immediate post-surgery

[stormy]

Hello!  I am new to this forum but have learned a great deal, nonetheless, from "girlfriend," my partner for "better or for worse"who has posted questions on my/our behalf since my diagnosis in Dec. '08.  She has shared with you that, several consults and a couple months following my diagnosis, we have decided to proceed with surgery.   Dr. Gantz, from the Univ of Iowa will do the surgery using the middle fossa approach.  While I have complete confidence in his skill, based on his reputation and our interactions, I am most frightened by the period immediately post-surgery.  I'm told I'll be in the ICU overnight, moved to a regular floor that next day, and in hospital a total of 3-5 days.  My tumor is on the vestibular nerve and measures approx 14mm x 11mm ("a large small" tumor).  I'm told by Dr. Gantz that I have a 50/50 shot at hearing preservation, which at present is poor at the higher frequencies.

If anyone is willing to share their experience, I would welcome the information; it seems the best thing for my anxiety.  I would be interested in the length of your surgery and what you remember about your first few post-surgery hours/days.   I would also love to hear from anyone who had Dr. Gantz as their surgeon for this type of procedure.  Thank you.

My surgery date is April 10th. 

Kind regards,

Stormy

[anissa]

Welcome!  I can't help you much, just wanted to say "hi" and know you're in good company.  I hope you get all the answers you're looking for.  I'm having translab approach surgery on the 1st of April and my Dr. told me to expect the same thing as far as hospital stay.  All I know about the first immediate days post surgery is that "the first three don't count".    

[wendysig]

Stormy,

Although I've heard good things about Dr. Gantz, I live in New York and had different surgeons.  One night in ICU, 4-5 day hospital stay is usual,although some people who have done really well have gone home sooner.  Everyone's experience post-op is different.  It is not unusual to be nauseous and throw up.  Double vision seems to happen to many also, as well as a salty/bad taste in the mouth.  Food can taste nothing like i should.  Dizzyiness is common.  I was fortunate.  No post-op nausea, no doulble vision, no salty/bad taste in my mouth.  I was dizzy, a little moreso than prior to surgery but managed to do plenty of walking during my hospital stay.  Pain from the surgery was well managed -- one of my nurses said it is best to stay ahead of the pain and not let it get too bad.  If you have pain, ask for meds, don't try to tough it out.  The first few days are the worst, if you listen to you body and get lots of rest, things improve quickly.

Best wishes,
Wendy

[MAlegant]

Hi Stormy,
I was operated on in Cleveland but I can give you my stats.  After surgery I spent a fair bit of time in recovery and then ICU; probably about 24 hours total.  After that I was moved to my own room and then went home.  Surgery was on a Tuesday and I went home on Thursday.  This is short compared to what others have experienced.  Since I warned the anesthesiologist that I was afraid of vomiting after surgery, he made sure I was medicated in the recovery room.  I also did not wake in pain--I was very well drugged!  The first three days were the worst but they were not anything that I couldn't handle.  I took a trip to Florida at 3 weeks and went back to work part time at 6 weeks, full time at 8 weeks.  I have been recovering steadily ever since.  Have heard good things about Dr. Gantz from this forum.  Good luck and welcome.
Marci

[EJTampa]

Hi Stormy,
 
First, welcome to our group here, I see you are already getting lots of good info.  I'm sorry you have to go through this surgery, but many of us have, and most of us did well.
 
My recovery period has been unusually short as far as hospital stays go.  I had retrosigmoid surgery on March 5th, and was home the night of March 6th.  My pain was managable and I was eating normal food already, so home I went.  Every case is different, however, and the normal is a day or 2 in ICU, with a 3 to 5 day total stay.
 
I do have symptoms.  They were unable to save my hearing, but I have no facial issues at all.  I still get dizzy and lose my balance when I turn from side to side or look up/down, but that is improving slowly.  I do have the strange taste in my mouth as others report, and I also get some stiffness/pain at night.  I have kept a bit of a journal here on the forums with my daily updates since surgery at http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=8882.0.
 
