A message for Thomas

Thomas:

If you have not yet had your surgery.......You may wish to check out a doctor in Stuttgart, Germany by the name of Madran Samii.

He was recommended by our neurosurgeon, he said Dr. Samii specializes in AN surgery.

Hope you read this, we have no other way to contact you.

Regards,

Dale & Kathy

My BAHA surgery is scheduled...

I did it ~ I finally called my surgeon and scheduled my BAHA surgery. The big date will be July 29th ~ three days after my birthday...and I think it's a really cool gift to give myself!

It will be outpatient with local anesthetic and at a newer/prettier hospital in my area. It's a little farther away from the house than the hospital where I had my AN surgery, but this is where my surgeon is going to be doing his surgeries from now on and hey, if someone is going to screw a bolt into my head ~ why not have it done somewhere pretty!

I was thinking I'd look a little like Frankenstein ~ but now, I'm going with the Bionic Woman....much cooler!!

Dale and I agree that this is a positive step and in the long run will make my "quality of life" a lot better and will ease some of the frustrations we've been dealing with......and heck, if, by some miracle, my hearing comes back one day ~ then that will be a bonus....but not something worth holding out for!

The countdown begins....

Another post-op visit with my doctor

Today, Dale and I went for another post-op visit with my doctor.

My incision is healing well. Thankfully, it is getting covered up by my hair. Only a little bit sticks out by my ear and I'm very happy about that. Pretty soon I'll be ready for a visit to the salon to get my hair color touched up and I'll be very happy to NOT be a gray haired lady any more. I wonder if they had shaved ALL of my hair off ~ would it ALL have come back gray like the part they shaved off? Eeeee. Let's not think about it!

I had a hearing test and they are now certain that I will NOT regain the hearing in my right ear. This is NOT the result I had hoped for and I was disappointed ~ as I was sure it was going to come back. Some days I would imagine that I would be going about my business and "poof" my hearing would be back! Wishful thinking I guess.

The doctor went over two hearing "aid" options:

1) CROS hearing aids
CROS hearing aids are for people who are deaf in one ear and have normal, or near normal, hearing in the other ear. They consist of two parts. The person wears what looks like two hearing aids. The “hearing aid” on the deaf ear basically consists of a microphone (to pick up sounds on the deaf side) and a transmitter. The transmitter sends these sounds via radio waves to the “hearing aid” on the good ear. This second part of a CROS aid system basically consists of a receiver and an amplifier. It amplifies the sounds it receives from the deaf side, and then feeds these sounds into the good ear.

2) Baha implant
The Baha is a surgically implantable system for treatment of hearing loss that works through direct bone conduction. The Baha consists of three parts: a titanium implant, an external abutment, and a sound processor. The system works by enhancing natural bone transmission as a pathway for sound to travel to the inner ear, bypassing the external auditory canal and middle ear. The titanium implant is placed during a short surgical procedure and over time naturally integrates with the skull bone. For hearing, the sound processor transmits sound vibrations through the external abutment to the titanium implant. The vibrating implant sets up vibrations within the skull and inner ear that finally stimulate the nerve fibers of the inner ear, allowing hearing.

They had a Baha implant simulator at the doctor's office. I tried it on and I do have to admit....IT WAS GREAT. It's A LOT of money and it's surgery, so there is a ton to consider. Oh, they do let you pick the color to match your hair. No, I would not pick gray to match my current color!!

So....two options to research and think about. The doctor feels the Baha is the better of the two options ~ but of course, it's my decision.

I don't suppose any of you reading this are walking around wearing one of these?? If so, I'd love to hear what you think.

Too much thinking today ~ boy it would be nice if someone else made the decisions!!

Work - Day 1

Yesterday was the day ~ I went back to work. I was so nervous, I could hardly breath.

I packed a lunch of 2 protein drinks, a protein bar, a peanut butter sandwich, pretzels, mixed nuts, Dr. Pepper, green tea, 2 string cheese sticks and two bagels that my mom brought me ~ uh, yes, I do realize that it may have been a bit much....for a half day!! : )

Mom came in the morning and drove me to work ~ late for her and really early for me!! If you know me, then you know my favorite hobby is sleeping in!!

Holding mom's arm, I entered the building and was greeted with smiles from all my coworkers! They are a super group of people and I was really happy to see everyone. I did NOT cry....miracle! : )

It was a short day, I only planned on working 1/2 day to begin with ~ trying to ease myself back into it. After yesterday, I knew for sure that 1/2 days were the way to start! I made it through the day okay and felt like I did okay. Didn't tip over ~ didn't freak out and only had a hard time hearing one or two people. Not bad all things considered! By the end of the day (or 1/2 day) I was exhausted, my eyes were dried out and I was afraid if I blinked that I would fall straight asleep!! Dale picked me up at 1:00pm SHARP (I begged and begged him to please not be even a second late ~ in fear of the ever dreaded "freak out" ~ he is my hero and as always, did not let me down).

We came straight home and I sat in a semi-coma on the sofa until dinner time. Dinner was MEAT and KETCHUP. Yum! I then sat in my semi-coma until Dancing with the Stars came on TV and I watched (half watched ~ half asleep). Went to sleep after and it was the best sleep I've had in a while....though I did have a dream I was holding my mom above my head trying to keep her from some attacking animal ~ kind of badger or wolverine or fox....not sure what the animal was but it was small and nasty and I think we were in the mall?? Maybe it was the ketchup??

Come to think of it, Dale read me a short story by Edgar Allan Poe last night in bed ~ that could cause the crazy dream, for certain!!

So......not too bad for my first day back to work!!

Day 2 is Wednesday ~ keep your fingers crossed!

Physical Therapy and date with my mom...

Today, I started physical therapy and Dale and I both really liked Paul the therapist. He seemed to have a real understanding of my surgery and of how I feel and our goals seem the same. I real relief. Today's session was mostly an evaluation and we are going to be working on my balance, my focus (eye sight) and my neck and shoulders (ouch). I have hope (for once).

Later today I also go back to the hospital for massage therapy. No beautiful calming music, no scented candles. It's all about healing ~ but I'm looking forward to going and hopefully getting some relief for my neck and shoulders (ouch ~ again).

Haven't updated you for a while so here's what's been going on...

It was a good weekend ~ walked outside with Dale a lot on Saturday and Sunday he took me to my sisters for my niece's birthday. FIRST MAJOR OUTING ~ FIRST VISIT WITH ALL OF MY FAMILY. I was totally nervous going there ~ would I be freaked out? would I be too tired? would it be too loud? It was really LOUD and a little overwhelming but all things considered, I think I did okay. I was exhausted by the time I got home and pretty much just crawled into bed for the night!!

