ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: waypoint on January 19, 2008, 12:06:51 am
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Well, after 3 months at home recovering, I started back to work after the New Year. My first week wasn't too bad. My facial nerve damage was most noticeable to everyone, because I try to smile and it just makes it look worst. Everything else was fine. I think I was the only one that notice the imbalance issues. It was hardly noticeable to anyone else. Catching up with work after three months was like climbing mount Everest. The biggest problem I have is the darn elevators. I'd press the button and hear "ding" but would never know where it came from and by the time I figure which elevator opened up, it was already shutting. I wasn't very good at this when I could hear, not I'm down right helpless. My second week involved lots of meetings, and my first flight since before the surgery. Thanks goodness it was a non issue. This past Tuesday was the first time I felt exhausted and had a headache. I don't know if it was the rain and cold weather or if it was the mental exhaustion from being grilled all day in meetings. I went home that afternoon and just crawled in bed, after two tylenols and slept for several hours. Woke up refreshed.
Well, the Dr. have give my me the green light to return to my prior activities. We are planning to go skiing the end of February. My wife has convinced me to take her to Breckenridge. I was a very good snowboarder prior to the surgery, but I have some reservations now. I may be just nerves. I am not sure how I will do. Anyone else here go skiing 5 months after surgery? I feel confident I will do fine, but in the back of my mind, I am considering possibly wearing a helmet. Well see, wish me luck.
I honest am grateful to God, my family, my firiends, and everyone here. I feel extremely fortunate with my outcome and seem SSD is the only loss in exchange for this tumor removal. Time will tell in October when I get the 1 year MRI.
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I am so happy to hear you have returned to work and that you can return to pre surgery activities. It will get easier everyday just take it slow and don't try to do too much. Did you go back part time?
Your wife sounds like a great Woman and the two of you deserve a great Ski vacation! I personally would like you to wear a helmet. Better safe than sorry and if you are still having some balance issues it would make me feel better. My son tells me I worry to much about these things. I tell him I do because I care and the same goes with you. Please post an update after your trip and also keep us informed about how you are doing at work and home. Kisses to your forehead. :-* 16
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Good going on the recovery. I have always been bad at "spot the dinging elevator"; don't worry about. We busy people have better things to do than keeping track of annoying mechanical devices. ;)
I am confident you will do fine at skiing and/or snowboarding. What could possibly go wrong? I do think you should wear a helmet as a fashion statement, it is a snappy look, especially if you can manage to imply to people that you wear it because you are such an adventurous skier, not because you are a fraidy-cat. 8)
Nice to hear you are resuming normal activites. Keep it up!
Steve
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Waypoint: Glad to hear you're about to venture into skiing!! ENJOY!!! I too would opt for the helmet.
Sorry you have the facial paralysis, will keep positive thoughts for you that it IS temporary.
Work can be draining - it does get easier though. I was able to get out of attending large meetings due to the single sided deafness.
(everyone talking at once drove me crazy, very frustrating).
The meetings were not necessary to my job, so I lucked out there - I just get the info of the mtgs. from coworkers.
Unfortunately it sounds like it is a necessary part of your job. Those 'power naps' work great though, don't they!
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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Waypoint. I had to laugh at the elevator scenario. I've found myself playing that game. I love when people look at me like I'm an idiot as I can't find the one that is dinging. Oh well....
I'd opt for the helmet and extra butt padding too! I've read stories on here how people were able to get back to activities they enjoyed which required balance. So why not you too!
What is it you do? I would think meetings would be painful. I don't do well with lots of people talking makes my brain tired.
Enjoy your trip!
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Watpoint,
I will be curious to know how the skiing trip goes. I live in Park City utah, great skiing here 5 min from my house. I am 3 1/2 yrs post op and have not yet felt comfortable enough with the balnace & vertigo that I have to try skiing again. Also, at about 11 months post op I visited Breckenridge. I live at about 7000ft, but the 10000+ ft elevation of the town itself in Breckenridge really bothered my head, the top of the ski area I'm sure is quite a bit higher. Driving through Eisenhower tunnel on the way there (11000ft) , I though my head was going to explode. I sure hope you do better with it than I did. I am curious to know how it feels to be on skis. I find that when I move my head around looking around is when the balance goes south. The thought of the motion of sliding downhill while looking around me at the same time, scares the beegeebies out of me. Best of Luck to ya, and please, update this thread after your ski trip.
patti ut
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Its me, waypoint. Well I just ordered a ski helmet online and it should be in by next week . Better to be safe than sorry.
Someone asked what i do. I am manager for one of the larger oil & gas companies and heavily involved in several court cases causing me to travel to DC lots.
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Waypoint,
Congratulations at being back at work. I went back to work after two months. My facial paralysis was the most noticeable. I don't think anyone else ever noticed my slight balance problems. Now after more than two years my balance is hardly ever an issue.
I did try downhill skiing in December. I had never done it before. Only cross country. Downhill didn't go too well for me. I couldn't figure out how to slow down or turn. I think it was more related to lack of skill than balance problems though. I'm glad you are getting a helmet. My son was snowboarding on the ski hill when we went. He was not wearing a ski helmet, fell and got a concussion. The ski patrol man highly suggested he wear a helmet next time! He's only 14 and has excellent balance. He needs more snowboarding practice though. lol
Enjoy your vacation.
