ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Facial Issues => Topic started by: michela on April 09, 2008, 05:38:10 am
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Hi to all!
I have had the appointment with the surgeon for the nerve graft. The doctor is a female and she seems very kind and human; she explained me everything I asked about the graft: she told me that I need a hypoglossal facial nerve graft with some kind of bridge made of the sural nerve; this will help my cheek and mouth to recover and in this way, the hypoglossal nerve will not be sacrificed and I will not have problems in eating or speaking. She also told me that for the recover of the eye, I will need another graft with the masseter nerve, so that I will avoid synkinesis in my mouth and in my eye. Then when I will see the beginning of the recovery, I will have some retraining with a doctor that will give me exercises to do at home.
I was glad to hear that the recovery will begin after 4-5 months. She also told me that I will never be the one I was before the palsy because it's like to accomodate a hole in a dress: we can sew it, put a patch on the hole, we dress it again, there is no hole but it's as before, it's not as a new cloth.
So I will have some kind a smile with closed smile, helping me with the movements of the tongue. I will have the graft, so I would be very happy to hear about what all of you are thinking about and I would like to know experience of people who had this anastomosis: what does your face look like after the recovery? What kind of movements do you have now? Do you smile?
Thank you for your support and a great kiss for all of you!
Michela
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Hi Michela: This is wonderful news ! ! I think it's to the surgeon's credit that she is also going to do a masseter nerve graft for your eye. I am so happy for you. Since I didn't have a nerve graft, I can't help with what it's like; I just want to wish you all the best.
Now, what's that word my nonna use to say to me when I was little ? aspetta (?sp) = patience.
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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ahahahahah yes aspetta is the italian for wait! aspetto aspetto!!
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Michela~
Wondrful News!! Sounds like this Dr. REALLY knows her stuff -- I'm glad you found a good one. I think that the best thing is that you will have some "therapy" after you have all this work done. I think that if I would have had that, I would have had even more movement. The things that they can do now are SO much better than what I had. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for EVERYTHING that I was able to get at the time, but so glad that you can get more and better results. It is a L-O-N-G process, but I bet you won't have to wait as long as me...12 years!!! LOL! I will be here every step of the way cheering you on!!
K
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Michela,
Sounds like things are progressing nicely and glad you are working this out for you.... you've got some great inspiration here in NancyAnn and Kaybo and I'll be cheering you on as well!
Phyl
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you've got some great inspiration here in NancyAnn and Kaybo
NancyAnn and Kaybo ARE great inspirations.
Good luck Michela!
Jan
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Thank you Kaybo and thank you ppearl..I hope that I am able to post soon some good photos of my recovery! I will keep you update..I have forgotten to say that the doctor told me the surgery will take three or four hours and only two days in the hospital (as chirssmom told me about chris!) and that the only thing that could bring me some problems is the scar..she will make a good work with the scar like when you have a lifting so that it will not be visible. Thank you Jan!! Kaybo and NancyAnn are a great example for me and make me feel stronger enough to deal with a new surgery..
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWW, shucks...
They do great things with scars - most of mine are hidden in creases and they are less and less visible as I age b/c they just look like matural creases! You can't even hardly see the ones that aren't even 2 weeks old unless I show them!!!
K
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Hi to everyone! I didn't write for a while, because I had the surgery on the 15 th May!
Everything is going all right, the scar is very little and you can't notice it. I feel fine and I wasn't so sick after the surgery, that took 4-5 hours because I had two anastomosis.
I will have the date with the surgeon in five months; I hope to see movements and now I am having good time :D
A great kiss to everyone and I will keep you update when I see something moving :P
Michela
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Michela~
Oh my! I was thinking that I hadn't talked to you in while. I am glad that everything went OK. You don't see the Dr. again for a follow-up for 5 months? That seems like a long time, but I guess maybe they do things differently over there...
Better run get ready for church - I will write you more later!
K
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Michela: WOW - you had the surgery already, so glad to hear all went well. Now it's just a matter of sitting back & let the healing begin.
I am so happy for you ! !
I can't wait to know how it's going in ~ 6 months, so, we will all patiently wait with you.
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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Michela -
I'm glad to hear you had the surgery and now are on your way to recovering.
I hope things go well for you.
Please keep us posted on your progress,
Jan
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Thank you very much! I have to wait 5 months to see some movements but I think that 5 or 6 months are nothing for me now!! I will surely keep you update!! A great kiss to all! Ciao ciao :D
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Michela:
Congratulations on your nerve graft surgery! I hope and pray that it'll be successful for you. Five months is not so long. It will be mid-October. I think you'll do well.
Thanks for updating us. :)
Jim
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Congratulations, Michela. That is great news! Six months will pass quickly. Please keep us posted.
This forum is starting to gather some excellent success stories with nerve graphs. Hopefully it will help guide newbies with face palsy issues.
Ciao, Michela
David
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Congratulations, Michela! Glad to hear you are through the surgery and now waiting with bated breath for the wonderful results!
I had a 7-12 anastomosis in '89, followed after about 6 months by facial retraining with Jackie Diehls (in Pittsburgh and then Wisconsin), which helped a lot with synkinesis (though it sounds like you've already had that addressed in the surgery itself). I'm very pleased with the result I got (symmetry at rest, and some mobility in my cheek and mouth), though as your doctor said, it's not the same face I would have had without the AN and paralysis in the first place.
Best of luck, and do keep us posted on your progress!