Monday, my mom came over and took me for a nice walk in downtown Royal Oak and for lunch. It was cold outside but getting out in the fresh air helps A LOT. I had Thai food ~ NO BEEF ~ it set in my stomach okay and I was pleased. I was totally exhausted when I got home and fell asleep sitting up with the cat. I didn't know I was asleep until Dale came home and woke me up. Whoops!

It's rather gloomy outside but I'm making an effort to be "okay". It's my goal for this week. I want to be "okay" and doing things that make me feel somewhat normal! Not easy, but I'm giving it my best ~ so far, so good. But let's not think about it anymore right now!

I spoke with my boss last week and I'm am going to attempt going back to work next Monday. I'm going to try partial days the first week ~ Monday, Wednesday and Friday. My goal is to make it through a four hour day each day. Not sure about Tuesday and Thursday as these are physical therapy days and so I'll have to see how that goes. I can't drive yet so mom & Dale are splitting the driving duties. I feel lousy about it but they're being really cool about it. Hopefully the first week will go okay and I can work myself back up to normal full time days. Scared to death just thinking about it!

Off to do my balance exercises...

Kathy

Gloomy day today!

Today I'm not feeling all that well at all and I don't know if it's the weather or not. My stomach is upset and my head feels really heavy.

I'm getting frustrated with the good day/bad day/good day/bad day.

I spoke with my doctor yesterday and he just said that the head is tricky and it's normal and to give it time. Seems like that's what he always says to anything I ask about. I'm probably just frustrated but sometimes it just seems like he's blowing me off. Sometimes he makes me feel like I'm the only one that ever asks questions or complains.

It might just be my mood ~ I'm not sure.

I'm concerned that every day it's gloomy outside that I'm going to feel gloomy too. I'm just not good at this!

Turning lemons into lemonade?

Dale told me I had to post again today and I should try posting something happy....so I thought I'd give it a shot. Dale had Friday, Saturday and Sunday off work and they were by far, my best days yet. Maybe it was the company? Maybe it was the weather? Maybe they were just decent days??? Friday we went for a ride to Lowes, Trader Joes and Borders. I still had a hard time with Lowes and Trader Joes. I know I'm supposed to walk by myself ~ unassisted ~ but I held on to Dale's arm at Lowes and held on to the cart at Trader Joes. It was still hard but easier than going it alone. Borders was okay ~ I think because it's quieter....?? It was a pretty good day. Saturday Dale and I were both a little tired and felt a little out of sorts ~ so we stayed home ~ except for our daily walk. We both took naps and just relaxed with each other. Pretty good day. Sunday we both felt pretty good so we walked and we bought more groceries and went to the drugstore (they had fleece blankets for $0.25....each) and then we went out to lunch at a little family restaurant by the house. Boy, that was really loud! It was really nice day. I sat outside on the porch while Dale washed his car and it was a great ~ sitting in the sun ~ fresh air. Our walk was nice and over all ~ a really good weekend.

Today, I woke up at around 5am with a huge headache and pain behind my ear and eye. Instantly, I assumed it was the start of something really bad. I took my Tylenol and Naproxen and went to bed. I WOKE UP AT 10AM AND IT WAS GONE. Huge relief.

I have a whole list of "little things" that most people would get done in a day ~ but it's my list for the week and I'll be happy if I can get them done this week.

I plan to sit outside after I'm done with this post. Maybe I can get some reading done before Dale gets home for our walk!

I only wish I could work on my emotions. It's hard. Wednesday it's supposed to rain and it causes me great anxiety because I think......what if the rain makes me feel worse? What if every time it's gloomy outside I feel lousy? I know logically ~ it's stupid. It's just hard somehow for me to snap out of it.

Well, that's all I'm writing because I'll end up writing negative stuff.

I do want to say 'THANK YOU" outloud to some people that have checked in on me via the blog. I can't tell you enough how much it helps to hear a friendly voice now & then. You all give me hope. So.....to my sister Denise, my Cousin Leslie, Bobbie Jo Lee, Larry Kinsel, Larry Faloon, Nelia Bernabe and Kay ~ our new friend from Texas......THANK YOU GUYS ~ all of you. XOXO

Who am I - My first post after surgery...

Dale's been telling me I should post something ~ you know, "my first post" ~ after surgery. I've been avoiding it because I haven't had anything positive to say. Pretty much everything on my mind is negative and I'm having a really hard time seeing the good side. Today I'm trying to feel good and rather than sitting here watching TV, I thought I would give it a shot. So here I am and this is my list of good and bad.

GOOD:
1. Dale. He is everything to me and all these years later, I still don't understand why he's picked me ~ but I am grateful everyday. He is kind and smart and beautiful (not pretty) in every way. I can only hope to one day be even half as good as him.

2. My tumor was not cancer.

3. I survived surgery.

BAD:
1. Walking is hard. I can walk by myself now but I have to give it complete focus and it's annoying.

2. I can't hear out of my right ear or I should say, the only the only thing I hear is really loud buzzing (static, humming...not really sure how to describe it). After I'm in a room with lots of noise, it's even louder and oh......it's annoying.

3. My hearing in my left ear is good in fact, it seems like everything is even louder. Things get to be too much. There are no soft sounds anymore.....it's annoying.

4. I am hungry for protein constantly. If I wait too long, I feel sick. It's annoying.

5. When I go from standing to sitting or sitting to standing I get a major head rush. It also happens if I try to bend down. I've learned to pick things up with my toes so I don't have to bend down as much. Stupid ~ but true. It's annoying.

6. I hear my heart beat in my left ear. I can usually ignore it except when I exert myself it gets very loud. It's annoying.

7. Looking to the left is hard to do and it does not feel good. I think it's because of the muscles they cut on my right side.....too tight!! It makes me a little dizzy and it's annoying.

8. Sleeping stinks! I'm a stomach sleeper and it's not comfortable right now. If I sleep on my right side, it feels really weird because my incision is still very sensitive and my head is still kind of numb. If I sleep on my left side, I can't hear (good ear). If I sleep on my back, I wake up with a really uncomfortable stiff head/neck. It's annoying.

9. My head feels like I have a bag of sand in it. Very heavy and awkward. Can't really explain it but it's kind of disorienting. My head hurts when I walk too hard or if it's jolted at all or if it shakes or if I'm on a bumpy road. It's annoying.

