Author Topic: the one week countdown  (Read 4117 times)

wife4life

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the one week countdown
« on: June 22, 2006, 11:52:14 am »
Hi all,
  i just wanted to post one last time before my surgery...i don't really know what to say except thanks..when i first found out about this an about a month ago, i could have never imagined how many people with this same thing would be reaching out to help me. i cannot express enough to all of you who have prayed and thought of me this past month.  i look back at the beginning of may and remember how scared i was...how i didn't want to go to the ent to get the results, but when i got them i came out thinking..ok i can do this...then getting scared to meet with the neurotologist...and finally getting there and coming out again thinking...ok, i can still do this...then the meeting with the neurologist...i was freaking out...but it was great...and thanks to Capt Deb knowing that i would totally PASS my pre op tests..lol...which i had yesterday ..and i guess all went well....i didn't have hardly anything done ..they said i was in good shape and healthy...surprised the heck out of me  :D
but all in all...everything has gone so smoothly for me this past month...i would have never thought i would have made it this far...and the best part is that i have met so many wonderful people on this site..i think i have probably drove many of you nuts with all my wacko questions...but you have never , not once thought i was out of my mind...you sat and listened and gave me helpful advice...and for that i thank you all...from the bottom of my heart...you know God has his hand over my sitaution..and i have been praying for all on here every night...i don't know what the final outcome will be from this surgery...i know one thing for sure now...I WILL MAKE IT...I WILL LIVE..AND I CAN GO ON WITH MY LIFE....i wish that you all knew how much you mean to people like myself you come on here..scared to death ...thinking am i going to die...am i going to make it ....and then along comes someone who says...hey, its ok, we have been there...call me...
when i emailed Michelle out of the blue...i never thought she would email me back..but she did ..and she did it because she cares...and so many others...people i have never met before who are willing to give me their # and say " call anytime"....its ok...
i pray that one day i too will get an email out of the blue from someone who was just like me...and i can be as responsive as all of you have...
so, i don't want to make this sound like the end...cause its not... my last day here will be June 27th..so i won't have computer access..but i will be contacting people by phone..Michelle has already said she will call and harass my husband  ::)  cool...i want to keep you all posted...because i truly believe that you care...
so, to close thank you to everyone!  you have touched my heart in ways you may never know...but it will stay with me forever...i am going to enjoy this last week with all that i have...and i am going to enjoy my life after AN with everything more that i have....
thanks for listening 
Kim ;)
3cm leftsided an
surgery scheduled 6-29-06
charlotte nc
**complete resection of tumor, total left side facial paralysis,total hearing loss**

cookiesecond

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2006, 12:15:37 pm »
Kim,
You will continually be in our thoughts and prayers. We will anxiously await your good report.Our An journeys all take different paths but one thing is for sure, we need each other! This group is a great source of encouragement and inspiration!!!
Take care,
Lynn

HeadCase2

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2006, 12:31:39 pm »
  wife4life,
  Everyone here that has gone thorugh treatment knows that once treatment has been scheduled, waiting is the toughest part.   It's hard to think of much else in the last week.  But it will go quickly.  Best of luck with your treatment and quick recovery.
Regards,
 Rob
1.5 X 1.0 cm AN- left side
Retrosigmoid 2/9/06
Duke Univ. Hospital

GrogMeister of the PBW

chrissmom

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2006, 12:32:35 pm »
Good luck , Kim.  Stay positive, all these prayers and hugs from this site really work.

Battyp

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2006, 01:21:07 pm »
Kim,
  You know I still think you are going to come through with shining colors!  Just make sure you tell Mike who I am so he doesn't think I'm some wacko  LOL Ok, most of you know I am but still  :-*

I've got you on my calendar!

Big Hugs,
M

Jeanlea

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2006, 03:52:45 pm »
Kim,

I have been keeping your in my prayers.  I believe that all will go wonderfully well for you.  Hope Batty will post how you are doing so we can all know.  Waiting for surgery is the most difficult part of this process I think.  Enjoy yourself before surgery.  Before you know it, you'll be a postie. (Post-surgery)

<Hug>
Jean
translab on 3.5+ cm tumor
September 6, 2005
Drs. Friedland and Meyer
Milwaukee, WI
left-side facial paralysis and numbness
TransEar for SSD

wife4life

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2006, 04:06:45 pm »
thanks all...i appreciate it...and to Chrissmom...i am sooo very glad to hear of his progress...maybe the name Chris is a strong name...that is my middle childs name...strong kid..  ;)  i pray for him daily...
and thanks to you all.. Batty...i have told Mike but you know he's a guy and he is just like ok whatever...i think he seceretly likes to have his cell phone ring... ;D
you all are just so wonderful...i can't stress that enough...
3cm leftsided an
surgery scheduled 6-29-06
charlotte nc
**complete resection of tumor, total left side facial paralysis,total hearing loss**

Captain Deb

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2006, 06:02:26 pm »
No such thing as a wacko question around here, that's for sure!!  Think of it as an opportunity for make your family wait on you hand and foot for a while!! Milk it!!!  And of COURSE, we'll be needin' your home address so we know where to send stuff.  Pls send it to me off-line.  I'm having my arm surgery on the 27th and will be thinking of you.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Capt Deb 8)
"You only have two choices, having fun or freaking out"-Jimmy Buffett
50-ish with a 1x.7x.8cm.AN
Mid-fossa HEI, Jan 03 Friedman & Hitselberger
Chronic post-op headaches
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wind6

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2006, 11:41:56 pm »
My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family Kim. Its always amazing to me to watch people come here terrified just as I once was and slowly come to a place of tremendous strength. You have made that journey and no doubt will help others find their way in the future.
If there is a thing I can do to help, please let me know.        Love & Hugs, Sherry
2.5cm x 3.1cm facial nerve neuroma
removed 8-2-2005(retrosigmoid)
St.Johns Hospital-Springfield,Illinois
Dr.Michael McIlhany and Dr.Carol Bauer
Wait n' watch mode for 8 years.
Gamma Knife at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Chicago,IL. Dr. James P. Chandler. July 10, 2013.

