ANA Discussion Forum
Treatment Options => Microsurgical Options => Topic started by: catlover on May 14, 2009, 11:35:52 am
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Hi everyone,
Now it's my turn for surgery! :o I got the message from the coordinator today and on Wednesday 20th May they're going to take out my AN. It will be the retrosigmoid approach. I'm so scared althought this is what I hoped for. I hope everything will be alright and that I wake up after surgery and I also wish that I could return to my work as a teacher at 10th August to meet a new class.
Please, think about me on 20th and send some prayers too. :(
Best wishes from Sweden and Helene
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Helene~
WOW! That is pretty soon - I guess things work differently over there! Did you put your date on the calendar? When I had surgery, I taught 1st Grade - I had a stroke and quite a few complications - which I know you won't! - and I was back at work in 3 months so I bet you'll be able to make the August date!
You will be in my prayers - I know it will all go well!
K ;)
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Thanks K for your support! You're always so positive and a wonderful person. What would all of us do without you? I hope you're right about the August date and a good outcome. :) My dear hubby Mats will be reporting on the forum, maybe on my profile or otherwise he starts his own. I'll see if I can manage to put the date in the calendar.
Hugs from Helene,
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Helene:
Congratulations on your surgery date. I had the 'Retrosigmoid approach' AN surgery almost 3 years ago and came through just fine, as I trust you will, too.
I put your surgery date on the AN Treatment Calendar. http://my.calendars.net/an_treatments/d20/05/2009?authenticate=&display=M&style=B (http://my.calendars.net/an_treatments/d20/05/2009?authenticate=&display=M&style=B).
Rest assured that my prayers and those of many others will be said on your behalf in the days to come. Especially on May 20th. :) Rest up and remain positive.
Jim
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Helene, You have my teacher hugs and prayers from Iowa. I had a Translab with a 3 cm tumor. I was back in the classroom in 3 months. It was a challenge for me as I tend to work 10-12 hour days. That didn't work at first. I worked 4 days a week for a while until I had the energy to do all 5 days. Everyone knows that teachers are tough and tend to expect a lot from themselves. That's because we can, and we know it. So I have all the faith in the world in you and your ability to be ready on opening day. The kids are counting on you. You go, Girl.
SUE
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Great wishes, Helene!
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Lots of educators on this forum:-) Me too!
I was back to work after 5 weeks, so keeping my fingers crossed for August 10.
Where are you having your surgery in Sweden?
All the best,
Kate
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best wishes on a great outcome.
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Helene -
they sure don't believe in giving you much notice do they?
Regardless, I'm confident you'll do fine with the surgery. I had retrosigmoid also ;D
Like, Kay, I firmly believe you'll be back to school in August to meet your new class.
I'm so glad your husband will be keeping us updated. You know how we worry.
Please let him know that in addition to reporting on your surgery, we are also here to support him in any way we can.
Sometimes family members have a harder job on surgery day than we patients do. At least we get to sleep through the entire procedure ;)
Best,
Jan
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Hi Helene,
So you got your date. Have to be careful what you hope for! You will wake up after the surgery, and you will return to teaching on August 10th. No telling when you will get your hat, though.
Best wishes,
Steve
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Hi Helene,
Just sending my prayers along as well. You can never have too many of those :). Best of luck on the 20th, and I bet you're back to school on time!
Ernie
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Helene,
Sending my best wishes as well. Hope all goes smoothly and you have an easy and full recovery.
;)
Neal
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Helene,
Sending along my best wishes and prayers for you as well.
Keri
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Good luck! I had surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago. I am starting to feel a little normal again. Please pm me if you want to talk.
You will be in my prayers.
Maryebth
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Sending good wishes your way as well. I know that it will go smoothly and you will keep your happy smile! Please keep us posted as to your progress.
Miss Molly
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Hi,
I can't say how happy I am to see all of you wishing me good luck on my surgery day! :) You are really very, very kind and caring people all of you on the forum. Especially thanks to Sue, Kate and Kaybo - all of you know how we teachers are and how much we demand of ourselves and how important it is to be there for the children and welcome a new class. It's not just a job - it'a a way of living. I also have long days and I work about 8-10 hours every day and also several hours on the weekend from home. I have 26 pupils on my own. Sometimes I wonder how we teachers can coupe with it, but I'm sure it's about the good energy the children are sending to us that makes us handle everything that's happening in class during one day. It could be a lot of different things! :o
Thanks Steve for putting my surgery date on the calender, I was hoping you would do that for me if I didn't myself ;)
Dear Jan, both me and my husband Mats are really grateful that you and others are willing to support, not only me, but also the rest of my family.
Thanks all of you, every wish from all of you means so much to me. It feels like we are family, although we live far away from each other and in different continents, but that doesn't matter!
Kate, I'm going to have my surgery in a middle-sized town in the south of Sweden called Lund. It has one of the biggest hospitals in Sweden and take care of a lot of serious surgeries, so I'm convinced that I will get professional help and care there. To get to Lund we go by car for only one hour and then we're there so my hubby and teenagers can come and see me when I'm feeling better.
Love you all! :)
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Hey! I finally found the right thread to post in? Or? Seems like this part of the forum is meant for discussing options? I was hoping to find the thread to send reports when Helene is doing her surgery.
I have be trying to talk to my wife all Saturday but she has been busy preparing school work for her class - there will not be much time to hand over the plans for the last weeks of the semester to her "stand-in"(???) So, she is creating a big file with documents - and it takes time
Maybe she could answer here and give me a hint where to post updates?
