Hi Lpenink,
I am sorry you had to join this group, but you will find everyone one on this site will want to help you. I was so scared and depressed when I first joined and after months it has gotten better. I laugh at what some people say and also cry because of the pain some go through. I find myself grateful to have found this site, and really appreciate being a part of it until I realize I really don't want to be a person with a AN tumor, but then I would have never had a reason to belong to such a great group of people. Illness can and does bring out the best in people. That being said I will try to help you the best I can, there are others who are greatly informed and will also help.
I had lost all hearing in my tumor ear and had extreme tinnitius, had radiation done by the Novalis unit in SD by a team of Doctors. They suggested a one time dose of radaition because the hearing was gone. Because of the one dose they didn't use a mask they screwed a halo to my head and then bolted that to the table. The treatment was fast and as I said only one time so I didn't have to keep going back ( I was very grateful for that). I had a couple of valiums in me so I slept all day and night. If they do screw a halo to your head you have to sleep in a recliner for about a week because of swelling. I took the next day off just because I thought I would be nice to my self, but I really didn't need to, I felt fine. I did have some exhaustion for awhile. My tinnitius went away completely, what a relief! I had MAJOR problems with balance 4 months later, am still having problems but not as severe as before, I can work, drive and still go out and do things. I had the procedure done Oct 2004.
What type of machine are they using on you? Did you get a second opinion? Are they doing a single dose, will you have a halo, how many gy's will they do? I did hear that if they do fragmented radiation that normal tissue surrounding the tumor has less chance of being damaged. The blessing is that your tumor is small and you are fortunate they found it early.
We are all here for you, take care.
Deb