Author Topic: Need your support!  (Read 43223 times)

Captain Deb

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Need your support!
« on: March 22, 2009, 09:11:58 am »
Hi family and crew,
Well, your dear Captain had a real un-fun day on Friday--I got to spend 14 hours in the emergencey room of my local hospital. Thursday night after dinner I started having pain in my right side and by 5 AM it was so bad Dr Love bundled me into the car and drove me to sickbay. After 4 shots of morphine and endless hours of being poked, prodded, ultrasounded, and CT scanned, the doc came in and told me that I have 2 masses, one on my left ovary, and one in between my liver and my diaphragm. No wonder it hurts to breathe! The good news is that they look like they are cysts and are probably benign if they are cysts. The one on my liver is fluid filled and  inflammed and is giving me all the pain.  I was too doped up to ask for the radiologists report but will try to get ahold of it so I can be sure of the size of these things.

They sent me home with pain meds and anti-inflammatories and told me they would contact my gastro-enterologist so he could do a needle biopsy on the one that is causing all the pain. As of now I don't know if I'm going to have to have surgery or what is going to happen. This thing hasn't stopped hurting so my guess is probably yes.  Which is OK since I am one tough cookie and made it through AN surgery, this should be a piece of cake, but still, no fun at all. So far no migraine from the stress of all this........

Anyhow just thought I'd let you know what was going on and to ask for your support as I'm a little apprehensive of getting a big needle stick in me--I hope they knock me out!

So that's the news from the Sea of Wobegone! AAAARRRRR!!!!

Capt Deb
"You only have two choices, having fun or freaking out"-Jimmy Buffett
50-ish with a 1x.7x.8cm.AN
Mid-fossa HEI, Jan 03 Friedman & Hitselberger
Chronic post-op headaches
Captain & Designated Driver of the PBW

EJTampa

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2009, 09:17:28 am »
Hello Capt Deb.
 
The wonderful thing about prayers is that they are in endless supply!  I am very sorry that life has dealt you yet another lousy hand, but you can be absolutely sure that we are all here behind you offering our full support!  You have lifted the spirits of so many here, and we are only too glad to return the favor!
 
Thoughts and prayers heading your way from me and my family,
 
Ernie
-1.3 X 0.8 cm AN in the right cerebellopontine angle extending into the internal auditory canal.
-Retrosigmoid Surgery with Dr. Bartels and Dr. Danner at Tampa General 3/5/2009.
-Had to cut hearing nerve to get "sticky" tumor, so SSD right side.

Dog Lover

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2009, 09:22:39 am »
Hang in there...you know you have a lot of support here!
Cathy
9mm x 3mm Left Side AN
Mid Fossa Aug. 21, 2008
Dr. Gantz / Dr. Woodson
Univ. of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
No facial issues, hearing saved, I keep active and feel back to normal.

sgerrard

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2009, 10:57:55 am »
Arrrgh!  If it is anything like a kidney stone, I feel your pain!

If  they don't knock you out for the big needle in the stomach, maybe you will pass out at the sight of it. One way or another, you will get through it.

Sorry to hear it, hope it gets dealt with soon.

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.

msmaggie

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2009, 12:54:24 pm »
Enjoy the pain meds as long as they are doing their job! I know how painful cysts can be. I hope your procedures are quick, easy, and painless.  You deserve a quick recovery. Our thoughts are with you.

Priscilla
Diagnosed  left AN 8/07/08, 1.9 CM
Surgery 12/10/08 at Methodist Hospital w/Vrabec and Trask for what turned out to be a cpa meningioma.

cindyj

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2009, 12:57:04 pm »
So sorry, Capt!  How about some valium for the biopsy???  Don't think they normally knock you out for those :-[  Hope you get answers and relief from the pain soon!  And, we'll hope the migraines stay away for you also! 

Will be thinking of you,

Cindy
rt side 1.5 cm - Translab on 11/07/08 Dr. Friedman & Dr. Schwartz of House Ear Institute,
feeling great!

"Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing well those you do hold."  Josh Billings

lori67

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2009, 12:57:27 pm »
Well, if they don't offer to knock you out for the procedure, bring a back up supply of good rum!  Enough of that should do the trick!   ;)

I hope all goes well, the pain stays gone for good and this is just one more little adventure along this journey!  Quit having so many adventures!