Jean
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I'm glad you ordered your helmet. I feel better thank you. I can't wait to hear back from you afterwards. Have a Great time!
It sounds like you have a very tough job. I think you should be very proud of yourself! 16
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I love to ski. I live in Montana and am a regular at Big Sky, Bridger and Red Lodge. I didn't ski for the first year after surgery. When I finally did go, I found it wasn't a balance issue but my eye would freeze open. I have very mild facial paralysis-most people wouldn't notice. It was chilly about 10 degrees and skiing fast with windchill didn't help. I was wearing goggles. I have found a few solutions but I just can't ski if the temp. drops too much. If you have eye issues I would be glad to tell you what I did to overcome them.
Good Luck. Have a great time! Mary
2cm AN Middle Fossa, Dr. Brackmann
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I just got back from downhill skiing yesterday. I bought me a helmet and thank goodness I did cuz I hit a tree and the helmet saved the front of my head! Would have had a nice little shinner. I was 19 months out from my AN being removed for going skiing and had no problems. I didn't have balance issues after 3 months so it probably depends on your particular situation. I agree with one of the earlier notes my head did have a few headaches and my eye did get very dry but I kept my goggles on and used drops thru out the day and night.
Have fun!! The snow is great (I was in Steamboat Springs).
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Skiing with impaired equilibrium? Be careful!! As good as you may feel just remember that you're not quite what you used to be before AN surgery.
Take bike riding as an example. I can ride a bicycle but getting on and off the thing is a problem. I can no longer fluently stand on one leg and swing the other one over and across the seat of the bike when either getting on or off. I used to go bike riding every day after work ( weather permitting) and would ride 30-50 miles round trip without even thinking twice about it. Not anymore. Way too hazardous. I get my exercise primarily from jogging.
If I ride a bicycle I can only get on or off the thing by standing over it and either pulling it up to get on or dropping it down to get off. When I'm riding it I have to be very careful to not have to make fast , sudden extreme maneuvers or I'll lose it.
I would imagine that skiing can be just as hazardous to those of us with impaired equilibrium.
Paul
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The good news is I was able to ski and had no problems. In fact my balance is not an issue. Once in a while I may loose balance but at this point I think that would have happened before my AN was removed. I am just getting old....I attribute my balance being good because I went back to karate 3 months after my 3 surgeries. I worked very hard at getting back to my routine and I think it paid off. Life does improve! In fact my face is getting twitches more and more each day and I am seeing improvement in my facial paralysis. Folks say they can't tell I have paralysis in my face unless I am smiling and I find I compensate and not smile as big.
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Hey TP: I'm so glad to hear things just keep on improving for you! Twitches are good!! So is a smile, whether it's a crooked smile,
a Mona Lisa smile, or a great big teeth grinning one!!
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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TP,
I still have double vision, even more than two years after surgery.
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Oh my gosh! I did the elevator thing this morning!!! It was funny. I was on my way to have the BAHA surgery and I couldn't figure out which one dinged! Of course my friends just stood there and laughed. Normally they would've helped me out by moving or pointing. Mean people!!! :(
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Hi Crazycat:
I am so sorry you still have double vision. I HIGHLY recommend having surgery to correct. My neurosurgeon wanted me to wait a year from the date of my AN being removed before seeing an eye surgeon specialist. I did and when I visited my eye surgeon she wanted me to wait another 3 months. The surgery was awesome and even though it was the most unusual surgery I've ever had (2 day process) when my eye was straight I was on top of the world. I felt like I was whole again. My Dr was wonderful (Dr. Khuddas). She was this little lady with the best positive attitude. She was kind and sincere but most importantly a gifted surgeon. I hope you are able to look into having this type of surgery.
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Oh my gosh! I did the elevator thing this morning!!! It was funny. I was on my way to have the BAHA surgery and I couldn't figure out which one dinged! Of course my friends just stood there and laughed. Normally they would've helped me out by moving or pointing. Mean people!!! :(
Dani -
I have done this SO many times; it's pathetic ;D It always makes me feel kind of dumb, too, because people look at me like I'm insane.
I'm used to their reaction by now, so it just makes me chuckle ;D (Yes, sometimes I have a sick sense of humor)
Jan
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Well, I'm back from Breckenridge and everything turned out well. I have to say, I'm glad I got the helmet. It came in handy twice. Once getting of the lift with my snowboard, I lost it and went down and the other time was jumping of the edge on a blue and hitting a patch of ice and taking a tumble. I was somewhat nervous about the whole trip, but found out that nothing really changed all that much. My skiing and snowboard skill remained unchanged. It was rather easy to pick right back up. Ahtough I have to admit, I was sooo tempted to do the jumps in the snowboard freestyle terrain. My wife didn't want me to overdo it and as tempted as I was, I only had the guts to do one small jump on skis during the three days. It was very exciting, but the thought kept running through my mind about eating it by trying to do some fancy tricks. Would it be worth it? No it wouldn't. So I was content with skiing and perfect my form. All in all it was a great trip. I can still ski and snowboard. I'll try to post some pictures soon.
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Hey Waypoint, way to go! Sounds like a good trip, you are clearly a better skier than many of us ever were or will be. Will you be in the Half Pipe Nationals next year? :D
Looking forward to the pictures...
Steve