ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: Help for Chuck on September 01, 2007, 04:08:03 pm
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I am writing this in hopes to find help for my brother Chuck. He had AN surgery on January 18, 2006 in Dayton, OH. The surgeon said the surgery would last 4 to 5 hours and it lasted close to 8 hours. They said he would be in intensive care for two days and remain in the hospital for a few more days, but he was in for 10-day with 5 of them being in intensive. Ten days after he was released, he was rushed back to the hospital to be treated for spinal meningitis. Another week in the hospital…he was then released.
At the time of the surgery, Chuck was 42 and worked full time as a body man and painter on big trucks. He was tall, handsome and always had a smile on his face. He came out of the surgery with severe complications right off the bat. He couldn’t swallow, his one eye wouldn’t close, no hearing in this left ear, headaches, fatigue and dizziness.
As soon as his FMLA ran out…his employer let him go. Without a job, he could not afford the COBRA premiums. His surgeon saw him several times after the surgery, but just told him things might get better or might not…time would tell.
It has been 21-months since the AN surgery and he is not the same person. He can swallow now and the dizziness is better, but some days it gets bad. He has severe headaches and has never regained his hearing. He has lost a lot of weight…I think from worry more than anything. He hasn’t been able to get a job because he has no stamina.
Luckily, he has moved in with my mother, so that has been a huge help as far as the finances are concerned. He called his surgeon’s office this week to see if they could recommend anything to help with his headaches and the first this they asked was did he have insurance yet. He said “no�…remember I lost my job and insurance. They promised the surgeon would call him with a list of herbal supplements or vitamins he would take…but the week ended and no call.
He pains me so to see such a great person suffer each day with no hope in sight. There has to be someone or some agency that can help despite the fact he doesn’t have insurance. Any help/advice would be appreciated.
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I am happy to help in any way possible. What is most needed right now, fo ryou and him? A cheerful and supportive letter? A friend? Some advice on healing? I will do whatever I can. My journey was also really intense including facial paralysis. Please feel free to contact me.. Lots of love to you for putting yourself and your brother out there to receive support. You two are Not alone :) This comunity will surley have a wealth to support to offer.
In love
Renee
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I have to post this on the run but I strongly advise Chuck to call '211'. This is a nationally-connected contact source for social services. 211.
Addendum From the '211' website: http://www.211ohio.net/ (http://www.211ohio.net/)
211 is a simple, easy-to-remember number to call when you need help or access to human services.
It is a free 24-hour service so you get the help you need when you need it.
It will immediately forward you to the local 211 center, which will then direct your call to the appropriate agency when you need:
Information about human service agencies
Food and shelter providers
Child care resources
Special services for seniors
Volunteer opportunities
County and city information
… plus much more!
I sincerely hope this bit of information proves useful for Chuck. He will be in my prayers.
Jim
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Sorry to hear about your brother Chuck. Unfortunately these symptoms do occur after some surgeries. The hearing loss is quite common, as are the fatigue and headaches. Fortunately his other symptoms have improved, from the sound of it.
The hearing won't come back, although there are implants and special hearing aids that haved helped some people. There is a whole section in this forum on headaches, and fatigue is addressed in numerous places. One step might be to get your brother to come to this forum and browse some of the posts himself. The simple act of discovering that he is not alone, and that there are others here who have been through similar or worse scenarios, can be a big morale booster.
Insurance problems suck, there is no nice way to put it. If the surgeon can't help, there may be a regular doctor who can at least help with headache management. I don't know how to make it happen, but I think Chuck has to find some way to get going again, with whatever sort of job he can manage to start with - even if it is part time. There are some remarkable stories on this forum of people who have fought their way back to having a life again - I find some of them truly inspiring, and I am not even up against anything so tough myself.
Best wishes to you and Chuck, and hang in there, there is a way...
