ANA Discussion Forum

Post-Treatment => Post-Treatment => Topic started by: Tumbleweed on December 12, 2014, 07:23:46 pm

Title: Tumbleweed's 6.5-year followup MRI
Post by: Tumbleweed on December 12, 2014, 07:23:46 pm
Hi, everybody:

Sorry I haven't been on the forum in months; I've been extremely busy. And I suppose as my former troubles with my AN recede farther into my memory (due to a successful treatment that's reversed many symptoms), the forum has slipped farther and farther off my radar. Still, I thought it would be helpful to some if I posted my latest MRI results.

This latest MRI was taken 6-1/2 years after CyberKnife treatment at Stanford University Medical Center, performed by the masterful Dr. Steven D. Chang. My latest MRI shows my AN and hypoglossal schwannoma to both be stable in size (after my AN shrank roughly 70% in volume in the first few years following treatment).

My latest audiogram shows no change except for an improvement in word recognition on my AN side (now 100%). My audiologist explained to me that wearing my hearing aid stimulates and trains the brain to recognize words more readily without it. My hearing has been stable now for the past three years, and I've passed the critical 6-year mark at which point, statistically at least, the risk of losing my hearing on my AN side becomes less likely. I did lose some hearing both before and soon after treatment, but I seem to have established a nice and stable plateau of serviceable hearing on my AN side now.

CyberKnife turned out to be a near-miraculous treatment for me, as I've regained around 90% of my balance function and rarely feel wonky-headed anymore.

I regrettably probably won't have much time to be on the forum going forward, at least for awhile, as I'm entering a really busy period with work.

Life is good!

Best wishes to all,
TW
Title: Re: Tumbleweed's 6.5-year followup MRI
Post by: jaylogs on December 13, 2014, 01:30:41 pm
Hey TW, it's good to see you on again.  I know what  you mean about time on here.  It's been interesting to see folks come and go...some stay some go.  But that's what this place is for, to get everything you need when dealing with this stuff.  Glad to hear your extremely good outcome using cyberknife.  A definite testimony to the wonders of modern medical science.  Take care and thanks for sharing!
Jay
Title: Re: Tumbleweed's 6.5-year followup MRI
Post by: MNTim on December 13, 2014, 02:20:20 pm
Congratulations
It's great for all of us to see the possibilities.

Tim
Title: Re: Tumbleweed's 6.5-year followup MRI
Post by: Anomar11 on December 18, 2014, 07:17:48 pm
Congratulations TW.  I'm having my 6 yr MRI tomorrow.  I haven't had a hearing test since diagnosis.  Hearing is markedly diminished but I still have some.  What kind of hearing aids do you use.  Thanks.  Anomar
Title: Re: Tumbleweed's 6.5-year followup MRI
Post by: Tumbleweed on December 19, 2014, 12:36:33 am
Hi, Anomar:

Good luck with your MRI!

The hearing aids I use are Oticon Agil Pro. Gotta say I love them. They took a couple weeks to get used to, as I had not heard high frequencies very well in several years. Now that my brain has adapted, I would be hard-pressed to go without them.

Best wishes to all,
TW
Title: Re: Tumbleweed's 6.5-year followup MRI
Post by: PaulW on December 20, 2014, 02:33:20 am
Congratulations tumbleweed...
Great to hear things are travelling well...
4.5 Years for me post Cyberknife and lifes good