Author Topic: Mark Ruffalo - Actor  (Read 28636 times)

lthompson

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 29
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #15 on: March 20, 2007, 10:30:21 am »
His surgeon was Dr. Golfinos (NYU).  I was there last year speaking with Dr. Golfinos and I had heard that he was operated on at NYU and wanted to know if he was the surgeon and he said yes.  He didn't go into any details other than he is very pleased with his outcome.  If anyone finds out when it will be replayed on Bravo, please let us know.  Thanks.

Desilu

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 378
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2007, 02:33:03 pm »
Hi All,

I watched the show and found in very interesting but wished he would have talked more about his recovery. He never mentions that he is deaf on the left side. He did say it took him 10 months before he was back working again. I wonder how big his tumor was and what approach the doctors used on him?

I totally agree with Mark when he said (not his exact words) We need to be thankful for everything that we have and not take so many things for granted. Most of us that have had surgery have felt this way. I'm sure that others that have had Gamma or Cyber Knife have probably felt this way after their treatments have ended also.

Wouldn't it be kind of neat if we could get him to be a spokeperson for the Acoustic Neuroma Association?   Ann
HEI July 26, 2005
5mm X 8mm Left AN
Middle Fossa
Dr. Brackmann & Dr. Hitselberger

goinbatty

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 288
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #17 on: March 20, 2007, 09:45:20 pm »
This article states he lost hearing in the AN ear.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=181566


1/2007 - 6 x 4.5 mm AN
8/2007 - 9 x 6 mm
CK at Georgetown 1/7/08-1/11/08; Dr. Gagnon
3/2008 - 10 x 7 mm
7/2008 - 9 x 10 x 6 mm (NECROTIC CENTER!!!!!)
5/2009 - no change/stable
4/2010 - 10 x 7 x 6 mm; stable/no change
5/2011 - 10 x 7; stable/no change
6/2012 - 8.1 x 7 mm
4/2014 - stable/no change

mar50

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #18 on: March 21, 2007, 04:05:08 am »
According to bravotv.com, there's a re-broadcast Thursday, March 21 at 1 a.m.  I don't see it again on the schedule for the next few weeks.

superrmaren

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 35
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #19 on: March 21, 2007, 10:06:51 pm »
it is airing thursday 3-22 at 1 pm et.
gonna have to tape that one!
xox
"the good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems"

4.5cm tumor resected at Johns Hopkins in 2006.  Drs. Tamargo and Minor
numerous facial plastic surgeries
12-7 nerve graft 2008
platinum eye weight removed 2009
deaf right - BAHA
residual balance issues
severe dry

msuscottie

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 350
  • Postie x 3
    • mytooma - the acoustic neuroma blog
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2008, 11:14:31 am »
Not sure if you guys saw this article about Mark, but it's about his new movie and his tumor ...

http://thebraingang.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/movie-hits-close-to-home-for-ruffalo/

jazzfunkanne

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 457
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2008, 12:46:56 pm »
What size was his tumour does anyone know?
over 4.5cm AN removed dec 06

robynabc

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 200
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #22 on: October 03, 2008, 09:42:23 pm »
Mark Ruffalo said his tumor was the size of a walnut.  I think that would be what, 3.0 CM?  I have always disliked his way of talking about his tumor.  He won't ever say it was an AN and he says and acts like he doesn't know it was an AN and that he doesn't understand why he had facial paralysis and deafness.  It feels like he is sort of just playing it up a little.  Now,  I admit how do you play up a brain tumor and brain surgery.  I just mean he describes it sort of funny.  Maybe he wasn't told that it was an AN.  I don't know.  Just my weird take on it.
18 yr Son 4.5+ CM AN  surgery 6-27-07 at CU in Denver.Drs Lillihei and Jenkins. Complete removal on facial nerve with no paralysis at all. Paralized vocal cord that is causing swallowing & voice issues.  SSD. Went to a movie theater 11 days after surgery. Great Doctors!! That is most important.

leapyrtwins

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10826
  • I am a success story!
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #23 on: October 03, 2008, 09:52:32 pm »
Robyn -

IMO Mark doesn't really want to go into a lot of detail about his AN because it's not something he wants to publicize.  I guess there's some concern about what it possibly does for his career  ???

Oh, well. 

Who needs Mark to be our AN spokesman, when we've got LA David who's proud to say he's one of us  ;)

Thanks for doing us proud, David  ;D

Jan
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

robynabc

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 200
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #24 on: October 03, 2008, 10:01:45 pm »
You know I think you are right so I try not to judge.  If you have to be careful with your career.  Plus,  just think how hard it was to have facial paralysis for a year.  He had to turn down a big picture and didn't know if he was going to act again.  I should give him a big break,  and I am.  Okay,  I give,  who are you LA David?

Robyn

18 yr Son 4.5+ CM AN  surgery 6-27-07 at CU in Denver.Drs Lillihei and Jenkins. Complete removal on facial nerve with no paralysis at all. Paralized vocal cord that is causing swallowing & voice issues.  SSD. Went to a movie theater 11 days after surgery. Great Doctors!! That is most important.

leapyrtwins

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10826
  • I am a success story!
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #25 on: October 03, 2008, 10:12:23 pm »
Don't even tell me you missed David's article in the latest issue of the ANA Newsletter  :o

Jan

Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

robynabc

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 200
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #26 on: October 03, 2008, 10:14:21 pm »
Oh my.  I didn't read it.    :-[  I don't have it either.   Please, please fill me in.  I am so curious now.
18 yr Son 4.5+ CM AN  surgery 6-27-07 at CU in Denver.Drs Lillihei and Jenkins. Complete removal on facial nerve with no paralysis at all. Paralized vocal cord that is causing swallowing & voice issues.  SSD. Went to a movie theater 11 days after surgery. Great Doctors!! That is most important.

