Author Topic: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)  (Read 14189 times)

Darin

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Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« on: June 30, 2009, 03:18:26 pm »
Hey everybody, just wanted to give my tumor one last chance to say 'goodbye' to everybody before he gets annihilated tomorrow morning at 8:30AM EST courtesy of retrosigmoid surgery. I'll be having my brother-in-law, Andy, update this post tomorrow (if WIFI is available) as the day progresses. You don't have to be nice to him if you don't to  ;) Thanks everybody for spending valuable time with me on this forum. I really do appreciate all the comments. 'Talk' to you soon  ;D
3cm AN on right side
Surgery July 1st, 2009
C'mon facial nerve, you can do it!

Joe B

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2009, 03:35:02 pm »
Darin

 The waiting really was the hardest part for me. I'm glad that it won't be long before you are a postie. I hope all goes well. I will say a prayer for you and talk to you soon in Postieland!!
2.9 cm AN left side
MRI 5/13/09
Translab 6/04/09 Tampa General Hospital
SSD

Darin

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2009, 04:56:39 am »
Darin just went into the prep room here at the hospital. We will keep this site updated with his status from time to time.

Just so everyone knows, Darin DID take care of all the important stuff before he went into to surgery. He and his bro watched a movie late at night and he got three hours of sleep. Oh yeah, and the receptionist came out and called for "Doris." No one got up, and she then looked at the other receptionist who checked Darin in. Apparently she didn't have very clear handwriting . . .

That's all for now!

(By the way, I am Andy, Darin's brother-in-law. I will be updating this site. Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to keep checking this as frequently as the WIFI permits.)
3cm AN on right side
Surgery July 1st, 2009
C'mon facial nerve, you can do it!

leapyrtwins

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2009, 05:48:05 am »
Thanks for the update, Andy.

I hope things will go smoothly for Doris - er, I mean Darin  ;)

Looking forward to more updates as the day progresses.

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

nteeman

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2009, 06:12:57 am »
Darin,

Wishing you all the best!

Neal
Diagnosed 12/16/2008
AN 2.4 X 2.0 X 1.6 CM
surgery performed on 1/27/2009 Mt. Sinai Hospital, NYC
Dr.Bederson & Dr. Smouha
9:30am thru 5:50pm
http://www.facebook.com/neal.teeman

Lilan

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2009, 06:42:00 am »
Ah, the prep room: compression stockings and "The View," is how I remember it. Happy that Darin will soon have this day behind him and can focus on healing and his triathlon!
Facial nerve hemangioma. Probable dx 7/2008 confirmed 4/2009. Combo middle fossa and translab to remove the blood vessel malformation and snip ruined hearing and balance nerves by Drs. House and Brackmann @ House 6/2009. Doing great!

TxNurseNoelle

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2009, 06:45:12 am »
Darin is in my thoughts and prayers today for a speedy recovery...We are all sending good thoughts his way...Keep us posted

Darin

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2009, 06:58:55 am »
Darin's surgery just started. He told the nurse that he had a bloody Mary this morning! He didn't, but it was funny to mess with the nurse. Everything was going well, until the surgeon walked. At that point, all trust in him dissipated as we noted the little hat he was wearing (his surgeon's beanie).

It was an Ohio State Buckeyes beanie.

Not cool! I am from Iowa, and a Hawkeye fan. My wife (Darin's sister) is a Michigan Wolverines fan. The rest of the family here in the waiting area don't like Ohio State either. Hopefully the surgeon doesn't add a Buckeye tatoo to his head when the surgery is over!

More updates to come.
3cm AN on right side
Surgery July 1st, 2009
C'mon facial nerve, you can do it!