Jim Scott

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2006, 11:55:44 am »


Hi all,
  i just wanted to post one last time before my surgery...i don't really know what to say except thanks..when i first found out about this an about a month ago, i could have never imagined how many people with this same thing would be reaching out to help me. i cannot express enough to all of you who have prayed and thought of me this past month.  i look back at the beginning of may and remember how scared i was...how i didn't want to go to the ent to get the results, but when i got them i came out thinking..ok i can do this...then getting scared to meet with the neurotologist...and finally getting there and coming out again thinking...ok, i can still do this...then the meeting with the neurologist...i was freaking out...but it was great...and thanks to Capt Deb knowing that i would totally PASS my pre op tests..lol...which i had yesterday ..and i guess all went well....i didn't have hardly anything done ..they said i was in good shape and healthy...surprised the heck out of me  :D
but all in all...everything has gone so smoothly for me this past month...i would have never thought i would have made it this far...and the best part is that i have met so many wonderful people on this site..i think i have probably drove many of you nuts with all my wacko questions...but you have never , not once thought i was out of my mind...you sat and listened and gave me helpful advice...and for that i thank you all...from the bottom of my heart...you know God has his hand over my sitaution..and i have been praying for all on here every night...i don't know what the final outcome will be from this surgery...i know one thing for sure now...I WILL MAKE IT...I WILL LIVE..AND I CAN GO ON WITH MY LIFE....i wish that you all knew how much you mean to people like myself you come on here..scared to death ...thinking am i going to die...am i going to make it ....and then along comes someone who says...hey, its ok, we have been there...call me...
when i emailed Michelle out of the blue...i never thought she would email me back..but she did ..and she did it because she cares...and so many others...people i have never met before who are willing to give me their # and say " call anytime"....its ok...
i pray that one day i too will get an email out of the blue from someone who was just like me...and i can be as responsive as all of you have...
so, i don't want to make this sound like the end...cause its not... my last day here will be June 27th..so i won't have computer access..but i will be contacting people by phone..Michelle has already said she will call and harass my husband  ::)  cool...i want to keep you all posted...because i truly believe that you care...
so, to close thank you to everyone!  you have touched my heart in ways you may never know...but it will stay with me forever...i am going to enjoy this last week with all that i have...and i am going to enjoy my life after AN with everything more that i have....
thanks for listening 
Kim ;)

All our best wishes for a successful surgery and rapid recovery, Kim.  Know that many prayers go with you as you begin this journey and that the help and hard-won advice of those who have gone before you will always be available to you on this forum.  May you be one of the many (future) success stories posted here.
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.

wife4life

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2006, 10:02:26 am »
again another big thanks to all who responded to me  ;)
i really apprecitate it.... i feel like i have so much to do before thursday...i am really just trying to enjoy this time with my family...it is nice...my mom will be here on wednesday...whoo hoo...the kids are so excited i am going into surgery because now they have all sorts of family members coming...wish i could say the same :-\  but i am feeling ok today...just 3 days really....i can do it!
3cm leftsided an
surgery scheduled 6-29-06
charlotte nc
**complete resection of tumor, total left side facial paralysis,total hearing loss**

HeadCase2

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2006, 12:31:28 pm »
wife4life,
  Glad to hear the family is going into town. Another advantages of AN surgery is weight loss.  I lost about 10 pounds.  Although I can't really recommend Brain Surgery as a good weight loss method.  ;D
  Best of luck with your treatment.
Regards,
 Rob
1.5 X 1.0 cm AN- left side
Retrosigmoid 2/9/06
Duke Univ. Hospital

GrogMeister of the PBW

Jim Scott

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #12 on: June 27, 2006, 02:52:50 pm »
Kim:

Use your pre-op time wisely, as you seem to be doing...and expect to be 'out of it' for 10 or more days following surgery.  That is simply unavoidable.  Prepare the family for the fact that you will not be able to do much of anything for awhile, as your body heals from the trauma of AN tumor removal. 

It took me 2 full weeks to feel 'normal' again and I'm still not as strong as I was before...but I'm getting there.  It takes time to fully recover.  I'm feeling great but still working on walking 'normally' (practice, practice, practice) but otherwise I'm fine...and you will be too. 
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.

wind6

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Re: the one week countdown
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2006, 12:11:20 pm »
I'm here. My thoughts and prayers will stay with Kim and her family all day.
2.5cm x 3.1cm facial nerve neuroma
removed 8-2-2005(retrosigmoid)
St.Johns Hospital-Springfield,Illinois
Dr.Michael McIlhany and Dr.Carol Bauer
Wait n' watch mode for 8 years.
Gamma Knife at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Chicago,IL. Dr. James P. Chandler. July 10, 2013.