Steve
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All,
I am so blown away that so many have responded in less than an hour since I posted this message. My brother Chuck doesn't have a computer and l live over an hour away from him. I called him this morning to check on him because my mother had told me earlier in the week that he wasn't having a good week. He told me he had been in bed most of the week. He also told me about breaking down and calling his surgeon because he was in so much pain with no medication with the exception of over the counter. He was so down because the surgeon didn't call back as promised. I knew it took a lot for him to call him because he feels he botched the surgery and messed up this life. He asked me this morning to get online and see if there was something or someone that might be able to help him. He said that something just isn't right in his head. He was doing better...having more good days than bad...but the past few weeks have been down hill. I agree that if he could see/read some of the story I've seen today...it would give him hope to know he isn't alone. I will do my best to get him on this site as soon as I can.
Chuck's sister Sharon AKA Help for Chuck
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As posted earlier please consider setting up an appointment with social services to see what help is out there that your brother might qualify for. The health Insurance is a top priority. There might be a state insurance that he'd qualify for based on his income, or lack of income. Social Security Disability would also be something to consider. The Social Security Office closest to your brother should be able to assist you in. Your/his local Pharmacy can assist the both of you information on low cost drug programs. If it's a specific drug contacting the drug maker directly can result in a much lower cost.
Consider contacting your local Agency on Aging, even if your brother is younger. These people are in the know about various programs and are a wealth of information.
Contact your local hospital. Most hospitals will have a person on staff that can help you with accessing needs and programs that you might qualify for. Again they would be in the know of who to contact.
It may take you to get the ball rolling for your brother, sometimes when you look at the whole big picture, it's hard to take the first steps. By beginning the process you may be giving your brother the direction he needs to take. Bless you for being there!!!!
Know that we care and please keep us updated
Hugs
Raydean
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since chuck had swallow problems I assume he had a large AN .. and had a trans-lab op?
I'm 2 years post op .. and recently received a eye weight to help me close my lid... its been a big help!
I guess I'm lucky... no headaches... but still off balance at times .. walking and taking the train to work has been great therapy for me!
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Hello,
I, too, feel very sorry for your brother's situation and it is these kinds of stories that show our medical system in it's very worst light. This is also why so many people on here, who get to advise folks who have found this place before their treatment, tell them to make sure that their medical team is top rate and has years of experience. Of course we don't know all of your brothers situation, but it certainly seems shameful to me that this poor man was operated on and now he's just sort of left by the roadside to figure out what to do. I wish I had an answer for you...I don't...but I do wish him the best of luck in getting his life sorted out and I hope that he gets better. This is a heartbreaking story. :'(
Kindest regards,
Sue in Vancouver Wa USA
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Hi Sharon,
I am so glad Chuck has you in his corner!! This group offers a great source of advice and support.We will also lift you guys up in prayer.We recently faced an insurance dilemna with our daughter, she had brain surgery and several strokes{not AN related]. Her medicine was over $500 a month and it doesn't take many months to catch up with you. She finally receives some help!!! keep inquiring and don't take no for an answer. This was all new to me but I checked every source. Some drug companies will help and most pharmacies have some leads. I do pray he will get help soon and most of all, he will get some relief from the pain and work on getting his life back. Keep us posted.
Love and prayers.
Lynn
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Sharon,
Your brother's situation really hits hard. Before I give you my thoughts on what to do, let me tell you why it hits me hard. My late husband, who was, unlike your brother, in his 70s at the time, had brain surgery for a benign tumor (NOT an AN) that was pressing on his medula. In that surgery, he lost his gag reflex (the swallowing part). He didn't suffer meningitis, but the whole experience did him in and he died 2 months later.
Secondly, my parents were both social workers who ran and organized social service agencies, so I have some knowledge and many friends who've worked in health and social service agencies. The way I see it, social service agencies act like "insurance" should work -- some of us (by "random draw" or whatever) suffer circumstances that are hard to handle. Living with your mother has given your brother a substantial "net" to catch him during this difficult time, but he needs more help. If he COULD dig his own way out of the hole that circumstance has put him in, he would. But the circumstance - his physical condition post-surgery - doesn't allow him to do that. He needs assistance from others knowledgeable about resources available to him, which can be very confusing in this bureaucratic world of ours. And when one is having headaches, and hearing and dizziness problems, one gets depressed very easily and hardly wants to wade thru figuring out where to get help.