10. I'm tired a lot. Very annoying.

11. My face hurts when I open my mouth (not funny) ~ my lower jaw hurts. Not sure if it's muscles or sinus'. It's annoying.

12. I'm sad. I know that sounds like a stupid thing to say but it's new and not pleasant. I'm sad and I cry and I just don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know ~ I get it. Two steps forward and one step back. Blah, blah. I'm sick of hearing it.

I really don't think of myself as a person that over exaggerates pain or discomfort. I have a pretty high tolerance for those things but this is so much more than I was prepared for. I find it interesting that in all of the paperwork and discussion of the surgery that the only information about what to expect after surgery is one small single sided list that tells you not to blow your nose and to keep your head elevated and to call them if you have a clear discharge from your nose. Okay...still not sure the difference between a runny nose and clear discharge! When I see the doctor and ask about my list I get no real answers...."could be a few weeks ~ could be a few months". Hello??? Not comforting. I work much better in black & white. Not real good with the grey area and I would think that they could come up with some sort of average?? I guess I'm asking for too much! I'm supposed to go back to work in a couple weeks and I just don't see how on earth I'm supposed to do that! Sitting at a desk ~ in clothes ~ bathed ~ in a big room ~ with bright lights ~ and noise ~ for 8 hours! I know it's important to be positive and I know it's still a couple weeks away and maybe things will change ~ but it makes me sick to think about it. I love my job ~ my coworkers are great and my employer is great but this just seems hopeless to me right now. Heck, it will take me forever just getting from the parking lot to my desk. Do I bring a chair and take a break half way to my desk? Lovely! What about my house? I have painting to do and wallpaper to strip and flowers to plant. Hmm....real easy to do without bending down! Last weekend Dale took me to the grocery store. I felt totally disconnected from it. All these people swirling around me ~ loud and fast and bright. It was very disorienting. Supposed to try it again tonight. Yuck.

So, I guess my first post ended up being a rant and if you've actually read it and gotten this far ~ thanks for listening. I will try to come up with something a little more positive next time.

Round & Round We Go - Who Wound Kathy Up?

Today was a very good day! Kathy (on her own ) did about 10 'laps' around our back yard. Sure it probably took about 10 minutes a lap & it took two outings, but hey what a accomplishment!
A week ago we could only hope to be this far along now. Of course Kathy was so worn out from ALL the activity that she almost fell asleep at the dinner table, don't worry she was still able to enjoy some teriyaki beef & mashed potatoes.
So what would her up? I think it is the warm weather, so I am looking forward to this week end with expected highs around 60. That could be good for some more walking and maybe even a car ride to Kensington Park or a farmers market??

Hope all out there are well and as always...thanks for your prayers and well wishes.

Sincerely,

Nurse dale (official chronicler of Kathy's recovery)

From Barf to Burgers to Belching, the Blues and Beyond.

We have had some pretty good days & one sorta OK day.

Anyone who has been following our journey knows the early post op days were not great gastrointestinal wise. We have progressed to the 'all Kathy wants to eat is protein, esp. beef phase'. And anyone that knows Kathy & I well knows we do not eat much fat or beef so......it is of no surprise that Kathy's GI system has decided to rebel slightly (just slightly). We now have a case of the burps or rather belches. Really, my wife right now could hold her own against any beer drinking Bubba on super bowl Sunday! We're sure it's only temporary, but it sure has provided some good laughs in this house.



Tuesday was a very good day, we had a good visit to the ear surgeon, went out to breakfast (first outside meal & first non doctor public outing), surprised Mom @ her office, walked out side a bit, had a good nap & dinner and slept most of the night. Kathy still complains she walks funny but hey, she's walking!



Wednesday Kathy woke with the blues. She just could not get comfortable and like many others post op of major surgery was very frustrated with all the discomfort, pain and the length of time it takes to heal. Not unexpected. So when she called me at work crying I came home right a way with my clown face on (same one I was born with). It took a good lunch, a walk outside & a nap but she was smiling by the end of the day, still very, very tired but smiling.
We are so much further along than two weeks ago, still on average behind schedule but NOT going backwards. She's still worried about 'The Thursday Curse' even though last Thursday was fine.
So, we are hoping for a full night of sleep and a great tomorrow.

We Didn't Turn The Corner, But We Walked The Block!

Two full nights of sleep and..........
Braving the cold & wind, into the bright sunshine & the sounds of birds singing......our Kathy did indeed walk ten houses down & ten houses back! AND the icing on this cake, we walked across the soft and very uneven lawn ("this is really a weird sensation"). Can you imagine just walking across a lawn feels weird? Of course after this strenuous workout a well deserved rest was in order to be followed by what else? A steak dinner.
I'm not sure what's going to be more expensive in the long run....the medical bills or all these steak dinners.
Tomorrow we are going to do more walking (we are in training for Tuesday's follow up appointment with the ear surgeon). Kathy wants to kick butt! (as long as it's not mine!)
Oh yes, Kathy tried her first piece of chocolate today and...........nope sorry, she didn't like it and neither did her stomach. What did they do to my wife? We met because of chocolate, we both love chocolate (or did) , it's a theme with us. I guess only time will tell. Hey, I married her despite the fact she likes disco music, so I am sure we'll stay together if she has lost her love of chocolate.

I think we are on our way to better days. Keep those prayers & good thoughts coming.

A Good Day & a Side of Beef ?

We have beaten the 'Thursday Curse'! Here it is Friday and Kathy looks even better than yesterday. I am sure part of it is relief that it's Friday and there is no significant headache and part is the progress with the muscle pain. Of course, a few good nights of sleep can do much for mood & healing.
Tomorrow we are going to try a short walk out side. We need some 'straight line' walking which is impossible in a small colonial house. If only there was a shoe store with a sale going on close by....that would be good for some distance from Kathy.

So what did we have for dinner tonight? Beef, what else? I am seriously thinking of heading down to Eastern Market to purchase a whole side of beef. It's mostly what Kathy wants to eat (that and other protein). She did manage a tuna sandwich for lunch but still craved beef for dinner. Anyone that knows my wife has to think it strange that she hasn't had any chocolate for weeks & she's craving meat?

I think Kathy may be convinced that we are finnaly on the upswing which in itself is a big motivator. For us both.

Thank you to Uncle Mitch & Aunt Judy for calling & Rich & Becky Dahl for your prayers.

As my son in law says: " Do good things"

Finally Relief! Did We Beat 'The Curse'?

