I really wanted to post this as SUPPORT for those who are awaiting their surgeries. As the wife of an AN patient, I know how difficult that is for patients and their families. My husband had a 3.5 cm An removed at Duke University on Aug. 22. We are very pleased with his outcome, as are his doctors. The tumor was very very stuck to the facial nerve and to the brain stem, so the surgery took 9.5 hours. He is doing well. Doctors told us they left a small thumbnail sized (without the thumb) piece along his facial nerve, because they had told us if it was very sticky, they would leave a small piece before they would compromise his facial function. We feel this was the right decision. We will follow up with radiosurgery if necessary, but it may not be. NO facial paralysis. Lost hearing in left ear and balance nerve, but balance is coming back well. Nine days post surgery, he is getting around house, up and down stairs and walking outside in the neighborhood. Yesterday he walked about a quarter mile down the street and back. Today took a shower by himself. Had a lot of nausea in hospital, but once he got off Rx pain meds, he felt much better. First week was the worst, after that it has been better each day. Now just taking Tylenol and Ibuprophen. He has been such a trooper - never complained, never whined. I had read so many horror stories about AN surgery and had been very scared - now I wish I hadn't done that. It didn't help and it didn't change anything, all it did was made the worry worse. If you are doing that, I'd just say, try NOT to do that. It doesn't help. He is back to being a dad (he's 45 and we have 2 school-age kids) and our life is slowly, slowly coming back. Yesterday he told me he was thinking about driving - maybe not yet, but soon. We were fortunate to have found an excellent institution and good doctors in the Carolinas. I'm glad we didn't fly cross country to L.A. - the three-hour trip was hard enough on us both. You can get through this. We have.
Jennifer