Tumbleweed

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1052
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #27 on: October 04, 2008, 12:38:42 am »
I have always disliked his way of talking about his tumor.  He won't ever say it was an AN and he says and acts like he doesn't know it was an AN and that he doesn't understand why he had facial paralysis and deafness. 

Unless and until you are in his shoes (being famous), you really can't know what he's going through. He's obviously uncomfortable talking about it. And for good reason: if he's not careful, the sensationalistic media will focus obsessively on his tumor and not on his acting career. Imagine having no privacy and everything about your life is fair game for millions of people to see, gossip about and judge (often unfairly).  Would you want to be acknowledged for your skills and your work, or for being sick with a disease that has a big stigma attached to it? I'm sure he goes into each interview planning not to talk about his tumor and the press just hounds him to talk about it because it fascinates the morbid public. Many of us have lamented on this forum about friends and acquaintences (and sometimes family members) who don't understand what we go through. Now multiply that one million times for someone like Ruffalo who is constantly in the public eye, and hopefully you'll begin to understand a little what the pressure is like for him.

He's got a family to support, too. Having a brain tumor is not what's going to get him his next job opportunity (film role). Being a great actor is what he must focus the press' attention on. Also realize that the press regularly misquotes what people say in interviews. What is printed often isn't a direct transcript of the conversation. It is usually condensed down to short excerpts taken out-of-context, and then edited further by someone who didn't even do the interview. So please don't judge him. He is one of us and struggling just like us to keep working in the face of this horrible illness and doing what he loves most in life (acting).

Tumbleweed
L. AN 18x12x9 mm @ diagnosis, 11/07
21x13x11 mm @ CK treatment 7/11/08 (Drs. Chang & Gibbs, Stanford)
21x15x13 mm in 12/08 (5 months post-CK), widespread necrosis, swelling
12x9x6 mm, Nov. 2017; shrank ~78% since treatment!
W&W on stable 6mm hypoglossal tumor found 12/08

leapyrtwins

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10826
  • I am a success story!
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #28 on: October 04, 2008, 10:44:36 am »
Some very good points, Tumbleweed, but even though I've never been in those "shoes" it seems to me that Mark should be very proud of what he's been through and would want to shout his good news from the rooftops.   It would be one hell of a public service to those "like us".

IMO it would be a little different if he had lasting effects from his AN - and maybe he does and we just don't see them - but he's well past the point where his AN is preventing him from earning him his livelihood.  He's definitely an accomplished actor and that's a very good point for him to make.  He overcame a major stumbling block to get to where he is today and you'd think he'd want to encourage others who are dealing with the same thing (namely an AN) and prove to them that it doesn't mean the end of "life, as we know it".

I'm certain not everyone will agree with me, but this is just my opinion.

Jan 
Retrosig 5/31/07 Drs. Battista & Kazan (Hinsdale, Illinois)
Left AN 3.0 cm (1.5 cm @ diagnosis 6 wks prior) SSD. BAHA implant 3/4/08 (Dr. Battista) Divino 6/4/08  BP100 4/2010 BAHA 5 8/2015

I don't actually "make" trouble..just kind of attract it, fine tune it, and apply it in new and exciting ways

Tumbleweed

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1052
Re: Mark Ruffalo - Actor
« Reply #29 on: October 04, 2008, 09:39:59 pm »
Jan, I respectfully disagree. Ruffalo has had a lasting effect from his AN -- SSD. That might very well limit his job opportunities -- if people in the industry regard it as a critical handicap. Perhaps he has trouble hearing fellow actors speaking their lines or the director speaking to him from across a stage set. Besides that, if he is like most of the rest of us, he probably struggles with fatigue, tinnitus and possibly disequilibrium. His disequilibrium, if he suffers from this, may preclude him from taking on roles in action movies. Maybe his facial paralysis hasn't totally resolved itself. He may very well have already gotten passed over for some film roles -- and been dismissed as a candidate for roles on Broadway, for instance -- because of his SSD. The point is he has nothing to gain by focusing other people on his tumor. And, again, unless you were in his shoes, you really really cannot possibly understand his motives. His choices are as valid as the personal treatment choices we validate and honor for everyone on this board. It's his life. He owes nothing to other people simply on the basis of their having the same illness. (I and many others participate in this forum because I want to help others -- and sometimes be helped, as well -- but that's my personal, spiritual choice and not something that should be expected of everyone.) Should we all condemn Paul Newman for not discussing his cancer the last several years of his life?

As for his discussion of his AN being "one hell of a public service to those like us," I just don't see how. It's the knowledgeable people who give advice to newly diagnosed people on this forum that are giving something of value. Mark Ruffalo is just an ordinary person who society has elevated because he's in the media. All things being equal, his views about ANs are no more and no less valuable than that offered by another person with the same experience and knowledge. It is sad to me that people think somehow their lives will be vastly improved if someone famous says they've got the same problem or problems as them. Any boost someone would get from that would be extremely short-lived and disappointing in the end.

You can no more understand Mark Ruffalo's personal and private choices than you can understand what it's like to live in Tasmania.

Respectfully,
Tumbleweed
L. AN 18x12x9 mm @ diagnosis, 11/07
21x13x11 mm @ CK treatment 7/11/08 (Drs. Chang & Gibbs, Stanford)
21x15x13 mm in 12/08 (5 months post-CK), widespread necrosis, swelling
12x9x6 mm, Nov. 2017; shrank ~78% since treatment!
W&W on stable 6mm hypoglossal tumor found 12/08