Last night was one of the best nights yet. The muscle relaxant provided much needed relief , AND helped our girl sleep (I wonder if that special pillow helped also, the one I've been trying to get her to try for a week).

So after sleeping most of the night Kathy woke in a much better mood & in less discomfort than before. There were more smiles, and less anxiety about the 'Thursday Curse'.

The past two Thursdays are when those devastating headaches occurred. So here it is 9:00 Thursday night & Kathy is tucked snugly in bed & resting comfortably. Could we have turned the corner?

Another milestone today, we are down to only one post op medication (you don't want to know how many we had to track at first). We are both happy about this.

And, today Kathy expressed a wish that we take a walk outside. A good sign of healing and perhaps a case of cabin fever. Perhaps tomorrow if weather permits.

So......still dealing with some pain, some nausea (but only some!) & exhaustion but we are so much better than last week. Success seems to be nearer, we just have to be patient with all the baby steps to get there.



Thanks to Tami & Kevin Sherman (the new Mr. & Mrs.!!) for your warm wishes.

Nurse Dale oooout! (that's Canadian ya know).

Tuesday - Wednesday Nineteen Days Post Op.

Here's another report on patient Kathleen by Dale Adelson URN/DI (Unregistered Nurse/Drill Instructor).

Tuesday: A pretty good day, until the evening. We had a few milestones & definitive proof of progress!

• Stitches out!!
• Kathy made the 45 mile round trip (as a passenger of course) to the doctor's & back without barfing. (it wasn't easy, but we did it).
• We walked from the far end of the parking lot & back (about 1/2 a city block each way) without any major difficulty. It took a long time but we did it.

We are still dealing with significant neck & shoulder pain so we left the office with a new Rx, which Kathy had a delayed negative reaction too (hence the not so good night). However after a sleepless night we were back to just dealing with pain. Doesn't quite sound like a blessing does it? So now Kathy (we) feel a little apprehension trying any new meds.

Wednesday: Not too bad, but feeling frustrated & down.

When you are in pain or just not feeling well for such a long time it's going to happen.....last night took it's toll...so today even though we had no physical or medical setbacks the blues have stopped by for a visit (short I hope). It's not uncommon for anyone to feel this way after major surgery so we're not surprised. I heard George Cloney is in town, maybe tomorrow I'll try & find him & ask if he'll give Kathy a call....THAT would cheer her up!!

So Kathy has had one major craving since regaining her appetite, beef. So tonight I decided to cook our first steak (new york strip) ever in this house (three years). The steak came out just fine & we discovered just how sensitive our smoke alarms are. Classic American meal, steak & mashed potatoes, no veggies to distract . Good for the soul. Yum.

Tonight we agreed to try another med to try and loosen those muscles. Keep your fingers crossed, at the least perhaps it will help her sleep.

Thanks to:

• Kay for the info.
• Cousins Bo & Jerra for the beautiful Harry & David gift. It is filled with some deeelicious food.
• Our good friend Don Fink for checking in.
• Kathy's friend Nelia. Welcome back to the States!
• Renee....Marty ( fellow OPHS'er) what more can I say?

More good news tomorrow? We hope!

Sunday, Monday Two Pretty Good Days

Although still very tired we have made some progress since Friday. The most significant achievement is the reduction in pain. We are hoping this will continue as the steroids are tapered down.

A few silly notes:

• Part of Kathy's therapy is doing laps around the house, so today I just happened to ask her if she has been reversing directions, to which she replied "no because when I go in the other direction I get nauseous" & then it dawned on us that she has been 'retraining' her brain in only ONE direction all along. So now we will do three laps in one direction then three in the other. I expect in only a day or two we will have this resolved.
• Kathy still has significant neck muscle soreness, so to deal with it I have encouraged her to keep moving it..Well today she came up with this 'exercise' to stretch her neck that looked like a cross between a pigeon's head bob (while walking) & a disco move. We both got a good laugh out of it, but hey if it works all the better. ( I might take a video when she's not looking)

Tomorrow is our first official post op appointment, (keep your fingers crossed it may be a long ride) we hope to have the stitches removed & will find out if the doc's are going to order a spinal tap as a diagnostic for the headaches. I should mention that at least one of her doctors have called the past three mornings to check on her, it's a great team & they all talk in a very respectful, simple manner. No arrogance or medical mumbo jumbo. They always make sure we understand.

Thanks to our friend Judy (one of the rockin' HR ladies) & Gordy in TO for checking in. Hey, that's two Canadians in one day.

Will update Tuesday sometime after doctor visit.

Thank you to all my friends at IKEA Canton! (even to my fellow co worker that said 'man you don't look so good'). You all have been terrific!

A Good Day, A Good Friend & A Word of Caution

Have I mentioned that Kathy & I are truly blessed with wonderful friends & family?
Well here is a perfect example: Kathy's co worker & friend John Kyros came to our house with snow shovel in hand and proceeded to clear our sidewalk & drive! Just how do you properly thank such an unselfish act of kindness? I don't know, but I'm posting it here for as many people as possible to know what a wonderful person John is!

Today was a good day. Kathy was relatively pain free (mostly muscle aches) & ate pretty well.
More good news! I've been cooking since we have been home & neither of us has suffered.

Although still very tired only took a short nap (we're hoping that will aid an entire night's rest).
She was able to watch an entire movie (Casino Royale) & did a set of therapy. So all in all a day of progress.

A word of caution: Anyone reading this (and tell all you care about) should check with any pharmacy you use to be sure they have a profile on you listing all your allergies AND make sure you read all the the literature that comes with each prescription you purchase.
Why do I mention this? Today while reading the literature for a Rx written by the ER doctor I discovered that this drug can cause an allergic reaction in people allergic to a certain class of antibiotics even though it's not an antibiotic. If Kathy had taken this drug we could have had a VERY serious problem. So what happened? Well I can see where the ER doc may have slipped(still not good), & assumed (also not good) he checked Kathy's hospital records & since it was not an antibiotic we did not ask. But how did the pharmacist @ the drug store where we have shopped for 15 years not catch it? Because they had no profile on either of us! That is impossible. Apparently 'the system' lost our profiles. And no one at the store has even occasionally checked to see if one existed. So when they (only G_D knows for how long) filled our Rxs no allergies showed up BECAUSE there were no profiles! Disaster averted, but only narrowly.

Thanks to my wonderful children (and son in law!) for checking in from your corners of the world.

Needless to say..........

As you might have guessed by the absence of timely posts...things have not been great.



