Michele, thank you for the article, you always post interesting article.  Though I will admit this was a little difficult to completely understand the outcome.

I was 62 when I decided on CK for my tumor.  When I had my treatment I was under the belief that facial nerve damage was very low approaching zero.  Some of the recent webinars states this is a little higher.  I had no balance issues, however hearing loss and tinnitus we present.  I put together a matrix of the information gathered and continue to update it.  If you want this reach out to me (Dan4att@gmail.com).

I am happy with the decision I made for me.  I am not saying it is right for everyone, we all need to do what is best for us.  ANs are more frustrating then other medical issues as it is not as easy to make a decision. 

Good Luck on your decision journey.

Thanks so much Michele & Dan 

PS my treatment was fractionated over 3 days too.

be well

Stella

Hi Stella! Just wanted to say hi and so glad things are still going well with you! I am also in a good place. My nerve pain seems to have resolved thank goodness!

mwatto:  My surgery was 7.5 hours long.   They told me 7 hours but I am guessing the extra half hour was because they actually lost a needle in my head for a bit and had to get an X-ray done during the surgery to locate it.   I was never told this bit of information by my surgeon, but that's the upside of the MyChart app.   It lists literally everything.  I was not upset that it was lost, because it's not like they didn't realize it was missing, I mean things happen, I am just glad that they kept track of everything and realized it was missing and immediately got the equipment in there to locate and remove it.  And I would be lying if I said a 7 hour surgery on my head wasn't scary.   There was a part of me that was worried I wouldn't wake up or I would wake up somehow damaged.   But in the end I knew it was the best choice for me.  I wasn't so sure about that when I woke up violently ill, the first two days are absolutely awful, but after the second day it wasn't so bad and I could tell things were going to be better, and I made the right decision for me.   I had gone to two different surgeons for opinions, one of them did suggest cyberknife, but I was more afraid of that than surgery because I have two friends in the medical field that told me multiple times that I didn't want anything to do with radiation of any kind unless it was a last resort. 

I have no experience with radiation and I'm not young, I am 57 and just had the translab surgery 3 months ago on May 13th.   Before surgery I had really bad balance and couldn't run at all.   Now just shy of 3 months later I am great, and training for a 5k.  The surgeons have to tell you worst case scenario, but I am living proof that there are very positive results from the surgery too.   Everybody's risk level is different and I feel that if you are in relatively good health and active your recovery would go well.  I guess what I am saying is don't let the worst case scenario risk discourage you too much if you are currently in good health otherwise.   Now I do still have significant hearing loss in that ear, but no matter which treatment you choose the hearing loss is most likely permanent.  Also I think it is a good idea to do something before there are any other major symptoms.  Sometimes those symptoms are from irreversible damage.