Author Topic: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success  (Read 3598 times)

sues1953

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Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« on: May 28, 2010, 08:35:08 am »
Hi Everyone I just wanted you to know that Carol Ann (luvipups) is doing well after her about 5 hour surgery.  I will be giving updates as time goes on.  I talked to her cousin yesterday and all had gone well.

Sue
3.2 cm AN Right side diagnosed 12/4/09
Translab surgery May 2010 with Dr. Jack Kartush and Daniel Pieper at Michigan Ear Institute.
Successful surgery .5mm left on facial nerve.  Full facial movement. SSD, Tinnitis, tongue and lip numbness.  No headaches.  Back to living life.

sgerrard

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2010, 08:34:21 pm »
The first three days don't count, so don't get alarmed if she has some initial symptoms. Sleeping, napping, and resting are the recommended activities post surgery. :)

Glad to hear she is doing well so far.

Steve
8 mm left AN June 2007,  CK at Stanford Sept 2007.
Hearing lasted a while, but left side is deaf now.
Right side is weak too. Life is quiet.

Tracy Lynn

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2010, 09:05:06 am »
Good to hear the update. Thank you for the info Sue!

Praying that all is well.
Right ear, 3.5 cm  Diagnosed 3-23-10 pre-op symptoms: 90% loss of hearing, headaches, Tinnitus.
Translab surgery 5-18-10
Post-op symptoms: SSD, Tinnitus, wonky-head
BAHA implant: 9-2-10

*Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, its not the end.*

sues1953

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2010, 07:54:20 am »
Carol Ann may be comming home today.  The word is that she does have some facial swelling and is running a slight fever.  They did discover after getting to her tumor that is was not an acoustic neuroma after all and that she would require further treatment to get the remaining small amount left on the facial nerve.  I am waiting for more news and will update when I have more.

Sincerely,

Sue
3.2 cm AN Right side diagnosed 12/4/09
Translab surgery May 2010 with Dr. Jack Kartush and Daniel Pieper at Michigan Ear Institute.
Successful surgery .5mm left on facial nerve.  Full facial movement. SSD, Tinnitis, tongue and lip numbness.  No headaches.  Back to living life.

4cm in Pacific Northwest

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2010, 08:27:24 am »
Carol Ann may be comming home today.  The word is that she does have some facial swelling and is running a slight fever.  They did discover after getting to her tumor that is was not an acoustic neuroma after all and that she would require further treatment to get the remaining small amount left on the facial nerve.  I am waiting for more news and will update when I have more.

Sincerely,

Sue

Well Kartush has a great success rate re facial nerve preservation so she is in good hands there. Do you think it is a facial neuroma instead of an acoustic one?

I am sorry to read about the fever. I was in that boat too but it was a lung infection. (MY post op care in ICU was awful... once on the neurosurgery ward it was ok but I was not impressed with my  ICU  expience :-X  at all.)

I hope they do not send her home too soon...

Please send Carol Ann wellness wishes from Oregon... and cyber hugs.

DHM
4cm Left, 08/22/07 R/S 11+ hr surgery Stanford U, Dr. Robert Jackler, Dr. Griffith Harsh, Canadian fellow Assist. Dr. Sumit Agrawal. SSD, 3/6 on HB facial scale, stick-on-eyeweight worked, 95% eye function@ 6 months. In neuromuscular facial retraining. Balance regained! Recent MRI -tumor receded!

Jim Scott

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2010, 12:38:57 pm »
Sue ~

Although its not all positive, we appreciate your update on Carol Ann.  I hope she won't need another surgery and that the doctors can use radiation to zap whatever remains of the tumor.  We await more news.

Jim
« Last Edit: June 02, 2010, 02:23:16 pm by Jim Scott »
4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

sues1953

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2010, 07:10:45 pm »
I soke to Carol Ann briefly today and she will post as soon as she is able.  She is out of the hospital and resting comfortably at her cousins house.  She did infact have a facial neuroma, a piece being left to preserve the facial nerve.  She was told by Dr. Kartush that it was fast growing.  I believe that she had her last MRI done in February of this year so I am guessing that it was larger at the time of surgery.  The plan right now is to have another MRI in 3 to 6 months and radiate the remainder of the tumor.

Carol Ann sends thank you's to all of you.  I will continue to send updates until she can.

Best Regards,

Sue
3.2 cm AN Right side diagnosed 12/4/09
Translab surgery May 2010 with Dr. Jack Kartush and Daniel Pieper at Michigan Ear Institute.
Successful surgery .5mm left on facial nerve.  Full facial movement. SSD, Tinnitis, tongue and lip numbness.  No headaches.  Back to living life.

sues1953

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2010, 07:43:39 am »
Hi All,

I talked to Carol Ann yesterday and she sounds good.  She is very tired and sleeping a lot.  I seem to have the opposite problem, I'm tired but can't sleep  ::).  I told her that Dr. Katusha talked to me about her at my visit and how rare Facial Neuroms are, he said his facial monitor started beeping right away.  He was very proud that he left as little of the tumor and preserved the facial nerve.  He talked as though the Gamma Knife was certainly down the road but that the remainder of the tumor could be easily zapped.  He also told me that he left 3mm behind on my facial nerve which surprised me, my family was told right after surgery that they had gotten it all.  I can only hope that it has no blood supply and it dies, in fact that is going to be the case  ;D.  I am moving on with my life, I have been though enough!

I do understand Carol Ann, she is much younger than I am but I know as soon as she is strong again she will deal with this  and all will be well.  We both thank you for all your prayers and well wishes.  The support here has been awesome.

Sue
3.2 cm AN Right side diagnosed 12/4/09
Translab surgery May 2010 with Dr. Jack Kartush and Daniel Pieper at Michigan Ear Institute.
Successful surgery .5mm left on facial nerve.  Full facial movement. SSD, Tinnitis, tongue and lip numbness.  No headaches.  Back to living life.

CHD63

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2010, 08:28:30 am »
Sue .....

Between the two of you, you and Carol Ann have been through an emotional and physical roller coaster for several weeks.  So glad you are both on the upward swing now to better days ahead.  Thanks for letting us know about Carol Ann.

Best thoughts and prayers.

Clarice
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

Lizard

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2010, 10:58:18 am »
Thanks so much for the updates.
Liz
Left AN 2.5CM,retrosigmoid 11/2008, second surgery to repair CSF leak. 
Headaches began immediately.  Dr. Ducic occipital nerve resection, December 2011!!!!!

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on"
-Franklin D. Roosevelt

Denise S

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Re: Carol Ann"s Surgery a success
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2010, 08:32:48 pm »
Hi Sue thanks so much for posting for Carol Ann.   I am planning to call & check in on her in the next few days.    Glad  to hear what sounds to be good results for the situation of a facial neuroma.   

Chat later,
Denise
W&W 2 yrs. (due to watching other brain tumor: it's stable)
Left AN:  1.2 cm (kept growing during 2 yr.)MIDDLE FOSSA  11/9/09;  Michigan Ear Institute Dr. Zappia & Pieper
SSD, mild tinnitus, delayed onset of facial paralysis lasting 3-4 weeks, no tears AN side
BAHA surgery 10/2/12 Dr Daniels G.R.,MI