ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: LADavid on February 28, 2009, 03:40:15 pm
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Not only does he make great hats, Steve also comes up with spiffy adjectives. Thanks, Steve.
The AN business is picking up again. This week there are a few surgeries, a couple of birthdays, and an anniversary.
While technically not in this coming week, I found something on Facebook that's today. It's Hrissy's birthday! Chestit Rojden Den, Hrissy!
And on Sunday, 3/1 it's Sue's (in Vancouver, WA) birthday. Chest...er, Happy Birthday, Sue!
On Tuesday, there's a bit of an emergency. When Donnalynn was having her surgery at House, she befriended a young couple from Lousianna -- the wife had her second surgery. Donnalynn just heard that an AN appeared on the opposite side and is growing rapidly. Her name is Beth -- I don't know if she is active on this Forum, but Lainie, Nancy and I are meeting with them on Sunday to wish them the best.
On Wednesday, Jan (leapyrtwins) is celebrating her one year anniversary of getting her BAHA implant. That really seems just like yesterday. Congratulations, Jan! And, since your twins are leap year twins, happy birthday to them.
Also on Wednesday, Steph (highlife) is doing a bit of a pioneering thing. She's have Endoscopic surgery at the Skull Base Institute here in Los Angeles. Best wishes for much success, Steph -- please keep us posted.
On Thursday, the Ernie Countdown reaches The Day. Ernie (EJTampa) and the magic scarf are having a retrosig surgery in Tampa. Have a great surgery, Ernie. Will your wife be updating us?
There's one more event that isn't on the calendar. She's probably too shy (like Lori) to mention things like this. I of course discovered it on Facebook. It's Kay's (Kaybo) birthday! Happy Birthday, Kay! I'm not making any more comments about age any more except to say, Kay is very young.
And that's it for this week. Have a great one everyone.
David
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Thanks, as always, David. I agree, discombobulating (upset, confuse) is a great adjective. Kudos to Steve!
Donnalynn's friend from Louisiana will certainly be in our collective thoughts and prayers this week. I can't imagine the kind of stress she must be going through. 2 ANs are enough for any human being to deal with.
Steph's (Highlife) endoscopic surgery really is relatively pioneering and of course, I hope it goes smoothly and that she has a splendid recovery, as I'm sure she will.
Happy 1st BAHA anniversary to our intrepid poster, Jan. Time does fly!
So, since Ernie's (EJTampa) countdown to surgery finally ends on Thursday and since we've all been counting down with him, we 'll be collectively seeking updates as soon as they're available.
Happy Birthdays to Sue, Hrissy and of course, the indispensible Kay (Kaybo).
Thanks again David - and have a great week, yourself,. I just hope the politicians don't auction off Southern California this week in order to close the state budget deficit. :D
Jim
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Jim, I keep looking out my window every morning expecting to find that everything just stopped working.
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Ernie's wife, Isabel, will keep you all updated while I am down and out, which with some luck and all of your prayers, should only be for a few days! :)
Ernie
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Hello All~
Good Luck and prayers to everyone having procedures this week. David, I am so glad that y'all get to meet with "Beth" - I can't even imagine what she is going thru! Thanks for the b-day wishes...goodness knows that I am not shy about that (or is a secret how old I am!) - I just didn't think it warranted being put on the calendar with all the "serious" things that need to be addressed there!! I will be in Houston (away from my family - so sad) taking care of my MIL who is recovering from surgery so you can send my gift there, David. Jan & Lori are having my new car delivered there! I am SO excited!! ;D
K
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Kay -
Houston? Did you say Houston? Well, darn the luck, they were delivering the new car to Walla Walla, Washington. I'm sure you can see how the two get confused. Oh well. Maybe next year.
Fingers crossed for Beth. David, that is so nice of the LA-er's to go meet with her. Have a good visit.
Steph, good luck with your surgery. We're all anxious to hear how it goes. Ernie, good luck to you also - prayers coming south for you and west for Steph.