As Sue said, you can help alot by getting some information about how and where your bro might get some help with his situation. I did a google search for the Dayton United Way. http://daytonunitedway.org/find_help/index.htm Check there for info. They also have a HelpLine phone number: (937)225-3000 or (800)917-3224.
It will most likely take some persistence to find the right help, but this is a good place to start. United Way should have the best database of resources in the Dayton area. Because your brother's situation is not the more common domestic violence or extreme poverty or .... ?kind of situation, the first person you talk to at HelpLine may not come up with recommendations right away. Be gently persistent, perhaps ask to talk to the director of the HelpLine Center.
Either you or your brother could call, but as I said if he has severe headaches, etc., it would probably be easier for you pursue information, at least in the beginning. If they recommend you talk to Agency A, but you don't get any help from Agency A, call them back, tell them that, and ask for another recommendation.
As you support your brother, please feel free to tell us what you find and ask for our thoughts so we can support you. This is a great group of supportive, caring and clear-thinking people and my feeling is that you and your brother need mega-support. Our contribution is (1) letting you know there are people who care, and (2) helping you find the support he needs in Dayton so hope ISN'T lost.
Regards and hugs,
Dana
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I saw your note - and the saddest of tales for sure
A couple of things come to mind
Firstly it does not sound as if he has had proper rehabilitation treatment
depending on the surgery - how long how large etc
some/most of us require quite specialist attention to assist with balance in particular
(I could not walk unassisted 3 weeks out of surgery - I had to relearn)
The (now) overworked (post-op) balance system causes tiredness and headaches
beyond the dreams of a well person. You can adjust - but it takes time
Given the health/finance system - it is still important to find the right
programme - I can now do 18hr days - impossible 12mths ago.
Secondly I am unsure of his work background - he may have to retrain
to do something else. Even with the best rehab - he may never again
be a landscape gardener or outside house painter - not safely anyway
My point here is that it is most important to adjust and find
a work pattern that does not rest mainly areas where you are weak
- the files here are full of stories where folk went back too soon
maybe to the old job - and failed
Basically you risk a succession of setbacks - each the harder to live with
Best look again at roles which are more sedentary/ less busy/ less phyiscal
Find a job/role with a good chance of 95% success or more
rather than roles where the odds are 10% ?
Just to make the point the plan has to be
"Chuck gets well !" - then worry about the job
- it maybe a long road, a year or so - but it will be worth it
Good Luck
and Best Regards
Tony
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I echo everyone's feelings & concerns for Chuck. I can't imagine what he's going thru. I don't know what would have happened had I not been able to return to work. This must be so hard for him (& you also). I hope the suggestions given to you by others will be the key to his return to some kind of normalcy in his life.
Nancy
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Sharon,
As you can see, we are all here to help your brother... you... your family... as best as we can. I may not be able to offer much more than what folks here have already shared (btw, Jim, I had no clue about "211"... thank you for sharing that!)....... but know that I send love and hugs during this difficult time. My hope is that social services and other remedies provided here do help your brother and family during this time.
Please know that we welcome you, your brother, your family here...
Phyl
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Hi Sharon:
I am very sorry to hear about Chuck's post op problems. Any chance he was ever in the service? Has he ever had a follow up MRI?
There is help out there. I hope you can find it for him soon. He deserves to get his life back.
Chuck is very lucky to have you in his corner. Welcome to the forum. Kathy
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social security Disability Lawyers are forbidden to charge you unless they win your case and even then it's a modest fee. I would suggest calling one if you get turned down the first time(they turn almost everyone down at first)
Also start gethering every singel piece of medical record you can get your hands on--all the mri reports, surgical reports, hospital bills (itemized) prescription meds (can be printed out from your pharmacy) The docs are obliged by law to release all these medical records. You will need them for and Social Security disability claims. START TOMORROW!!!!!