Kathy has been fighting a worsening headache for the past few days, accompanied by nausea & a bad muscle cramp in her neck ( she's had that before, probably made worse by all the inactivity).

So @ 1:00 am today per her doc's instructions we headed for the ER. The staff was very attentive despite the fact they were somewhat overwhelmed by what they call a 'drunk & crack night'. ( which translates to longer wait times & potential harm to people that REALLY need care, just another example of the cost to society of drug & alcohol abuse).

So with an IV started, morphine for pain & compazine for the nausea we settled down for a night of more detective work. After CT scans were read it was clear that all was well at & around the surgery site (internally & externally), good news! We did find there was a bit more fluid in Kathy's brain ventricles than may be 'normal', (who could be normal & married to me?) even though this is not considered serious or a result of the surgery it just might be a contributing factor to these headaches, so rather than an invasive procedure to drain some fluid we are going to try a 'water pill' along with another course of steroids, new pain meds & IF needed a muscle relaxant if Mr. Spasm returns.

Yes, it's been a nasty few days, however we are back home, Kathy is resting comfortably, Dale is full of cookies, bread & beef stew (all comfort food) and not worrying about clogging his arteries (for now).

Thanks to Uncle Mitch & Aunt Judy for the delicious Dakota Bread basket & Auntie Dawn for the (WOW!) cookie basket.
It is a shame that Kathy's discharge instructions say no cakes, cookies or candy for two weeks post op!
I will personally make sure NOTHING goes to waste! Just kidding!

Once again I would like to mention that all the doctors involved with the surgery have assured us it is rare someone would have this difficult of a time post op.
Could it be the middle child is seeking more attention?

Hope every one following us is well. Thanks for your prayers & well wishes!

Tuesday - Eleven Days Post Op

First, thanks to :

• Cousin Bo for your support & knowledge.
• Peggy V, I'll pass your well wishes to Kathy.
• David Lewis ( Dale is president of the David Lewis Fan Club - Detroit Chapter), our good friend in Chicago .

AND: a special thanks to my friend Anthony & his worship group for including us in your prayers.

Today was sorta OK. I think we need to kick up the caloric intake another two notches or so, maybe with more frequent meals. Seems if Kathy gets the least bit hungry nausea starts. It's interesting just how much energy your body needs to heal even if you are not really doing anything. Dinner tonight was veggie pizza (no sauce, no cheese) with pieces of chicken added. Went over well (once again only two packages to open!) I'm trying to make the time to actually cook. I'm making a concerted effort to add more protein to the mix as Kathy seems more able to tolerate it now.

We did good on the therapy side, but because Kathy is not sleeping well she's VERY tired. So we're going to try a different Rx since Ambien has not worked well enough. I'm sure the lack of good rest is contributing to the 'blues factor' .

Still made a little progress, but tomorrow WILL be a better day!

dale......out!

Home - Days One & Two

It is amazing how fast the days go. Here it is Monday already. There's so much to do, monitoring meds, tracking & coaching exercise sessions, cooking, cleaning (I'm better @ cooking), calling Dr's with questions ( or just trying to get through to the Dr.).

She's still not sleeping well, still some pain (neck,head ,shoulders & back) but now only 2-3 out of ten. That's a HUGE improvement!

So here's the latest:
Meals are getting more 'normal'. Breakfast was some eggs, raisin bran (a must if you know what I mean) some toast & butter.
Lunch,: beats me I just can't remember.
Dinner: mac & cheese made with rice pasta & three cheeses. (only had to open two packages!).
Funny Kathy food fact ( and very disturbing), she has not eaten ANY chocolate since we've been home! Instead she's been leaning toward Vanilla! Which before the operation was only something you mixed chocolate into! Very strange.

Anyhow, our girl is looking much better today. Eyes are even more open, only one dose of anti-barf meds (needed after an exercise session) AND by the end of the day she did a few laps around the house NOT walking like Charlie Chaplain (penguin).
Tomorrow I'm going to try & add steak to the menu (something I will not complain about) to get more protein in her diet.
Let's see, she's on steroids, add steak & some weight training, hmmm. I know, wrong type of steroids.
All in all these past two days...Not too bad! Still a long way to go but we believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks to my friends at Ikea, for your care & prayers and for all the smiles that greeted me today!

So... a glass of Merlot, a hot shower & zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

dale........out!

WE ARE HOME!!!

What a week! We are finally home! Still in pain, still nauseous, but better AND home.
There is much healing and a whole lot of work to do.
I've set up the meds dosing list & am prepared to continue my role as drill instructor. There are breathing exercises, balance, eye & head motion exercises & a host of sore muscles to tend to. And I have the easy part. Way easy.

Not the most romantic Valentine's Day we've had but one of the best.

I'd like to send thanks to :

• Kay our friend in the Great State of Texas (the best country that's part of the US), for your inspiration. You are right we've had to push through a lot of dirt & mud so far.
• My friends Anthony & Abbey (I'm glad your family is doing better) for taking the time to talk with me the other day.
• John Kyros for coming on day one to support Kathy's mother & I.
• Deana (Mom) for your help, support & of course for not killing me.
• Bobbie Jo for the wonderful package!

And Lucy our cat that I thought was missing Kathy so much...came up to see what the commotion was about, took a look at Kathy & turned tail to go nap. (dogs are better).

An Apology and The Worst Day Yet

First, I apologize for the absence of a post yesterday (Thursday 2/12). So this post will combine two days.

THURSDAY - THE ABSOLUTE WORST DAY YET.
I promised that I would chronicle this journey as accurately as possible & not sugar coat...
Thursday did not start off well as Wednesday night did not go well. Kathy has been unable to really sleep since surgery day (really since we were diagnosed weeks ago) and went into surgery with a two day headache. Of course with brain surgery you would expect a hefty headache for awhile. What you would not expect is for it to get increasingly worse. And that's what has been happening. And then POW it REALLY gets worse. I'll spare you all the adjectives...Kathy spent part of the day curled up in crying agony. Now, I know from experience that I can handle A LOT of adversity, even danger but I have to tell you there is nothing like watching the woman you love in this state and then hearing these words... "Am I dieing?" I'm dieing and you're not telling me" Ouch! There is no way either of us have earned this kind of bad karma.
So now we have two neurologists, an ear surgeon a neurosurgeon, a nurse and me trying to figure out what's going wrong here & going wrong fast.
There is no sign of increased cranial pressure, no sign of spinal fluid leakage. Could it be stroke? meningitis? encephalitis? Out of control migraine? The pressure bandage over the incision?
All of or none of the above? Holy ____!
Here is what's interesting in this scene...titles, degrees, status whatever, it's all gone. What we have here is six people all dedicated to helping (saving?) my wife. We all talk, throw out ideas, discuss, we all listen. So we decide to draw blood to rule out infection & go with the 'out of control migraine plus other contributing things theory.
So now starts 'the chase' to find the right treatment. Three different pain meds fail (including one the hospital was out of that I had to get from a CVS pharmacy). This is like all the rides at Cedar Point combined. Can you imagine I had to leave my suffering wife to go pick up a Rx? All the way hoping the pharmacy wasn't back up? Armed combat is starting to look less stressful.
Well nothing really worked (even 5 mg of Ambien) but we finally got Kathy calmed down enough for me to get a few hours of shuteye.