Birthday wishes for Hrissy and Sue and Happy BAHA Gotcha Day to Jan! And Happy Birthday to the kids too!
Lori
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Best wishes to all who are undergoing treatments and celebrating birthdays and other important events this week!
I'll echo Lori and Kay's comments about how nice it is for the LA group to meet with Beth, the young patient from Louisiana whom Donnalyn befriended at House last year. As we've mentioned before, Donnalyn and I had our surgeries at House on the same day last year and while our paths never crossed, our husbands and daughters chatted a few times. If I remember correctly, my husband and I met Beth's husband and his parents just as they were arriving at Seton Hall and we were getting ready to leave for home. We were in the breakfast room at Seton when a young man wearing an LSU sweatshirt came in -- I grew up in New Orleans so we immediately started to chat. His parents came in a few minutes later and told us about their daughter-in-law, an NF2 patient, and how she had undergone quite a few surgeries. They were such a nice family! I remember telling them I was sorry that we were leaving just as they were arriving ... and I've thought about them during the past year and wondered how things had gone. So it was wonderful to learn from David's post that Donnalynn took them under her wing. Very best wishes to Beth and her family -- they have been through a lot in the past few years.
Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)
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Catherine -- Your post only confirms my belief that we are a beautiful family here. God has blessed us.
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Thanks David, as always, for keeping us informed about what's going on. Happy Birthday/anniversary to Jan, K, Sue, and Hrissy. Ernie, be peaceful and put your trust in your surgeons and your faith in god, or whatever you believe in. I'll be thinking of you.
Best,
Marci
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Discombobulating - now there's a word! And I actually knew what it meant ;D Although it was nice of Jim to think of me and explain it anyway; he knows me well.
Ernie, I'm confident you'll do great and I look forward to Isabel's updates.
Steph, you'll do great also. Those who have had surgery at SBI have had wonderful outcomes and I'm sure you will too.
LA Gang - and Donnalynn - I'm not at all surprised that you guys befriended Beth and I'm sure you'll be a source of great relief to her and her family. I just wish more of us lived in LA so we could be in this too. Please don't forget to post pictures.
Catherine, very sweet story about your family and Beth's family. It must have been so comforting to everyone to "be in the same boat".
A big happy birthday to Hrissy, Sue, and Kaybo. Eat lots of cake and enjoy yourselves ;D
Kay - congratulations on being indispensible (I know that that means, too, and I agree with Jim) I didn't know you said Houston either - I'm SSD, you know. And I didn't realized you asked for a car. I thought it was diamonds you were after - and I think I shipped them to Nashville ::) Oh well, I guess I got things mixed up. Must have been that little brain surgery I had a few years back :P Lori, when the diamonds arrive, please return to sender ;)
As for me, while I'm still greatly enarmoured (Jim Scott word there :) ) with my BAHA, I'm wondering if with two teenagers in the house now if I'll want to be more deaf not less LOL At least I could claim not to hear all those requests for money :D
Jan, the intrepid poster
PS to David - hope all the stuff in CA keeps working. While there are economic problems here in Illinois, they currently don't outweigh all the other issues created by our crooked politicians. In addition to our governor issues, the long-time mayor of my own town pleaded guilty to taking kickbacks from insurance companies not too long ago. Makes you wonder what the world is coming too.
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Jan,
Did you buy yourself one of those word of the day calendars? :D
I'm just going to keep the dictionary right next to the computer from now on so I know what I'm reading!
Lori - becoming discombobulated in Nashville....
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I am truly in awe. Lainie and Nancy and I just had dinner with Beth and Joseph. They are an amazing couple. You were right Donnalyn. In spite of everything Beth has gone through in the last two years she has an incredible outlook, strength and a wonderful personality. And Joseph is a devoted and loving husband. They are beautiful together. And what is even more amazing to me is that they are so young (she 24, he 27). If I ever start to get down about things, I'm just going to remind myself of these two and what an inspiration they are. I feel very blessed to have met them. Wow!