Capt Deb 8)
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Hi,
I believe that all - or most- hospitals have a free care program. There is an office in the hospital where you can go and apply for it.
This service acts as a stepping stone to Medicaid (state-sponsored insurance). Call the hospital and inquire about this service.
Chuck may be in a position that will qualify him to receive this benefit. Out of work, not a home owner, at even greater risk due to abbreviated care for a pre-existing problem (the AN), etc......Help is out there. I know because I've been a recipient of it.
Paul
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All,
Again, I'm so surprised at all of the feedback, sugestions and support my post has brought. I called my brother Chuck yesterday morning and told him about the post. I read each and every message to him and he was so overwhelmed. I really think this has brought some hope back to him (and me) so we can continue to fight. My goal in the next week is to get him to this site and let him read all of the stories. Like several of you have suggested...this will let him know that he is not alone in his fight. I am also going to start making phone calls tomorrow to see if we can get him help. I noticed names of two doctors in Columbus, OH on this site that specialize in AN. I'm hoping to see if one of them will take my brother's case...if I can get around the insurance or get assistance from an agency.
I only wish we would have known about this site before his surgery. We would have demanded on a surgeon that specialized in AN vs. what we got. Some of you have asked about the size of my brother's AN. It was 3.5cm, but the issue was the location. When the surgeon met us after the surgury, he said the reason it took so much longer than he thought it would was because of the location. I remember him rolling up a piece of paper making a tube. He said the acoustic nerve ran though a tunnel like the paper tube and Chuck's AN was not only on the nerve, but on the nerve inside the tunnel. He said he had a very difficult time getting the AN that was inside the tunnel.
Again, thank you all for your support and suggestions. I will keep you posted on our progress.
Sharon
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Hi Sharon (and Chuck).... IMO, it sounds like the surgeon may have been over-ambitious in wanting to do the surgery .... AN's are extremely rare and only make up approx 6% of all brain tumors (malignant and benign). The "tube" he described, more than likely, was the IAC (inner auditory canal), where the hearing/balance nerve reaches from the brain, where AN's tend to grow. If it was sticking out of the IAC, it means it may have been reaching towards the CP (Cerebellopontine angle), which would lead it to the brain stem. Now, these are just guesses but without seeing MRI films/reports, based on what you have shared, that would be my initial guess (granted, I haven't had enough coffee yet this am!).
Now that the surgery is done, it's time to get Chuck moving along and helping him any way we can. Sounds like you have terrific suggestions now and will keep my fingers crossed that all will move along in a proper direction for Chuck (as well as you and your Mom and everyone else close to you). As you can see, many members here have been in similar shoes in battling "red tape" and they can definatley help guide you all during this ride. I know there will be those barriers along the way that will try to stop you all in moving forward with red tape.... but perservance (did I spell that right?) will conquer.
Hang in there.... please try to enjoy the holiday today... and most of all... hang tough!
Phyl
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Hi Sharon,
I am so glad to see you came back to the site again. I hope to see Chuck himself here in the next week or two.
I think Phyl is right, the tube referred to is the IAC, where all ANs originate. It would have been preferrable to have a surgeon who recognized that up front, but Chuck's tumor was a large one, and his outcome is not that unusual for a tumor that size. Saving hearing would have been unlikely in his case anyway, although he might have avoided some of those initial side effects, like that trip back to the ER with meningitis.
But that was then, and this is now. I have a couple of more ideas for you and Chuck:
1. He should have had, or should get, a follow up MRI to see if there is any residual tumor or new growth.
2. Is there a public library near him? Often they have computers that the public can use to access the Internet. If he could take a bus to the library, he could get to this site, and many other resources on the Internet, that might be helpful or at least encouraging.
