ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: Debbi on September 08, 2008, 09:05:37 am
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Hi all-
Well, my first post-surgery MRI is tomorrow and I am excited to see what my brain looks like now! I am most curious to see whether or not the "nubs" they left behind on my facial nerve will be visible. I can honestly say that I am not at all nervous about regrowth at this point - after all, it has only been 4 months so nothing to worry about.
I'm having the MRI at NYU and will then hand-carry the film upstairs to Dr. Golfinos's office where he will review it with me - no waiting!
I am hoping to bring a copy home on CD so that I can post a picture here. I'll be loaded with valium tomorrow, so don't know ifI'll post tomorrow or Weds. Probably better for all concerned if I wait until Weds. ;D
Wish me luck!! ;D
Debbi
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Debbi,
Best of luck with your MRI! I hope that both you and Dr. Golfinos are happy with the results. Seeing him right after will sure take away some of that anxiety!
I am about to have mine soon and, boy, am I nervous! I had a clean MRI 2 months after surgery and don't want that to change because I have actually never had a clean MRI besides that one in my entire life. It always showed something. Maybe, I should consider some type of medication, too!
Eve
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Wow, Debbi, tomorrow already; that seems fast - at least to me ;)
I didn't have my first post op MRI until 11 months after my surgery - was supposed to wait 1 year, but the suspense was killing me :D
Hope all goes well. Keep us posted.
Jan
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I'm with jan! Seems like yesterday! Will have celebratory beverage of my choice prepared for the good news you will share with us! :) Good luck tomorrow!
Phyl
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Good luck Debbi, lots of it.
Best,
Marci
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Debbie
Since I checked the calendar and it's another quiet week in the AN neighborhood -- I'll just piggyback on your post.
Good luck tomorrow. I'm glad to hear you'll be loaded with Vallium. And as I may have mentioned before, the second MRI is a little easier because you know what to expect.
And the only other thing going on this week is Katie Bonner's 2 year anniversary. Way to go Katie!
David
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Debbi:
Ah, the first post-op MRI! Always taken with a combination of slight anxiety and much hope. Hope that is often fulfilled, as I'm sure yours will be.
The instant MRI analysis is the only way to go. I've always had my (semi-annual) MRI scans in tandem with my scheduled visit to the neurosurgeon, due to the 62-mile round trip to the MRI center and doctor's office, located next door. This gives me a 'two-fer' and an instant review of my MRI, so no waiting and wondering. Now that I'm on an annual MRI basis, I'll continue this pattern.
Please be sure to let us know your results, as soon as the Valium wears off. :D
Jim
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And the only other thing going on this week is Katie Bonner's 2 year anniversary. Way to go Katie!
Congratulations on your 2nd anniversary, Katie! ;D
Jan
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Deb~
Good luck tomorrow and enjoy the drugs while you legally can!! ;)
K
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Debbi,
Good luck on tomorrow's MRI! So glad that you will get the same day review with your doctor!
Nancy
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Good Luck with the MRI. "No More Nubs for you" will be my mantra! Jules
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Good Luck Debbie! Many prayers and toughts are with you. I know your in good hands. Looking fowards to meet you at ANANJ on Oct. 25th! Mickey P.S. I played golf with Joe a coupe of weeks ago who mentioned he met you at the lunchon.
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Best wishes on your MRI tomorrow!!
Gary
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Hi Debbi
Good luck with your MRI tomorrow! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Dr.Golfinos will have great news for you and the nubs they left behind are so small they are not even noticable! Hopefully Ethel will never raise her AN head again!!! Let us know as soon as possible how everything went!!!!!
Wishing you luck and all other good things
Wendy
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hi debbi
good luck on your MRI
Sam
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Hey Debbi,
Hope things went well today! Know you are enjoying the valium :D We'll be watching for the results...
Cindy
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Yes, Debbi, as soon as the Valium wears off (or did you get more for later, you sneaky girl..) let us know...
Marci (tapping foot patiently)
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Hi Debbi,
I'm with everyone else here wishing you good luck and we'll be waiting for the GOOD NEWS!!!!
Lot's of prayers going your way....................