... Aah, the wonders of technology, a Swedish couple using an US forum to communicate... :)
-Helene, I'm in the garden working! Call me when coffee is ready! ;)
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Hi Mats,
You can post the follow ups here, or in the topic you started under AN Issues to introduce yourself. It might make a little more sense here, but it doesn't really matter, we will find it. Just pick one or the other, not both. :)
Welcome to the forum, and best wishes to Helene on Wednesday. And I hope your wife posts soon, before the coffee gets cold. :)
Steve
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Mats and Cats,
You two are too funny!
Hope the lesson plans and gardening all got done!
Keri
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For those who saw it, the sidebar discussion on a new forum section has been split off to a new topic in AN Community, titled "Member Update Forum?"
http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=9607.0
Steve
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Helene .....
I will certainly be thinking about you and praying for a successful surgery on Wednesday and a smooth recovery!
As a former teacher (I had retired before my AN was diagnosed.) I can empathize with the amount of time it takes to prepare for a substitute for your students. I always found it much more work to write out instructions and leave materials for someone unfamiliar with my students, than to do it myself.
You and your husband's usernames ..... catlover/largecat ..... are so clever! I look forward to watching for updates from both of you!
Clarice
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Best wishes Helene. This will be over before you know it and you'll be back at school.
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Sweden, Tuesday, 15:30. I just spoke to Helene, she had got her room at the hospital and met most of the crew that will do the surgery tomorrow. She's got a touch of a cold, but the doctors thinks it's not something that will be a problem. The day started with giving lots of blood samples but after that it's been mostly operations talk. She had seen the MR-pics in detail, they have talked about the position and methods. She seemed to feel comfortable wth the team.
There was another AN-surgery going on today, the first with the new scanner that will go BEEP if they touch the hearing nerve. They informed her that the BEEP comes 15 secs after touching the nerve - so one may wonder how much use it is? ??? Better than nothing, of course... And I think Helene is lucky not being the first with the scanner - hopefully they have learnt something from the first try.
Right now she had left the hospital and was sitting in a café downtown listening to jazz and drinking coffee. She was calm, comfortable and felt confidence in the crew. She thought I should stay at home and take care of the family and make a proper dinner for them. Not much for me to do - but to obey orders.
She will be awaken at 6am tomorrow and they told her the operation with take about 3-4 hours. I will be informed by phone what is going on and when she can have visitors. I plan to go to hospital and be there at 16pm - then we will see if she has the strength to meet me.
Hospital: http://www.skane.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=158344 (http://www.skane.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=158344) Not very much in English...
Town: http://www.lund.se/default____1799.aspx (http://www.lund.se/default____1799.aspx) It is better for real...
Google pics from Lund: http://images.google.se/images?hl=sv&q=lund&gbv=2&aq=f&oq= (http://images.google.se/images?hl=sv&q=lund&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=) Good mixed pics.
So, over and out from Sweden - I'll post more if I get more info.
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sending my good luck wellness wishes for a speedy recovery! Will be watching the "cat" updates to see how things are going.
Be well! Thoughts and wishes headed east to Sweden! :)
Phyl
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Helene and Mats,
Good wishes and prayers for surgery day and for a speedy recovery.
Remember Helene, lots of “Cat Naps� while recouping! ;D
Scarlett & Rich
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Mats, Hi! I am anxious to hear how Helene is doing right now - i have been awake and saying prayers for her today!
But i know i must be patient - this is something you learn as a member of the AN club. ::)
I wanted to thank you for the links to the hospital. My younger daughter is studying to be a nurse, and i think she will be very interested in the "Lean Healthcare" concept.
My thoughts and prayers are with Helene, you and your family.
Sincerely,
Sue
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Surgery is over, she is in Intensive Care and there is no need for panic. That is what I know so far, I just spoke to one of the very busy nurses in IC - that's all she had to tell for the moment. Apparently I called the same minute Helene was rolled in there... I'll try calling again in 20 mins...
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Great news, Mats! I'll check back again this afternoon.
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I've seen her smile - both halves of her face is working! Facial nerve is not damaged - they where a bit unsure about hearing. Tomorrow they can tell better.
She was very whoosy?? - spoke a few words to me, very short sentences: "Feel sick" "Sh*t" and "Drugs". So I think she is rather ok considering it took five hours.
It was a sticky one, according to Dr Sidensjö??? . That and the fact that they sometimes waited for the machine that watch the hearing nerve and goes BEEP made it take the extra time.
Tomorrow she is supposed to move from the IC to the ward?? and to her single room there.
In IC they only allow short visits - I will check on her once more and then take the train home.
All ok!
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Great News, Mats! Please give helene a very BIG (& soft) hug from Kaybo!!
K ;D
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Mats .....
Great news about Helene ..... glad she is doing well. It is a big relief to have it over for both of you, I know!
Clarice
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Mats
thank you so very much for Helene's update. Please congratulate her for being a "Postie" (post-treatment) and pls give her wellness wishes for a speedy recovery.
You hang in there too! I know it must be wearing on you as well. Get some rest.
Phyl
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Before leaving the hospital I visited her again. She was more "present" this time, but complained about how slow everything was. Guess she is still on strong painkillers or drugs. Everything was still fine. Let's hope it stays that way. I told her about all the greetings and wishes you sent. I've also been busy calling relatives and friends about the good news.
Me? Well, I did feel that my legs got a bit shaky when the doctor came into the IC. At least until he told me it was a succes. Guess I was a bit pale...
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Forgot something important: The tumour was benign - not the nasty kind.
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So glad she's on the other side of things and athat all, apparently went well! Do give her our best and take care yourself also!
Cindy
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wohoo!!! glad to hear the surgery went well - wishing you a speedy recovery!
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i think those first words she expressed in ICU pretty well sum up what you feel like for a few days....
i hope and pray she's doing better soon and am glad it went well!
keri
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Continued here: http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=9644.0 (http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=9644.0)