Author Topic: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?  (Read 11684 times)

CMRochester

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #15 on: April 21, 2008, 06:48:58 pm »
Hi all,
Well, I have finally made a decision, after weeks of consulting with doctors in Rochester, Cleveland and Cincinnati.  In the end the decision was not easy - I had narrowed it down to two very good teams - Pensak and Theo at University Hospital in Cincinnati and Megerian and Selman at University Hospital in Cleveland.  I felt that they were  both excellant teams and I liked them both alot.   but I chose Cleveland because they now do more than the team in Cincinnati,  I have more family there, and it is closer to home (4 hrs vs 8 hrs).   I am scheduled for May 13th.  I am very confident that all will go well - I have faith in the doctors and I have a very large army of support (family, friends, church, co-workers).  I am now anxious to have it all behind me.   
This site has been a great help to me.
Pembo, you are right, Dr. Megerian is very personable, as is Dr. Selman.  I know I will be in good hands with them
Ceci

leapyrtwins

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #16 on: April 21, 2008, 09:49:34 pm »
Ceci -

congratulations on reaching your treatment decision - not at all an easy task.

I see you have a date of May 13th, but is that for surgery or radiation?

You may have said in a prior post and I just missed it.

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

sgerrard

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #17 on: April 21, 2008, 10:04:15 pm »
Hi Ceci,

Congratulations on making the decision (I knew you would get there pretty soon). That was the hard part; now you just go for a ride.

We will all be pulling for you if we remember - which we will if you put it on the AN calendar. I know I have that link lying around here somewhere, now where did it go? Oh yes, it's in my signature below. :D

Stay well,

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.

LADavid

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #18 on: April 22, 2008, 01:32:20 pm »
Steve
Great idea for sticking the calendar link in your signature line.  I'm going to try it.
David
Right ear tinnitus w/80% hearing loss 1985.
Left ear 40% hearing loss 8/07.
1.5 CM Translab Rt ear.
Sort of quiet around here.
http://my.calendars.net/AN_Treatments

er

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #19 on: April 29, 2008, 04:52:25 pm »
DaughterMeg,
It is so nice when children get involved in helping their parents.

My An was , left cerebellopontine angle, 1.5x1.1 cm in transverse & 9 mm in craniocaudal dimensions, microsurgical removal. It wasn't very big but it was putting a lot of pressure on my eardrum . The doctor said it was putting allot of pressure on my brain causing strange things to happen like seizures like symptoms . After talking to my doctor I felt confident in him ready for surgery .
 I was 55 at the time. I am 3 years post op and still getting better.
Your mom is in good hands even now cause you are with her and helping her. Keep asking questions  and good luck with you and your mom.
eve

DaughterMeg

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #20 on: May 11, 2008, 03:09:14 pm »
Hi all.  I just wanted to say thank you again for all of your support.  So many have posted and PM'd my Mom and me to help her sort through her options.  I can't imagine what the decision process would have been like for her without all of your valuable input.   (And Steve thanks also for the calendar link, her surgery is listed on there now, this Tuesday is the big day!)  As the worried daughter, it's been comforting to me knowing that all of you have been able to help in ways that I could not.  I wish that none of us needed to be here, but am so grateful to all who have shared your stories and findings with us.  Thank you, thank you!  We'll follow up with the good  news after surgery, when "Wally" is all gone!
-Meg

Dana

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2008, 06:42:23 pm »
We'll all be thinking good thoughts on Tuesday for your mom and you!
Love,
Dana
1.5 cm AN diagnosed June 2007.   GammaKnife July 19, 2007 at Univ. of Washington/Harborview GK Center, Drs. Rockhill, Rostomily. 
After yearly MRIs for 5 years, it hadn't died. So I'm now leaning strongly toward surgery.

leapyrtwins

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #22 on: May 11, 2008, 09:37:08 pm »
Meg -

thanks for putting your mom's surgery on the AN Calendar.

Best wishes to her on Tuesday.  Please let us know how her surgery turns out.

She's lucky to have a daughter like you  :)

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

Melissa778

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #23 on: May 12, 2008, 07:02:42 am »
Best of luck to your mom tomorrow.  Get lots of rest yourself.  She's so lucky to have you. 

Melissa
1.6cm X 1.6cm diagnosed Jan 30 2008
Translab Surgery scheduled for May 15th with Surgery went well, got ALMOST all of it.
GK to zap the rest on 10/22/08
2010 MRI showed no new growth tumor measuring at that time at 1.1 x .4
2011 Holding steady
2012 new growth 1.7 x .7 :( :(

DaughterMeg

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #24 on: May 14, 2008, 08:37:11 pm »
Hi everyone-
Thank you for all the thoughts, prayers and good wishes- THEY WORKED!  Mom is doing great!  Her Doctors worked for about 7 hours yesterday, they said it was pretty sticky, and they did need to leave some behind, we were prepared for that.  What's left is small, there is no more brain stem compression, so it'll be "watch and wait" but is now at a treatable (Gamma) size if it does begin to grow.  Her facial nerve appears to be very well preserved but hearing is almost gone, again we were prepared for that.  Balance, is what it is after surgery, we'll know more in time.  She does have a whopper of a headache, but she's in good spirits today anyway.  So now she will rest and heal.  The Doctors are encouraged at how well she's come out of it, so we're feeling optimistic about her recovery.  And I must say, her Doctors- Megerian and Selman at University Hospital in Cleveland- were wonderful.  She wouldn't have found them without this organization- so again, thank you!  And with that... I'm off to get some sleep now too!
I will pass on your good  wishes to her in the morning, thank you all!
-Meg

ppearl214

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #25 on: May 14, 2008, 09:29:45 pm »
Meg, great news! Thank you for mom's update! Sounds like she's on the right road and most of the journey is done.  Hang in there, pls give her my best wellness wishes... and hoping you are taking care of yourself as well.

Phyl
"Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness", Capt Jack Sparrow - Davy Jones Locker, "Pirates of the Carribbean - At World's End"

leapyrtwins

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #26 on: May 14, 2008, 10:56:59 pm »
Meg thanks for updating us.

It sounds like your mom is doing great!

Please tell her we are thinking of her and sending our best wishes.

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

sgerrard

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #27 on: May 14, 2008, 11:06:59 pm »
Oh good, I'm always glad to hear about one that turned out well. Thanks for the speedy update, too.  Lots of rest and gentle recovery time now. All the best to Ceci and you.

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.

Kaybo

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #28 on: May 15, 2008, 05:31:34 am »
Meg~
Glad to know that things turned out well.  We'll continue praying for you in the days to come!  Hope the headache gets better!
K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

oHIo

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Re: Gathering pre-treatment info for my Mom, we need some help please?
« Reply #29 on: May 17, 2008, 09:13:57 pm »
Thanks for the update.  Glad to hear everything went well.