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debbi,
was it a 2mg or 5mg valium? :D
Waiting for your update as well!
xo
Phyl
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Oh my gosh, Debbi!
Tomorrow is now today, in fact, it's almost yesterday and we're all anxiously waiting for news.
Hope it's good!
Jan
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Hi All-
Well, I have absolutely no idea what happened to the message I carefully crafted last night in my valium-induced haze, but I blame the valium!
Anywho ... I've got nothing in my brain!!! ;D ;D ;D
Arrived at NYU a little early, got checked in at the MRI unit in the basement, popped my valium (Phyl, I'm pretty sure it was 5 mg - I asked for the biggest dose they could give me!) and then bravely walked into the lair of the beast. With Willie holding my feet (prepared to snatch me out at the slightest provocation) I entered the "spirit-sucking tunnel of death." 30 minutes later, all done. Waited about 5 minutes while they burned a CD for me, then made our way to Dr. Golfinos' office, also in the NYU complex.
Dr. G was able to just pull the film up on the NYU intra-net system, which made this very efficient indeed. He showed us where the fat was (yep, it is still there, and there it will remain) and the black spot where Ethel used to reside. He said that the nubs they left behind would be too small to show up on film. He was very pleased with his handiwork - and so are we. Chatted a bit about my ongoing bouts of head pain - he had no explanation, just suggested paitence. He said that a fair amount of trauma to the nerves around the base of my skull is normal, and I probably have a little bit of muscular trauma too which explains the pain down my neck.
While there, I made my one-year appointment for the next MRI - April 28, 2009. The first of many, I am sure.
I have tried, so far without success, to get a copy of one of the views from my CD. I will take another stab at it later, with the hope that I can figure it out and then post a picture of the film here.
Thanks, everyone, for your support - you guys all rock!
Debbi
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HI Debbi -
Congratulations on your great news!!! I am overjoyed for you!!! I'm sure the valium was to blame for the disappearance of your previous post regarding your MRI. I must have misunderstood my doc about the fat being reabsorbed. Does this mean we are all fat heads? I had to say it before someone else did! Since so much oif mine seems to have leaked out does that make me (gasp!!) empty headed? Did you ask him how much fat he put in your head -- I'm just curious --I keep meaningi to ask my doc but always have so many questions I forget that one.
Wendy - Doing hte happy dance for you!
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Thanks, everyone, for your support - you guys all rock!
naw, we RAWK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Congrats on the terrific news, Debbi! You got nuttin' up there! (well, ok, a hint of fat but heck, I got a whole lotta that anyway!). We like great news around here... and continued wellness wishes to you! :)
Phyl
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Debbie,
WOW, congratulations for getting through the MRI, I'm with you on those and congratulations on the results. It's a great day for all kinds of great news.......Anymore good news out there........ :)
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Debbi:
Allow me to add my congratulations on your very successful MRI! This is wonderful news and we celebrate it right along with you. :)
Jim
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Congratulations I am so glad to hear all went well
Sam
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Thanks, everyone! And, Wendy, we post surgeries are either fat heads or air heads. I think you may be able to claim the distinction of being both! Dr. G did say that the fat will decrease over time, but he said it'll always be there. As long as that's all that's there, I'm happy.
And, may I just say again for those who are claustrophic - valium!!
Debbi
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Wendy~
The fat does disappear or reabsorb - I know this b/c I remember my doctor and I talking about how it was gone & now I have an indention in my head. I asked him why it dissolved on my head & not on my tummy and his response was,"Only you would ask me that..." Never really gave me an answer!!
K ;D
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The fat does disappear or reabsorb - I know this b/c I remember my doctor and I talking about how it was gone & now I have an indention in my head.
So, K, will this happen to all us fatheads ??? And just how big is this "indentation" ??? :o
Sorry for the hijack, Debbi.
Congratulations on the clean MRI. I know from experience how good that feels! ;D
Jan
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First, congratulations Debbi, on what I hope will be the first in a series of successfully boring MRI's. Second, I don't have fat in my head (that makes me an airhead?) and I do have a small indentation, which I will ask the doctor about at some point.
