ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: Pooter on May 18, 2009, 07:09:29 pm
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I sweet talked the MRI Tech into giving me my MRI films on CD from last year. THIS is why my doctor was so concerned last year and wanted to act quickly. See if you can pick out the tumor. ;)
(http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq87/bdcphotobucket/Tumor2.jpg)
Btw, had my doctor appointment today. Will create another post to give details. I'm still at work and need to get home, so not now. Just wanted to share the photo.
Regards,
Brian
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Gee, I'm not sure if I can find it!!
WOW!!
Anxious to hear "the rest of the story..."
K
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Is that a tumor in your head or are you just glad to see me?
Wow, that's an impressive knot of tissue you have/had there.
..take care.. tim b
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Holy mackerel.
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So, Pooter, what's the tumor and what's the old gray matter?
just kidding.
My radiologist told me I had a pretty brain. I was just glad for proof I have one.
Sara
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You don't need 20/20 vision to see your tumor!
I can't wait to see your latest MRI Brian.
Kate
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Okay, pretty impressive MRI picture from last year, eh? I definitely count myself lucky after seeing those pictures. My surgeons were PHENOMINAL!
Now, an update after my doctor visit today..
Overall, fairly uneventful. A few stand outs, though. One, he noted that on my MRI from this year, there's a cyst growing in the same place where the tumor was. Currently, it measures smaller than the tumor. He said that likely nothing would have to be done about it, however we'll watch it to be sure it doesn't grow or causes any problems. I go back for another MRI and appointment this time next year.
I asked specifically about my sinuses being pretty clogged on one side but not the other and he said that it was likely due to sinusitis or a sinus infection beginning to form. My MRI was within a week or so of when I thought I had a sinus infection starting, but then went away. The MRI showed that it hasn't gone away. So, I plan on hitting my regular doctor up for the steroid nasal spray or something to kick the sinusitis.
Another key highlight was that we started talking about BAHA and TransEar (and Cros Aids).. He then asked me if I wanted to try the demo of the BAHA they had. Of course, I said yes. To my surprise, he told me to walk around the hospital, go down the cafeteria for lunch and give it a good try before bringing it back. Jenni and I walked down to the cafeteria to have lunch. It was an Intenso processor, btw. I wasn't really convinced that it was helping or that it was really even working, but then I covered my "good" ear making myself now completely deaf. To my surprise, I could hear! I could hear the conversation at the table, conversations at other tables, background noise, etc.. I also let Jenni try it so she could see what I deal with although she covered both ears to hear it. She said she could very plainly hear two women talking behind her and when she took it off to her "normal" hearing, she could no longer hear what they were saying. It really impressed me!
Now, the TransEar works off the same technology, so now it's down to how it looks. As most of you know, I keep my hair buzzed pretty close most of the time. So, I'm leaning (still) towards the TransEar, however insurance should cover it better with BAHA. So, I'll take some time to think about it and talk to Jenni about it and then decide. Today's demo really showed me that I'd benefit from having one of the two so I'm just about convinced that I want one, but I have to decide on which one.
Overall, a good appointment. I came away from it very enthused and positive.
Regards,
Brian
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Brian,
Thanks for updating us.
It is good that you requested a disk of the MRI image. One of the things I do each year is get a copy of the written report as well. The hospital medical records department can facilitate that for you.
Did he give you the general impression relative to the size of the cyst?
All the best,
Kate
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You don't need 20/20 vision to see your tumor!
I can't wait to see your latest MRI Brian.
Kate
Here's almost exact same picture about a year after surgery. You can see the area where the tumor was (where the cyst is) but it's a remarkable difference. See here:
(http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq87/bdcphotobucket/Tumor3.jpg)
Kate, on this CD I have both sets of MRI scans and reports from each. He didn't specifically tell me the size of the cyst, only "smaller than the tumor was", but knowing how to read the report for at least that much, I can tell you that it measures 3.4 X 1.3 cm. Incidentally, at the time of the original MRI, the tumor was 2.9 X 2.5 X 2.0 cm (according to the report by the radiologist). I forgot to ask the doctor for a copy of the surgery report, but I have to email him about something else, so I'll ask him about that too.
Fascinating stuff!
Regards,
Brian
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Makes me want to yell FOUR! You sure you didn't walk across a driving range on the way to your MRI?
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What a difference Brian! It is so surreal to see our brains in film:-)
Your doctor doesn't seem worried about the cyst. It seems to have grown to 3 cm rather quickly. Just curious, did the doctor indicate why that might have happened?
Kate
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You are right that he didn't seem concerned about it. He didn't indicate a possible cause other than CSF filling in the void where the tumor was. I'm not going to worry about it either unless it starts causing symptoms or starts growing. I can't live my life worrying about something that will likely not be a problem.
The definite highlight was the BAHA demo experiment by far.
Brian
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Pooter -
glad you liked the BAHA demo. IMO it's truly impressive. If you decide to move in that direction and have questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Congrats on the clean MRI results. The cyst sounds like something to monitor, but not a major problem. I think your idea of not worrying about it, unless it proves to be problematic, is the right attitude to have.
Jan
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I saw a golf ball... and then I saw nuttin'...... me thinks me eyes are playin' tricks on me!
*runs off to optomotrist to have glasses prescription checked* ;)
(congrats my Pooter for having nuttin' up there!) :-* :-*
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Brian, congrats on the good report from the doctor. I think the MRI shots are cool. My first one looked a lot like yours....I always referred to it as the golf ball in my head.
I was also not that much interested in the BAHA, but since you liked it so much, I might also give the demo a shot at my next visit.
Thanks for the update.
Patrick
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Hi Brian,
Congratulatoins on your AN-free skull! The pic from last year was amazing and scary! I'm glad you got to try BAHA it really is an amazing device. Whether you choose BAHA or TransEar, I'm sure you'll be happy to be hearing decently again.
Good luck,
Wendy
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Hey there, Brian!
I loved the MRIs!!! Mine looked enormous too, and my husband took it to school to for show and tell (he's a science teacher!). It seems kinda intrusive that something else wants to fill in the hole when it is not wanted, but it's great that your doctor is not concerned. I'm sure that makes you feel pretty good about it!
I am so intrigued about your BAHA test run. That is very encouraging. Is there a similar trial for the Transear? I'm so gunshy about another surgery (even though it sounds like a piece of cake), but wonder what the TransEar feels like stuffed in the ear!!! I wear my hair short too, even though the lovely bald spot where the staph infection was is still VERY bald!!! I'll be wearing my hair just a tad longer in back to cover that up, but I don't want to go any longer than necessary.
Let me know what you end up doing with your hearing devices!!! ..and congrats on the MRI!!
Kathy
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This was easier than finding Waldo! a looks familiar. Seeing your MRI gave me that terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach-yikes- you are right scary stuff. So sereal. Take care, life is good. Michelle
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Well, my friend, that's some booger you had in your head! Isn't it great to see nothing in your head (didn't mean that quite the way it came out...)? Interesting to read your comments on the BAHA. Like you, I am still considering options, but leaning strongly towards Transear just because it is less hassle w/insurance and if I don't like it, I won't feel bad "losing" it... ;)
Debbi