FRIDAY -180 DEGREES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Kathy calls at 6am so I'm off to hospital. Ambien worked till 2am then the pain took over .
Thankfully the Doc's have already conferred (blood work was OK) so we stay with the migraine theory, decide to add steroids and later take the dreaded pressure bandage off.
HE MUST BE UP THERE!
Two hours after first IV of steroids AND bandage off we have our first smile. Pain is now a 7 of 10, hour later 4 of 10 and nausea is almost gone.
Not out of the woods yet, but at least the woods are not on fire.
To summarize the rest of the day (it's almost one AM and I'm fading fast):
We are back on schedule, still some pain & nausea but eating, walking, smiling.
We had two successful walks about 30 feet each, a shower, a lot more calories AND went up & down FIVE steps!
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY CAN MAKE!
COULD SHE BE HOME TOMORROW?
HOLY WHATEVER I'VE GOT A HOUSE TO CLEAN!!

PS; To anyone out there that has AN & is following all this ...we have been told by MANY people (doctors & nurses included) that it is RARELY this hard so don't despair.

PS I'm too tired to cook Chinese tonight so Lucycat will be here for Kathy's homecoming.

It Was, Still Is & Always Will Be Her Smile & My New Love!

Today was a good day!
We are still fighting pain & nausea but.......

• We had three successful walks in the hall & down a bit (maybe fifteen feet each time). Totally exhausting & nauseating still, but getting better.
• We are officially (we hope for good) off narcotic & IV pain meds.
• We had one successful session of head & eye therapy exercises. Did I mention nausea & exhaustion?

It's still a battle to get Kathy to eat enough & that is one of the paradoxes we must deal with:

For the body to heal itself after major surgery you need a lot of calories, in order to retrain the brain & vestibular system (balance) you must 'challenge it' which results in exhaustion, dizziness & nausea. Plus if your blood sugar gets too low you get weaker & low blood sugar can cause nausea. I'm sure you can see just what a (excuse the pun) balancing act this all is.

But as I mentioned it was a good day. Kathy looked so much better today. Her eyes are now almost fully open & we got more of those wonderful smiles that still warm my heart.

We had a VERY special visitor today! Our one year old nephew Dylan & his parents. Of course this set Kathy into her 'baby talk mode" which promptly gives me nausea! One of these days I am going to record it so everyone will know what I mean. It's as bad as my singing!!

And my new love? No, it's not one of Kathy's nurses it's yogurt protein shakes at the hospital cafe. Yum.

Oh yes, my daily comment about Lucycat...did I mention I'm making Chinese for dinner Friday night?

A Few Steps Forward, A Few Steps In Place

Well, today was frustrating.

Kathy did real well with breakfast and some PT this AM.

Second try for PT went well at first, (made it to restroom & back plus some standing & bedside sitting), However, Kathy ended up in so much pain we had to upgrade the pain meds to Dilaudid (like heroin ), so that shot the rest of today's therapy plans AND lunch, since it knocked her out for almost four hours.
Right now Kathy's up (in bed) & nibbling at dinner (veggie burger, mashed potatoes, sliced peaches, vanilla Ensure, ice cream and Vernor's. We are hoping for maybe 10 -15 bites. & some Ensure.

We managed one more trip to the restroom & then the request for the anti barf meds came. We have three available but can only have one type at a time and must space them, trouble is we never know which one will work when.

Today I received training on all the exercises Kathy will have to do now & when she gets home (I actually practiced each one myself). Some of these are tough even if you don't have vestibular issues!

So today we are another day behind schedule now hoping for home next Monday & still weeks of work to do.

Today my name is Dale again , however Kathy said to Mom & I "I love you both but would really like to kick you!" Of course my retort "Too bad you will not manage to do that until you get better AND you have to do your therapy before that will happen" was not received too well.

A word about courage...

We have all heard what courage 'means'. Grace under fire, not the absence of fear but the mastery of fear.....

I personally have spoken one on one with WWI vets that were gassed & went back to the front, WWII vets that survived the Normandy invasion & hand to hand combat, more than a few Holocaust survivors & Vietnam vets that told of unimaginable scenes of carnage and pain yet kept fighting.

So why do I bring this up?

Because I'm sitting here in this hospital on the neuro wing surrounded by 'common people' that are some of the most courageous people I have ever seen or met.

People like my wife who know if they simply open their eyes or move their head they are going to experience overwhelming pain & nausea but know they must to get better even though days of this suffering lie ahead.

People that have both eyes bandaged and are in pain yet have no idea if they will ever see again and refuse to give up hope and say I will find a way even if.....

Family members that have the courage to come every day to cheer, prod, encourage and love .

And the nurses, aides, techs, doctors and all the support personnel that come each day to help, heal & comfort even though some days they are surrounded by such pain and misery.

And yet do we ever read about this? All this courage every day, in countless hospitals around the world?

You don't have to be religious or believe in G-d to count your blessings my friends.

Thanks to all the ladies in HR @ Ikea, Thomas in Austria, Kay (you are an inspiration), Larry & all at the Heritage Center, Rich D, my very dear friend Renee, AND Bobby Jo, Kathy's dear friend in Kentucky (you make her smile).

dale

A Day Of Challenges, Dale's New Name , I Love You So Much & ....Barf!

Whew! What a full day for all...