3. I think he should apply for unemployment compensation. They may not grant him any, but they might help him find resources to help him get employed. If he can't work because of headaches, they might help with that. If he needs to take some classes, they might help with that. It is another way to get some assistance or referrals.
Also pursue the other avenues of assistance that have been suggested, including medical help for the uninsured, social services programs, the United Way, and so on. Our systems are notoriously bureaucratic and cumbersome, but they mean well, and no one wants to let Chuck slip through the cracks. You have to be a squeaky wheel to get any grease, though, so start squeaking!
All the best,
Steve
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Hi Sharon,
I'm so glad I read this thread again to see all the wonderful ideas and help everyone around the country has been offering you. All I was able to do was offer my sympathies at the outrageous condition your brother has been left with following his surgery. I do hope the combined forces of the " AN Warriors" on this site will help you and your brother find the help that he so desperately needs. Again, best wishes to you both.
Sue in Vancouver USA
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Some states have brain injury funding. Have you checked into this? Try writing to your Senator...
GM
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Hello Sharon,
I hope you and your brother are doing better today. I'm glad you've found this site. There is so much support here, and great suggestions for new approaches to problems.
AN can sometimes take one's life in a new direction than expected. That can sometimes affect one's self worth, and can lead to depression, even for the toughest of us. Reading between the lines of your first post, this may be making it harder for your brother to get moving again. I hope he is able to get online to particpate in this forum. It can realy help to "talk" to people who have experianced the same issues.
Here's hoping your brother gets the help he needs.
Rob
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I'm sorry I haven't updated everyone sooner, but this coming Monday I'm taking my brother to see a doctor at Ohio State Medical Center who specializes in AN!
When I originally posted his story we were at a dead end and as I named my post "losing hope fast". But with everyone's outpouring of advice, tips, positive thoughts and prayers, we kept on searching for help. I found this group of specialist at OSU Medical Center and gave them a call. I told a special person in their office our story named Brenda and instead of transferring me to someone else, she took us under her wing. She told me of a program they have called H-Cap. She said based on my brother's income and expenses, they could pay for up to 100% of his treatment. We him having no insurance and limited income this was music to our ears. He completed the paperwork and was advised they would pay for 75% of his treatment. This was wonderful news. The next step was getting an appointment. They were booked solid for months out, but had schedule an appointment in January 2008 for him with someone in an area that deals with balance. I called them and told them my brother's story. Again, another special person took interest in my brother. She agreed the balance area wasn't who he really needed to see right now, but she knew the best doctor at OSU that might help my brother. Later that day I received a call from someone at OSU and we had an appointment with this doctor for November 19th. We were able to secure all of his medical records from the surgeon who did the original surgery in January of 2006, plus all of the records from the hospital where the surgery was performed.
Our appointment is this coming Monday at 10:00am. Again, I just wanted to take everyone for their support and positive thoughts and prayers. If I could, I would change the name of this post from "Losing Hope Fast" to "Hope Restored"! Everyone keep your fingers crossed and hopefully we will get some answers on Monday to help my brother.
Sharon....Chuck's sister
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YEA !!!!!! Great news !!!!!! Will definitely keep fingers crossed !!!! All the best, Nancy
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I'm so glad you found someone who is able to help your brother. There are a few out there who will go the extra mile - the hard part is finding them sometimes.
One thing I didn't see mentioned so I thought I'd throw it in for consideration, is asking the doctor about starting your brother on some sort of mild anti-depressant medication to get him through this tough time. I know there was a point at which I was sure I was losing my mind and was having more bad days than good. I happened to mention it in passing at a routine doctors appointment and he suggested it. I was opposed to it at first - because that stuff's only for crazy people - right? As he explained, these "bad days" were just a normal reaction to an abnormal situation and does not qualify me as "crazy" - just as a normal person who is having a tough time dealing with all the life changes at once!
Anyway, it's pretty mild and has done wonders. It did not change who I am at all - just made me feel like I still had to deal with these things - but at least now I could do it without taking my "bad days" out on those around me. I know the whole prescription thing gets to be an issue, but if you've found someone who can help. maybe there's some help with prescriptions available out there too.