It's time for the waiting game now, and that was the hadest part for me.  Things moved so quickly the morning of surgery that I never had time to get nervous .
 
Ernie

[cindyj]

Hi, Stormy!  Yes, everyone's recovery is different...yet, most have quite a bit in common.  In brief, I was in ICU the "usual" 24 hours and in the hospital a total of five days.  The first three, for me, were filled with dizziness and nauseaousness.  However, once I finally started walking on the fourth day, things improved quite quickly.  Within three weeks, I was feeling quite good, all things considered!  I did have someone with me 24/7 for the first week out of the hospital, but then, felt fine to be on my own.  Now, I did NOT do any cooking, cleaning, etc (never have done much cooking anyway ), but I felt well enough to be on my own.  Was driving by four weeks and playing tennis by about six weeks.  Again, "individual results may vary" as you've read, but try to think as positively as possible and once you're cleared for activity, try to do as much walking, etc as possible.  It really does help to get moving!

Best of luck to you!  Keep us posted,

Cindy

[kathylittlejohncobb]

Hi Stormy,
Best of wishes to you on your journey!  One of the best things is that you are secure in your relationship with your physician.  That is SO important!
To answer your questions about immediate post-op:  I had retrosigmoid at House in L.A. almost 3 years ago.  I do remember being awake in the recovery room or maybe it was CCU.  When my husband came in the first time, I remember making a joke about wanting some crawfish etoufee' (We live in Louisiana) so that he would know I was o.k.!  It wasn't until days later that he told me my eyes were not tracking normally; one faced one direction & the other the opposite!  But he said that each time he came in the room, my eyes were tracking better, until they were normal again.
My hospital room stay was four days, during which time I re-learned how to walk and to maneuver stairs.  After that, we stayed next door at the guest house for several days, keeping doctors' appointments, etc., for follow-up care.
The worst thing that happened to me was getting food poisoning from a pizza place where we ate.  (I was dumb and ordered a shrimp scampi pizza!  I should have stuck with something less likely to have freshness problems!)  That was a MISERABLE experience; I truly thought I would die then.  It was MUCH worse than the surgery!
Take care of yourself, keep a sense of humor about things, and God bless you.  
And don't eat any seafood for a while!
Let us hear from you,
Kathy

[NancyMc]

And don't eat any seafood for a while!

Oh, no, I'm going to be in Boston and was going to have Union Oyster House chowder smuggled in to me!

[JerseyGirl2]

Hi, Stormy,

I'll add to the thread of "life immediately after surgery." I had translab at House about a year ago, and remember waking up in ICU feeling thirstier than I'd ever felt in my life. Absolutely no nausea, double vision, or anything else bad -- just tired and immensely relieved that the surgery was over and I was alive. I felt as though I was eating ice chips by the ton (though it still wasn't enough!) and remember telling my doctor that I would pull every tube out of my body and crawl to the other side of the room if I ever happened to spy a Diet Coke there.

I was in ICU for the requisite 24 hours (I had heard horror stories about removing the catheter during the ICU stay, but it was totally a non-issue) and when I was being wheeled to my "regular" room I remember hoping that I would get there in time for lunch (I had advanced to pudding and jello cubes before leaving ICU) -- the steroids were really working on my appetite and I was ravenous at every meal (I didn't experience any of the metallic or other "off" flavor sensations that many patients seem to have).

Spent a few minutes with the physical therapist the next day, and walked the hospital halls as much as I could after that -- no dizziness or need of a cane, etc. I was in my hospital room from Thursday afternoon until Sunday afternoon, was able to relax, read, and watch television comfortably, and then stayed at Seton Hall until the following Friday afternoon. Flew home Saturday and took it really easy for the first couple of months. I've been fine ever since.

As everyone has said, each patient seems to have a different recovery response. There are so many variables going into surgery (presenting symptoms, size and location of the AN, the degree of compensation of your opposite balance nerve, etc., etc.), coupled with the differing effects of the various surgical approaches and each individual's personal reaction to the anesthesia; this makes it virtually impossible to know exactly what to expect.