Physical Therapy (PT) was in early this AM & had our girl up for a little bit (a little bedside sitting & a little standing) and we got to see Kathy's breakfast for a second time! (it looked better the first time)

Next, Doc's LaRue & Piper were in and Kathy & I both got lectures and directives (me especially). I am now responsible for making sure Kathy does her respiratory exercises ten times an hour, gets up and walks (down the hall? are you kidding?), does her eye exercises and NO MORE BEDPANS! She has to get up & walk ( shuffle really with help) to the restroom. Asking all of this from a girl that gets nausea just from opening her eyes or turning her head.
So Kathy & I agreed Mom & I will have to play 'bad cop-bad cop' & force her to do what must be done. (If we want to get home, avoid pneumonia, bed sores, stiff muscles, embolisms, on & on).
So somehow by the end of the day Mom is still Mom and I am now Ass---e. ( is there an exorcist in the house?) Do professional coaches take this abuse? (Like yesterday I got an apology when we left).

However, Kathy did great eating today..almost a full meal! Plus two little ice creams (did I mention ..that's my girl?) and a few Vernors. Plus I once again demonstrated my great love for my wife by eating some of her (sharing the misery) left over chicken & carrots (I hate cooked carrots!). Now that's love!

The crown of the day is Kathy with great GREAT effort & determination made it to the restroom & back and dinner stayed put! We're all very relieved and proud. (None of us can have any idea how hard this is).

A special thanks to Kay for your latest words of encouragement & to Bobbie Jo for your wishes!
And of course thanks to our great Docs & the wonderful staff @ Providence Southfield!

PS : If any of my friends @ Ikea are reading leave me a comment or two.

Not so fast I say.....

Well , theoretically Kathy should not have been moved from ICU until she could get out of bed, so a few of us (some nurses included) are wondering why she's on the neuro floor now.
However, all the nurses & supportive personnel seem very experienced with this type of tumor/surgery and are just as nice as those in NICU.
Today's update: Sat on the side of the bed for approx. two minutes (can you imagine?) then the exhaustion & nausea became two much.
Food was not a popular bedside topic today, there was a little consumption of water, Ensure (Chocolate of course), one whole forkful of smashed potatoes, chicken broth & some ice cream (that's my Kathy). Maybe better luck tomorrow.
We did get a few of the famous Kathy smile, esp when I told her we've been putting vodka in her IV.

Another reason I'm a 'dog guy'.
MOST of the time I clean the litter box, I fill the food & water bowls, I let her out of her pen, I sneak her extra treats, I manicure her nails AND I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO SUPPLIES HER DRUGS (catnip of course) so does she miss me? nope!
Kathy's gone two days and the cat thinks the world is ending. Ingrate!
Hey everyone come over for dinner Friday night I'm making Chinese.

Slow progress & a failing grade.

More good news (so far) Kathy is looking better every day, down to only one IV line , is sitting up in bed and feeding herself when she's up to it (ice cream of course). Headache is a bit better , still dealing with the dizziness & nausea. Physical therapy was in earlier, tried to get Kathy out of bed and as mentioned "I failed bedside", meaning it was just too much motion to even sit . So she's still on pain & nausea meds. PT will be back tomorrow but has left instructions for some exercises to do in the meantime to help the balance issue.
She's joking around a bit & even told me to 'go way' once when I asked for a smile...only to apologize a minute later. (it's the drugs)

Moving Right Along (but verry slowly!)

I slept through two alarms I set to call ICU but Mom checked in @8:00am & found Kathy has moved to the regular neuro floor, good news.
I just spoke to Frank the RN that will be Kathy's nurse for day shift & said she is sitting up, (in bed) eating a little and has requested her favorite cereal (Trader Joe's raisin bran).
She still has a bad headache & her neck is quite painful.
Dr. LaRue was in & feels the neck pain is due to all the manipulation during surgery.
Physical therapy is due in today which is going to present more challenges since they have to get Kathy moving to help the brain acclimate & get her neck muscles limber again.
So we can expect quite a bit of discomfort, however Kathy has made great strides & has such great determination . (She really wants to get home to see if I've made a mess of the place).
We take comfort in a message from a lady who had AN surgery thirteen years ago, "The first three days don't count". Thanks Kay!

And by the way...thanks to the best in laws ever...Mom, Denise, Ralph Kels ,J man & especially the little brother I never wanted Steve, his lovely Erin & my favorite 'new' nephew Dylan. (Dylan has been the most supportive one year old I have ever known!).

Thanks to my globe trotting kids E & E for your support. You are the best!

Day two - not too bad after all.

Over all today was not as bad as we expected. Al little behind schedule but...

Kathy still has an awful headache (even with morphine every three hours + other pain meds).
But she has been able to open her eyes & look around ever so slightly with out 'losing it'.
Moving her head, even drinking is painful but she's been a great trooper. Running a low grade fever & since she isn't out of bed yet as hoped we have started simple respiratory treatments once a hour (to help prevent pneumonia).
But, she's managed to drink some water & ginger ale AND even kept down some yogurt, cherry ice & some ice cream (that's my Kathy!).
Not very comfortable but she's slowly moving around a little in bed (even moving a foot can be a big deal right now). You never realize how much you affect your balance & other muscles with even the simplest of movements .

Hopefully it will be a good night for all.

The staff in Nerou ICU has been wonderful! Kind, caring & very professional. We could not ask for a better team! Thank you all.

It's not pretty, it's not fun.....a day of barf!

It's not pretty, it's not fun, especially for Kathy.

Two check ins with the ICU nurses: 12:00 midnight Kathy still has a terrible headache & every time she opens her eyes or moves she gets very dizzy & the dry heaves (did I mention it's no fun?). Mom checked in around 8:00 am ..more of the same. So we are headed over to hospital to try & help our Kathy get through what we know is going to be a very rough day.


Meanwhile...Lucycat started my day off with a present of her own barf (in her pen thankfully), so you might say it's going to be a barfy day from the get go.

Intensive Care & Home For Awhile

Kathy is now in neuro intensive care, hopefully for no more than 24 hours then to the regular neuro floor. She's still sedated, with as you can imagine quite a headache & a lot of nausea (and the resulting 'yuk' part mentioned prior).
Mom & I did deli & have now gone our ways home. A little Jewish soul food always helps. Maybe tomorrow I'll try Italian soul food (chicken cacciatore) or my ultimate soul food PIZZA!!!
I'm going to try to sleep but fully anticipate either returning to the hospital (wait room only) or calling the nurses a few times to check in.
I can already feel pangs of separation anxiety.
Lucycat however is more concerned that her food bowl is only half full & that I dare to let the heat turn off for more than a minute. Yap Yap Yap. I think a little catnip for her & a glass of red wine for me should help. (I might give her both!).

Good News! & Now Comes the Hard Part

What a relief!

