I've visited this site a few times since my surgery. It has been a little over 3 years since I had my 4cm AN removed. I was only 26 and in my 2nd year of teaching when I was finally diagnosed. I chose the Cleveland Clinic to perform my surgery and couldn't have made a better choice! I'm very happy and lucky. I did not have the "normal" symptoms of AN patients. In fact, my only symptom was the headache. That's why I went undiagnosed for so long. I was living and surviving everyday with a "walnut" in my head. It wasn't until the headaches turned to vomiting, did my family doctor began to look into other possibilities. I finally requested to be seen by an ENT doctor and he immediately did an MRI and discovered that I had a 4 cm AN protruding from my left ear canal and down my brain stem. He immediately gave me a list of doctors who specialize in this field. I did my research! Because my AN was so large, I was given ALL the post-op possibilities. After my first surgery to remove the tumor, I develop a blood clot and swelling on the brain, which sent me back into surgery. I spent a little over one week in Intensive Care, a week in recovery and then shipped to a rehabilitation hospital to begin physical therapy, because I was paralyzed on my left side. While staying in the second hospital in Sandusky, OH, I began my therapy to regain strength, coordination, and function of my left side. I re-learned to walk and function using both sides of my body. Thank God for Physical Therapist.
I remained in that hospital for about 2 weeks and was released home under the care of my family and out-patient therapist.
Let me tell you that at age 26, you don't prepare yourself to have to re-learn things that you've taken for granted basically your whole life. And, the act of "being healthy" doesn't necessarily prevent you from developing what "is meant to be"... But, a healthy mind can change the course of anything!
I continued out-patient therapy for another 2 months and after about 5 months I was back to running a mile a day, taking care of myself, and getting back into the swing of things. I returned to teaching and coaching, in September.
I continue to overcome the hearing loss and partial facial paralysis from surgery, but it's manageable. I'm now going into my 6th year of teaching and am almost 100%. My left hand in basketball isn't like it was, but I'm also not as young as I once was---so, I just call it "even".
I want to open my story and adventure with AN's to anyone who may be struggling with the diagnosis, surgery, post-op, and/or recovery. I know that I had MANY questions and feelings that were unanswered and unknown and I was VERY scared. I was also the youngest person diagnosed with AN at the clinic, so I didn't feel like I related to current/previous patients.
I hope this helps at least one person. Life is Beautiful!
