Goodnight all :)
 
Ernie
-1.3 X 0.8 cm AN in the right cerebellopontine angle extending into the internal auditory canal.
-Retrosigmoid Surgery with Dr. Bartels and Dr. Danner at Tampa General 3/5/2009.
-Had to cut hearing nerve to get "sticky" tumor, so SSD right side.