Syl's surgery update

[Omaschwannoma]

Jessica thanks for the update.  Very happy for the great outcome with her surgery.  Give her my best letting her know how relieved I am and how great her news is regarding her hearing and facial nerve.  Slow steady days ahead for her and I look forward to when she will post herself. 

[sgerrard]

Thanks, Jessika. Tell Syl she gets an A+ for doing so well. 

Steve

[cmp]

thanks for the update, Jessika, and how wonderful to hear that surgery went well and Syl's hearing and facial nerve are OK! That's just fabulous!

Please pass on my good wishes to her for a speedy recovery--hope every day finds her stronger and more back to herself...

Carrie

[leapyrtwins]

Jessika -

thanks for showing up; I had faith you would.

Wonderful news about Syl - no facial nerve issues and hearing, as well 

Do you know, did Syl have the translab surgical approach like she planned to have?  Just wondering since we have been somewhat debating the chances of keeping hearing intact with translab.  If you don't know the answer, don't worry; I can ask Syl when she returns.

Please give our best to Syl and tell her we are anxious to hear from her personally - when she feels up to it, of course 

Once again, thanks for the update - we tend to worry about our fellow forumites and like to keep track of how they're doing.

Jan

[cindyj]

Great news about Syl.  Thanks, Jessika, for letting us know that all went well - and it sounds as though it did go very well! 

Cindy

[Jim Scott]

Jessika:

Thanks for the very positive update on Syl.  I'm gratified to learn she had such a successful surgery with no complications, facial and hearing nerves preserved.  Wow!  This is fantastic.  Tell Syl we'll be thrilled to have her back as a 'postie' as soon as she's up to it. 

Jim

[Syl]

Hi, all

Wow! What an experience that was. Hope to never repeat that one.
All seems to be going in a forward direction.  The dr said the outcome could not have been any better. My face is just fine. My hearing nerve was preserved, though I don;t hear too much from that side. Doc says give it time. After all the nerve was stretched and needs to heal. No promises though. 

Food stays down, and I feel my appetite slowly improving. The dizziness is really bad, but each day cmes with some improvement. I am slowly gaining stability on my feet and have been using a walker.

On day 3, the PT had me sit up in a chair. That was really tough.

My doc explained to me something about a head frame with prongs, but I didn't pay muchnotice to it until I realized that my headaches are coming from where the from the scab on the lump on my forehead. Can someone explaing the frame thing to me?

Jan:
I had originally planned on translab, but changed my mind and went with retrosig.

I'm worn out for now. will tune in later. It's good to be back.

syl

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Syl...and welcome back!

Congratulations on your successful surgery and the very favorable outcome.

I had the retrosigmoid approach surgery and didn't have any head frame, which is usually associated with Gamma Knife treatment, or at least, I thought so.  That is a mystery to me.  I'm sure another, more informed member, will explain it.

Thanks so much for sharing your good news with us.  Now, get some rest. 

Jim

[Kaybo]

Good to hear from you Syl!!  Continued good healing coming your way.  Remember, it is OK to have a bad day now & then - let them come however they come...   

K

[cindyj]

So good to hear how well things went, Syl!!  Wow, that's so great that your face is fine and hearing seems intact - sounds like you had a great surgeon.

Hope your healing continues each day and the dizziness subsides soon - take care - thanks for giving us your update,

Cindy

[Omaschwannoma]

I had retrosigmoid and the head frame too.  My neurosurgeon explained it was attached to my skull in three places then attached to the table to insure no movement throughout the "ordeal"!  Hope this helps. Your headaches might be coming from nerves being compromised in the placement of the screws or perhaps some other mysterious place the doctors don't know about. 

[leapyrtwins]

Syl -

it's wonderful to see you posting again!  Congratulations, postie!  It sounds like you are doing great - keep up the good work  

I'm ecstatic about your hearing!  I hoped to keep mine by choosing retrosigmoid, but it wasn't to be.  I'm so glad it worked out for you 

As for the head frame, I don't believe I had it - at least my docs didn't mention it and I didn't make note of it in my operative report.  It is my understanding that they just propped my head into "position" with something comparable to pillows (I'm sure there is a more scientific word for "pillows" but I can't recall what that is).

Please give Jessika our thanks for doing a wonderful job of updating us while you were away.

Jan

[sgerrard]

Hi Syl,

Nice to see you back. Congratulations on a great surgery result. Maybe the head frame helped save your hearing nerve, in which case it was worth it. Hearing is always sensitive in any treatment, only time will tell. You sound good for being 5 days postie, just sleep a lot and things will pickup in a week or two. Take care!

Steve

[Pooter]

Syl - Great to see you back to posting.  I had retrosig and the head frame also.  It was attached in one place on the front (forehead) and two places on the back.  I actually have a couple of black spots in the back where it was attached.  They're small enough that with longer hair they wouldn't be noticeable at all.  The place on my forehead was never sore, but I had a scab there for awhile (NOTHING like the new hole in my head and scar!).  I never was told by anyone that I had a frame during surgery or what it was for, but I assume it was for keeping my head still during surgery. 

It's really great to have ya back posting again and the positive report!  Each day brings healing...

Brian

[Jim Scott]

Syl:

I don't mean to hijack your thread but this headframe thing with the retro surgery is interesting.  My surgeon never mentioned a headframe and I never noticed any marks on my head or experienced headaches post-op so I doubt that I had one but I'll ask my neurosurgeon when I see him for my semi-annual MRI/consultation on June 30th.

Again, congratulations on your surgery and splendid outcome.  I hope your recovery is rapid and complete. 

Jim