It also helps to read the posts here and see that you're not alone, so maybe at some point, your brother might want to get on here too. I know it's been really helpful to me to finally be able to talk to people who get it.
Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there . Hope it helps. Tell your brother to hang in there. It does get better with time.
Lori
p.s. And take care of yourself too - sounds like your family needs you!
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Hi, Sharon:
I was so pleased to read your updated post concerning your brother, Chuck, and the help he is now going to receive.
Although we can all appreciate your kind words toward the folks that posted on this thread, you are the one to be commended for doing everything you can for your brother. Collectively, we do try to help but all the advice in the world can't replace the fact that you took responsibility for following through, continuing your search for help and finally, finding it with the assistance of some caring people at the OSU medical center. I believe that prayers are answered and this is further proof, if any were needed. Of course, being pro-active , as you've been, sure helps, too!
I look forward to reading the results of Chuck's Monday appointment - and I thank you in advance for keeping us all informed. You know that we care and that we understand what you and your brother are going through. Our prayers for you and your brother will continue and of course, so will our best wishes and hopes that his condition will improve, soon.
Jim
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If your brother lived in my geographical area(central Calif), I would see him in my medical office for free. I think the surgeons who operated on him should continue to see him. You'd think they would be interested in how their own work turned out!! , plus they already made a big fee off of his surgery, so what's the big deal about a few office visits or phone calls? Sorry he has fallen thru the cracks of the poor healthcare system we have.
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Sharon,
I totally agree with Jim. I am so glad Chuck has you in his corner! God does bless us with favor and I am so happy you are finding people to help along the way. Thanks for keeping us posted and we hope to hear from you soon.
Take care,
Lynn
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;D Hi Sharon-- I have been reading the posts here and I am happy for Chuck and you that help is imminent now--I can only imagine what you both have been thru--Chuck physically and emotionally and you emotionally--but now you have reason to hope--that there are resources out there and that some one truly will help and cares!!!
Best wishes!! Mary from MA 8)
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Sharon and Chuck,
I'm so happy to see your message that you've got an appointment Monday. Way to go; glad you pushed and found some knowledgeable folks willing to listen and help. Thanks for posting. Give us a report. I'm sure there's lots yet to do, but at least it's a good start.
Affectionately,
Dana
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This ANA forum is awesome...
Reading this thread give me goosebumps and tears.
What a great bunch of caring people you are!
4
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Sharon -
this is such wonderful news. Please let us know how tomorrow's appointment goes.
Wishing only the best for Chuck.
Jan
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Sharon, I have followed this thread and felt the despondency in your tone, so was so delighted to see, just today, that things are looking up for you and Chuck. You have been your brother's keeper in the literal sense of that term and are a shining example of what a "patient's advocate" can do. He is so fortunate to have you in his corner. Best wishes to you both, and God bless. Nancy
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I will join in wishing you and Chuck the best. It sounds like you have finally find some one to respond to your situation. Best wishes to you both.
Steve
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I'm so glad to hear things are moving in the right direction for you guys. I live in Columbus. Which doctor are you seeing at OSU Medical Center?
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All,
We met with Dr. Abraham Jacob at OSU this morning. Chuck first had a hearing test prior to meeting with Dr. Jacob. He did have some hearing in his left ear, but it was at 120 decimals, which is like standing next to a jet engine taking off. He has been without hearing in his left ear since the surgery in January of 2006 and has adjusted accordingly. His main problems now is fatigue, balance issues, weakness in his face muscles, constant soar throat and headaches. He then met with one of Dr. Jacob’s residents. She asked a series of questions and did some simple balance tests in the office. You definitely could see the weakness in his face especially around his mouth and eye, but his balance issues were most prevalent. When he closed his eyes and tried a couple of the exercises, I thought he was going to fall, but luckily she instructed him to open his eyes and she assisted him in catching his balance.