Surgery was only five & one half hours, less than anticipated. We met with Dr. LaRue (ear surgeon & Dr. Piper (neurosurgeon).
The really good news... it's benign and it's all out!
They were very upbeat..as far as we know the facial nerve is intact, this was the main nerve concern because of all this nerve affects. We may see some symptoms of facial nerve involvement due to post op swelling, however it should be temporary.
Auditory nerve: Latest estimate is 80% chance hearing will be OK. This is up from 50-50 pre op estimate, so more good news. We are well prepared if hearing is compromised, it has always been the least of worries going in. May take several days to weeks to know.
Brain stem: Although close there was no involvement & this was the very scary part!
Balance nerve: this is the tough part. The tumor was part of the balance nerve so it had to be sacrificed which means Kathy has a few days (2-4 at the most we hope) of spinning room, dizziness & yuk (you can guess what that means) as the brain learns how to balance again minus one of the two signals it is used to receiving. It will all pass & we don't anticipate any lasting effects. Of course we all know Kathy had to be a little off balance to marry me. Plus another hole in the head? Geez.

We have seen Kathy in recovery & she looks pretty good, color is back, has a 10 of 10 headache (they gave her more morphine) & of course is pretty much out of it. Nice bandage, reminds Mom of Johhny Depp in a 'Pirates' movie. Plain white though, we'll have to find something more colourful. Maybe pink with skull & cross bones.
So now we wait for her to be transferred to ICU. It's going to be a long night & some long days days ahead.

The Party Has Started!

Well time for me to put my two cents in.

After a predictably sleepless night for us all.....Kathy, Mom & I arrived at 6am. Kathy seemed to be in the best spirits of all since the big wait is finally over.

We have met with all the Docs, the surgical nurse and are once again pleased, confident & somewhat relieved. What a great team! They are all friendly, upbeat & seem VERY comfortable with the important jobs they do. Really helps to put you at more ease.

From what Kathy told us in pre-op they were pretty quick to get the 'good stuff' going, so by time we got to see her she was quite relaxed. (Versed is great stuff!). She was joking around with the surgeons ('since this is a 6-8 hour operation, do you guys take a lunch break?').

We just had update (10:30) that all is going well..only another 3 to 5 hours to go.

Here's what is predictable about all this..as soon as Mom & I go down stairs for a break the pager will go off to come back & receive an update!

Last day of work...

Well, I'm finally to my last day of work before the surgery. I took extra time to make sure my hair looked good before I came to work today. That way, people won't have to look at me like a walking, talking, crazy person ~ that's the person that I am inside today. I'm glad that I'm finally at the "day before" because at least now I'll be focused on what IS going on instead of worrying about what is going to happen or what might happen. I brought a bag of M&Ms (the big bag) for my Mom & Dale to munch on tomorrow. It will make the day go by quicker for them ~ I hope. Today we are having pizza at work (celebrating?? ~ not really sure) and someone brought in muffins this morning ~ so I think I'll have plenty of food in my stomach and won't have to worry about being hungry later when I can't eat. Everyone here at work have been really super though it's a little awkward ~ people want to say something to me to make me feel better and yet it always makes me feel a little nervous...and them too I think. I'm not real thrilled about going to the hospital without lip gloss and a little eye pencil.....maybe just the tiniest little bit?? I think this is my last post until after surgery and well, likely until I get home from the hospital so, keep all fingers and toes crossed for me. I'm gladly accepting any good thoughts sent my way....and Dale's way too. He's stuck having to put up with me and I sure know that's not easy. p.s. If my brother (Steven) and sister (Denise) are reading this.........I know neither of you are really sick and it's just a big cover so you don't have to come visit me in the hospital. Cold/Virus? Sinus infection?? PINK EYE??? Uh huh..........surrrrrre, I believe you! XOXO

This is going to be a looooong week

I always find it difficult to get up and going on Mondays. I've always felt that sleeping was one of my favorite hobbies ~ I'm really good at it!! But this morning, I found it difficult to stay asleep when my alarm went off. I stayed in bed trying to figure out the words to Earth, Wind and Fire's, "September". I called Denise and she didn't know either ~ so I got up and figured, "what the heck", how about getting to work on time. Maybe I'll be on time every day this week ~ well, every day except Friday. Friday is the big day and I'm struggling with my feelings. I know I need the surgery and it's the right thing to do but it's really strange planning for surgery when I'm feeling good and knowing that I will not be feeling good after the surgery. There are too many questions rolling around my mind. How much of my hair will be shaved off? Will I be able to hear? Will my face look funny (or funnier)? How long until I can stand up and walk like a normal person? What will the scar look like? Yuck. Will I throw up? I really hate throwing up. Okay, I know everyone hates throwing up ~but I feel totally paralyzed throwing up ~ before, during and after. Just ask my mom!! It's not pretty!! What about Dale. Is this too stressful? I don't want to upset him and I don't want him to get sick. What about my mom. She acts cool ~ but I know she's upset and I really prefer to be the one that makes things better for people ~ not worse. The whole money issue sucks ~ we've spent a ton of money the past couple months and I'm totally worried about not having a paycheck while I'm away from work...it makes me very nervous being away from work for so long. My head hurts and I wish I hadn't given up Diet Coke. I really love Diet Coke and today, I miss it. At least there are M&Ms in my desk at work and they are my friends and will help me make it through the next few days ~ Dale and M&Ms ~ thank goodness for them both!!

Acoustic Neuroma

Acoustic neuromas are typically slow-growing benign (noncancerous) tumors that develop on a portion of the 8th cranial (neck) nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. The tumor can be a serious threat because it is located near vital brain structures.

A more correct term for the tumor is "vestibular schwannoma," because the tumors arise from the vestibular portion of the nerve from schwann cells that form the insulation around the nerve cells. Acoustic neuroma was the original name given to these tumors before their true origin and cell type were defined.

Approximately 2,500 people are diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma every year in the United States. Most are between the ages of 30 and 60. Although there is an inherited condition called neurofibromatosis which can lead to the development of bilateral acoustic neuromas, most occur spontaneously without any evidence of being inherited.

As the tumor grows along the vestibular nerve it may cause this nerve to quit working, resulting in imbalance or even vertigo (the sensation that the room is spinning). As it grows, it may compress the portion of the 8th nerve responsible for hearing and cause hearing loss, ringing in the ear or complete deafness on the side of the tumor.
If the tumor becomes large enough, it may compress and affect the nerves controlling facial movements, facial sensation, swallowing or even the cerebellum and brain stem, resulting in imbalance or weakness.