Again, YAY Debbi!
Marci
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Debbi -
Thanks for the info on what happens to the fat in our heads. As for having the distinction of being both a fathead and an airhead, I do like to think that I am unique!!
Wendy
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Well, not to be outdone... I've got a dent in my head now, too. Guess it took a couple of months for the swelling to go down and now I've got a canyon behind my ear.
Re the dissolving fat ... If my valium-befuddled memory serves me, he did say that it reduces and solidifies over time. Again, one wonders why the heck it won't "reduce" anywhere else? I think this may be payback for the whole "apple in Eden" thing ... (no offense intended to anyone of any religion...)
Meanwhile, to hijack my own thread ... I had to take one of my two cats to the vet Monday (for a sprained tail, which is another story) and when I brought her home, apparently she didn't smell like Phoebe anymore. Which meant that my other cat, Rocket, declared instant Feline Jihad on her. The poor dog, Carrie, is suffering collateral damage by constantly being in the middle of the cats. I must have put an idle thought out in the universe that my life was too dull ... ::)
Debbi, taking cover....
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Good news about your MRI, Debbi! Valium is wonderful, isn't it? I'm only sorry I just discovered it a month ago...
Your cat has a "sprained tail"
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Debbi -
Sorry to hear about Phoebe's sprained tail -- how did she sprain it? Rocket is being a typical male, a girl comes home wearing new perfume and he has a hissy fit!! Poor Carrie, she probably will get the worst of it until Phoebe starts smelling like herself again in a few days. Like most things, this too shall pass.
I hope things don't get too wild before then.
Wendy
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K -
I thought I responded to your post but either the blue men took it away or I must have not hit "post" after I finished typing. Since the fat has been leaking out of my head incision, I wish it would leak out of my bellybutton or something without causing problems too. I'll have to ask my doc why belly fat doesn't just get reabsorbed and see if he answers me -- you're not the only one who would ask it. I'll let you know --- I'm not seeing him again until October 3 and I don't think I'll ask this in an e-mail, he'd probably just ignore it.
Wendy
Sorry for the hijack Debbi
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Debby, I love hearing great news, it must feel so good.
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Wendy~
Sounds like a plan!! ;D We will seek until we get a straight answer!!
K
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Debbi,
Great news on the MRI - congratulations! Hope things calm down soon with the cats - both for your sake...and the dog's!
Nancy
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Debbi -=
I also meant to say I'm sorry to hear you have a canyon behind your ear -- I'm surprised since your docs did put the bone plate back and secured it with titanium straps and screws. Go figure! (that was you, wasn't it or was that Jan?)
Wendy
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Debbi -=
I also meant to say I'm sorry to hear you have a canyon behind your ear -- I'm surprised since your docs did put the bone plate back and secured it with titanium straps and screws. Go figure! (that was you, wasn't it or was that Jan?)
Wendy -
don't know if this was Debbi or not, but yes, I have a titanium plate, titanium mesh and titanium screws in my head - I think lots of AN surgery patients do. And the docs did put the bone plate back.
I don't, however, have a dent - or a canyon :o - at least not yet - and quite frankly, I'm hoping I never do. No offense to the "dented" ones among you :)
Jan
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Hi Jan,
I have hte titanium mesh and screws too, so hopefully no canyon for me either or that was my understanding. I wonder why all the docs don'st seem to use this procedure. The area directly behind the upper half of my ear feels really hard and definintely different from the other side and I've been wondering if this is the titanium mesh or just some residual swelling left over from surgery. Do you notice anything like that?
Thanks,
Wendy
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Jan~
No offense taken - I figure just like something old and worn - the "dent" just makes more loved & gives me more character!! ;)
K ;D
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Feline jihad? That is too funny. :D :D :D :D :D :D
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Beleive me, the Feline Jihad is much funnier from a long distance! Rocket is now hiding under the overstuffed chair in our sitting room and growling anytime anything gets too near his "lair." And, poor Phoebe is still running around with a crooked tail. And, poor Carrie (the collie, who outweighs the cats times 10) is cowering in her crate. I am living in an episode of Wild Kingdom....
Debbi