Best wishes with your surgery! I hope that everything goes well with you.

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[kathylittlejohncobb]

Nancy, I'll feel better if you wait & have that chowder flown in to your hometown after about a month!   
I wouldn't wish food poisoning on the devil after surgery!   
Kathy

[NancyMc]

Well, okay, fine, if it'll make YOU feel better.  I'll just doggy bag some on my way out of town on release day. 
Nancy

[kathylittlejohncobb]

Nancy, I do feel better now!  Be sure to put that doggy bag on ice!   
Kathy

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Stormy ~

You've received some excellent replies to your question regarding the post-surgery experience, which is always a bit different for everyone.    I'll just add my welcome and mention that we have an 'AN Treatment Calendar' where I've posted your April 10th surgery.  You can see it here: http://my.calendars.net/an_treatments/d10/04/2009?authenticate=&display=M&style=B.  Please feel free to change/add as necessary. My best wishes (and prayers) for your surgery. 

Jim

[DLM4me]

Stormy, I share your curiosity as I haven't had my surgery yet--it's scheduled for April 8--but I just wanted to say hi and we're all in this together!  I'm in L.A. and will have the wonderful Dr Brackmann and other docs from House Ear Institute doing my surgery.  Since our operations are just two days apart, we'll be in the post-op process almost simultaneously.  I'm sure we'll both have much to report!

[Sue Vogel]

Hi Stormy,   You're in very good hands with Dr. Gantz, and the Univ. of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will take very good care of you.  My translab. surgery with Dr. Gantz lasted nearly 10 hours.  My tumor was larger than yours, but that doesn't always determine the surgery time.  Mine was also on the vestibular nerve.  I lost that nerve and the hearing nerve, and knew I would be SSD going into it.  Dr. Gantz promised to save my facial nerve, and he did just that.  The ICU was full when I came out of surgery, so they took me back to the Pre-Op room for my immediate recovery care.  That was nice because I was the only one there will a full staff to take care of me.  After several hours there, I was taken to ICU for the night where I was awakened frequently for various checks, blood draws, etc.  You inquired about right after surgery.  I remember my family coming in after surery to see me in the Pre-Op room.  My husband grilled me with questions (to see if my brain was functioning well, and I answered all of his recall questions perfectly.)  I made a joking comment to my husband about having a headache, and bumped knuckes with my son-in-law (the high school way - we're all teachers.)  I have vague recollection of a bumpy ride to the ICU, and I remember that it was a more business-like environment than being in the Pre-Op room by myself.  That stay only lasted until 2:00 the next afternoon when I was taken to a room.  I had four mini episodes of getting sick to my stomach, but with no food it really didn't amount to anything.  By 4:00, the sickness was over.  Univ. of Iowa is a teaching hospital, so a team of not less than 8-10 doctors shows up at the crack of dawn to check you out.  I actually enjoyed that and didn't cut them any slack.  I figured it was still my party and I was the hostess. 

The bandage around the head is tight.  It is difficult to find a way to lay your head down.  I took my own small pillow and soft fleece throw - the smartest move in my packing.  That was my comfort item.   I had jaw problems and couldn't open my mouth very well for a while.  Food didn't taste good anyway.  I used a lot of lip gloss and ate mashed potatoes and sherbert.  Have dark glasses for the trip home.

I kept up a positive attitude and tried to maintain humor and a smile.  It worked for me.  Surgery was Monday morning, and they sent me home Thursday morning - two days before they predicted. 

Dog Lover had Mid Fossa with Dr. Gantz.  She could give more details of your surgery though I'm sure there are similarities.  We have become friends and share our recovery woes and achievements.

If you would like to talk before or after your surgery, let me know and we can exchange phone numbers.  You're going to be ok from this.  There are many AN friends who will support you and be there when you need them.  Most importantly, be positive and optimistic.  Bless you and "Girlfriend."

SUE