David
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sending wellness wishes to all that are having treatments this week! :)
BAHA anniversary... love it! :)
and for the sly ones that are celebrating another year older but didn't bother to mention on OUR calendar BUT, noted it elsewhere on the internet... HAPPY BIRFDAY!!!!!!!!!! :)
Phyl
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Phyl~
Just so you will know, I assume David saw it on the side of his screen on Facebook where it says "upcoming birthdays" - it automatically puts the b-days of your "friends" - I certainly didn't POST it on another calendar somewhere!! ;D
K
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Thanks again to David for keeping us all apprised of the week's activities. Hope everything goes well for everyone. So happy people are connecting and learning and growing from one another. It's so heart warming to read about all these friendships/connections being made because of the ANA Forum.
Belated Birthday greetings to my fellow Pisceans! And thank you all for my birthday greetings. I even thought of my own little Birthday poem. Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, I can't believe it, But I'm sixty-three! Boy, ain't THAT the truth! :o :o Had a nice day as we went over to my Brother-in-law's house and saw our nephew who is home on leave from the Marines. He is off to Okinawa for about the 3rd time. He likes it over there. In 3 1/2 years or so he'll have his 20 in. Seems like he just joined! Does anyone else think that the space/time continuum is hurtling along waaaaaay too fast these days? Then off to a steak house, the kind where you throw your peanut shells on the floor, and I indulged in a rib eye steak, heavy on the cholesterol. I thought, what the hey. I seldom eat red meat anymore, so I thought I deserved a treat for my birthday. The best thing on my birthday? My son gave me a really, really nice unexpected hug after our dinner, right in the restaurant. So "huggles" are one of nature's best inventions! :)
Have a great week everyone,
Sue in Vancouver
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Good luck to all having surgery this week.
Happy Birthday to Sue and K - hope they are both wonderful!
Jan -- Happy First BAHA Anniversay! I can't bellieve a year has gone by already. I hope it just keeps getting better. And I don't blame you for wanting to be able to turn a deaf ear (pun intended) to all those money requests. Having a teenager and a tween (soon to be teen) I know what you mean!
Wendy
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Just got an update from Joseph, Beth's husband. Beth is the 24 year old who is had her 4th surgery in the past two years today. It took them awhile to get the tumor because of all the scar tissue, but they got it. And she had an ABI implanted. Into surgery at 10:30, out at 6:30, and now in ICU.
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Best wishes to Beth. Gotta hand it to her, having a 4th surgery at 24 is no small feat. Very discombobulating, I would guess. I hope the ABI takes. Let her know that we are rooting for her.
Steve
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Hopeful healing thoughts go out to Beth and Ernie for good surgical outcomes and hope you are home and healthy soon. Happy birthday Kaybo and to Sue, our indespensable Princess Batty Wench Ships Poet Lorry Ate Sue Wench--You just got it back a$$ward!!
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I think yer in a fix
Yer only 36!!
It must be all the strain
That's gettin' to yer brain!
Happy Birthday !!!
Capt Deb P-)
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Forgive my ignorance, but I'm learning new things all the time.. What's an ABI? What's it for? Etc..
Back to your regularly scheduled discombobulatingness,
Brian :)
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Sending lots of healing thoughts to those having surgeries this week, and tons of good wishes to those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries!
Brian - the ABI that Beth is having implanted is an Auditory Brainstem Implant. It was designed primarily for NF2 patients who would not be candidates for the Cochlear Implant since their auditory nerve can't carry signals from the cochlea. The ABI sends an electrical signal to the auditory section of the brainstem. Very high tech, but not always 100% guarantee it will work.
This is Beth's second surgery to try the ABI, and they won't know if it is successful for another month. Please send lots of positive thoughts that this part of her surgery is also a success!
Nancy
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Cool! Learn something new every day! Thanks for explaining it to me, Nancy. Medical science just astounds me with what they can do..fascinating.
Regards,
Brian
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David -
thanks for the update on Beth. I hope everything goes well for her and that the ABI works this time.
I believe Jeff has an ABI and it sounds very interesting; very high tech.
Jan