Cheryl R

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2009, 07:23:38 am »
A long day for your family and hope it all goes well.           I think I heard thru Darin you are from Ankeny and I am not far from there near Boone.    I was down there Mon.             I wrote to him as our daughter lives in Lansing so have Michigan ties too.
     I am having some non AN surgery in Des Moiines this afternoon so won't be seeing later updates.
                                                          Cheryl R
Right mid fossa 11-01-01
  left tumor found 5-03,so have NF2
  trans lab for right facial nerve tumor
  with nerve graft 3-23-06
   CSF leak revision surgery 4-07-06
   left mid fossa 4-17-08
   near deaf on left before surgery
   with hearing much improved .
    Univ of Iowa for all care

Darin

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2009, 08:18:51 am »
Cheryl,

Yes, I am from Ankeny, Iowa. I have actually been to Boone a couple of times. Sounds like you have been able to experience the joy of driving from Iowa to Michigan! Nothing like an 8 hour drive. Oh well, I am thankful I don't have to drive farther than that, but it is totally worth it to see the fam!

Glad to meet you!
Andy
3cm AN on right side
Surgery July 1st, 2009
C'mon facial nerve, you can do it!

Darin

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Surgeon Update 12:00pm
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2009, 10:11:29 am »
One of the Doctors just came out to give us an update. They started the procedure at about 10:00am. They have just now gotten to the tumor and they are beginning to work on it. He said that if it was a "sticky" tumor then it would take longer. So far it has been sticky. He explained that "sticky" meant there are a lot of veins to deal with and other things. I do not know if he meant the tumor was actually "sticky" in the sense that it was like glue or something, it is just that there are lots of things to take care of. However, they are now working on the tumor.

The doctor expects the surgery to go until 6:00pm. He said that the surgery was going fine so far, there have been no complications and he seemed in good spirits.

More to come . . .
3cm AN on right side
Surgery July 1st, 2009
C'mon facial nerve, you can do it!

CHD63

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2009, 10:16:12 am »
Andy .....

Glad you are updating on Darin for him ..... waiting can be almost more gruesome than for the one having surgery ..... at least Darin is in "la la" land and won't remember anything of the next several hours!!  Take care of yourself!

Clarice

P.S.  Just saw your update .....  sorry the tumor is a sticky one ..... that means it is the kind that is more tedious to extract from the surfaces it is touching.  Some come out easily in one piece because they are more encapsulated.  Glad the doctor you talked with is in good spirits .....   :-\
Right MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, 1994, Pittsburgh, PA
Left retrosigmoid 2.6 cm AN removal, February, 2008, Duke U
Tumor regrew to 1.3 cm in February, 2011
Translab AN removal, May, 2011 at HEI, Friedman & Schwartz
Oticon Ponto Pro abutment implant at same time; processor added August, 2011

Keri

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2009, 11:15:49 am »
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the udpates so far. 3 hours sleep isn't too bad - he'll catch up today. Maybe you'll be tired a bit later though...
and just don't tell the doctor you DON'T like Ohio State and Darin should be fine!

Seriously, we're praying for him and that he will make a smooth and quick recovery. He seems so active and healthy and I think that really helps post op.

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

Darin

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Surgeon Update #2
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2009, 01:34:42 pm »
Alright, good news! They are almost done extracting the tumor. It appears that everything is going very well. They have a little bit more tumor to remove, so far the facial nerve has not been affected. The nurse smiled a little when giving the update, that was nice.

It's hard, as I am sure many or all of you know, when you are waiting for the news. When a nurse smiles, you really want to get super excited, but the surgery still is not over. However, it appears that this is looking good. They will start putting his head back together in a little bit.

And don't worry, I haven't said a thing about the Ohio State issue with the Doctor.  I wouldn't want the surgeon to surgically remove the tumor and then surgically install a buckeye in his head . . .   ;D


 
3cm AN on right side
Surgery July 1st, 2009
C'mon facial nerve, you can do it!

Jim Scott

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Re: Darin in Postieland! (in a few short hours, technically)
« Reply #14 on: July 01, 2009, 02:34:20 pm »
Andy ~

I'm just catching up with Darin's surgery reports and I'm pleased to learn that he's almost finished and all seems well at this point.  It's always a long day for those waiting and I appreciate your taking the time and making the effort to post  these updates.  Your brother-in-law, Darin, is in the thoughts and prayers of many, today.  I think he'll do well.

Jim
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.