We then met with Dr. Jacob for almost an hour. He asked numerous questions and answers many of our questions. My brother shared with him he feels worse now than he did a year ago. Chuck is convinced the tumor has returned. Dr. Jacob also suggested the fatigue could be because his brain is working all the time to compensate for his balance issues.
As of the end of the visit, he has scheduled a balance test and an MRI. Chuck was approved for H-Cap for Dr. Jacob, but we are applying for OSU Medical Center tomorrow. If we don’t run into any problems with this tomorrow, we will be traveling back to Columbus next Monday for the MRI and balance test. After asking, it appears both of these tests will cost right around $4,000, but if the OSU Medical Center is approved at the same level as Dr. Jacob’s services, it will cost us around $1,000. That is a lot of money for my brother and family right now, but it’s a lot better than $4,000!
We have decided to proceed, just to get some closure as to if the tumor has returned. I am confident we are at the right place for help and if something can be done to improve Chuck’s quality of life…Dr. Jacob and his staff will provide us with those answers.
So, keep your fingers crossed and I will let you know the outcome of our tests.
Sharon
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i am so glad that you are working so hard to help chuck. i found myself thinking of chuck yesterday knowing he had an appointment and couldn't wait to hear from you. good luck. patti
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Is he a veteran? if he makes less than 40k a year he is entitled to health care through the VA, do not let SSDI jerk you around I got mine in 6 weeks without a lawyer by exposing their nonsense to my Congresswoman this is what we elect these people for! My tumor started growing in the service so it is now service connected as they didnt know what was causing my symptoms at the time an other interesting side note was that I had just finished up about a 4 year stint as an aircraft painter, hazmat city any type of solvents and most I worked with are now banned by the EPA, ask him if he ever worked with polyurethane paint?
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Oy ya ya
Re “polyurethane paint�
I went to art school in my youth, worked as a house painter in the summers, then taught high school art as one of the courses ... and renovated way too many houses… paint was a daily part of my life.
Don- Do you think this is connected with and AN tumor and growth. In my case there are so many variables we do not even know where to start.
The cause of AN (other than NF2 and genetics) we do not know… the research is happening at HEI but there are so many variables.
You could always start a new thread- “polyurethane paint exposure?- survey�...
4
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Kudos to Don for bypassing the Social Security maze and utilizing the clout of his congressional representative to cut through the nonsense and have his claim for SSD benefits approved in what is probably near-record time. 8) Way to go, Don!
That Social Security Disability bureaucracy is one screwed up system! I know a young man (an erstwhile friend of my adult son) who never held a job in his life due to mental problems (more apparent than real, in my unprofessional opinion) and when he applied for SSD, this young fellow claimed 'depression' as his disability. He was approved almost immediately. That was quite a few years ago and to my knowledge, he's still collecting. Go figure.
As for polyurethane paint being the possible culprit for developing an acoustic neuroma: I have no idea, although I suppose anything is possible. Frankly, I'm a tad skeptical regarding external sources being the actual cause of AN tumors but I'm open to real evidence proving that theory. I can't scientifically disprove it but I seriously doubt that noise or cell phones have any bearing on the issue of what causes a vestibular schwannoma (AN) to develop. I'm equally cautious about blaming an acoustic neuroma on even long term exposure to polyurethane paint or toxins breathed or absorbed through the skin, but of course, I'm not a scientist or physician and I certainly could be wrong. The theories are interesting to kick around but ultimately just conjecture with little scientific basis. Oh, well. Maybe someday we'll find out the truth. I'm not losing any sleep over it, though.
Jim
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Do NOT lose hope Chuck!! Things will get better with time. I did not have surgery, but I did have radiation for a 2.6 cm tumor. The first months are the worst by far. You will improve. Don't lose hope, keep marching forward, and slowly but surely you will have your life back! And I know you will find the help you need. Just keep asking, there are many folks out there who want to help.
Stay strong,
Francesco