Lori
Right 3cm AN diagnosed 1/2007.  Translab resection 2/20/07 by Dr. David Kaylie and Dr. Karl Hampf at Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  R side deafness, facial nerve paralysis.  Tarsorraphy and tear duct cauterization 5/2007.  BAHA implant 11/8/07. 7-12 nerve jump 9/26/08.

sher

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2009, 01:05:51 pm »
sorry to hear about your troubles. Know that I am thinking and praying for you.
Hang in,
Sher
1.2cm x 0.6 cm extracanicular component (7 mm) 05/08/08
MRI in AUG 08  showed 30 % growth
Having CK 9/30, 10/1 and 10/2/08
1/12/08 MRI shows swelling

wendysig

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2009, 02:27:23 pm »
Hi Dapt. Deb -

I hope everything turns out okay and the masses are just cysts.  Sounds very painful so I hope they sent you home with something to manage the pain.  Let us know how you are and what the tests show. 

Best wishes,
Wendy
1.3 cm at time of diagnosis -  April 9, 2008
2 cm at time of surgery
SSD right side translabyrinthine July 25, 2008
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Extremely grateful for the wonderful Dr. Choe & Dr. Chen
BAHA surgery 1/5/09
Doing great!

Kaybo

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2009, 02:32:44 pm »
Capt Deb~
You will be in my prayers!  DEMAND something to take the edge off - I hate to say, but the last biopsyI had was FAR worse than the actual surgery.  I do think most of it was the jerk of a doc doing it but I will always ask for something from now on - & I NEVER take pain medicine!!

Your in my thoughts,
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!

Jim Scott

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2009, 03:34:13 pm »
Captain Deb ~

I'm so sorry to learn of this unpleasant, wholly unwanted event in your adventurous life. 

FWIW: I underwent a liver biopsy just before my AN surgery almost 3 years ago.  They do a CT scan to locate the 'mass' and use Lidocaine to numb the site of the needle injection.  I have to be honest with my captain and tell you the needle was huge!  The good news is that the Lidocaine worked like a charm and all I felt was a little, weird 'jolt', deep in my gut, probably like a baby kicking in the womb (but how would I know that for certain?)  The procedure wasn't very painful, but did take a good 30 minutes to complete.  They were checking a liver 'mass' found during a routine pre-op CT scan .  Much later, my wife confided to me that the doctors involved all thought it was cancer but God smiled on me and it turned out to be a relatively harmless hemangioma that was asymptomatic and needed no treatment.  I trust your biopsy will return a similar diagnosis.  Please let us know as soon as you can.  Thanks.

Jim
« Last Edit: March 22, 2009, 04:32:59 pm by Jim Scott »
4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

Brendalu

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2009, 04:26:09 pm »
Capt Deb,
Thoughts are prayers coming your way!

Hugs and love,
Brendalu
Brenda Oberholtzer
AN surgery 7/28/05
Peyman Pakzaban, NS
Chester Strunk, ENT

Keri

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2009, 04:42:16 pm »
Hi Capt Deb,
I too will be thinking of you and praying for you. Thanks for sharing and keeping us posted about what's going on with you.

Keri
1.5 left side; hearing loss; translab scheduled for 1/29/09 at Univ of MD at Baltimore
My head feels weird!!

nancyann

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2009, 05:23:50 pm »
Capt. Deb:  I'm so sorry to hear this,  I don't know what to say.

You're in my thoughts & prayers during this trying time.
Keep a peaceful heart my friend,   

Always good thoughts,  Nancy
2.2cm length x 1.7cm width x 1.3cm  depth
retrosigmoid 6/19/06
Gold weight 7/19/06, removed 3/07
lateral tarsel strip X3
T3 procedure 11/20/07
1.6 Gm platinum weight 7/10/08
lateral canthal sling 11/14/08
Jones tube insert right inner eye 2/27/09
2.4 Gm. Platinum chain 2017
right facial paralysis

saralynn143

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Re: Need your support!
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2009, 10:16:54 pm »
Well, boogers, Captain Deb. Hope you are back to par in no time at all.

BTW, my kids' school is doing Treasure Island for their drama production this year. We have tons of pirate-y props to lend. I've done the program and PR for the last ten years or so and think this one should be a lot of fun.

Take care and God bless.
Sara
MVD for hemifacial spasm 6/2/08
left side facial paresis
 12/100 facial function - 7/29/08
 46 - 11/25/08
 53 - 05/12/09
left side SSD approx. 4 weeks
 low-frequency hearing loss; 85% speech recognition 7/28/08
1.8 gram thin profile platinum eyelid weight 8/12/08
Fitted for scleral lens 5/9/13