5 weeks later

Yep, 5 weeks and 1 day. Today I had a follow up appointment with Dr. Brackmann (my neurotologist) at the House Ear Clinic. Things went well, he asked me how I was feeling made me scrunch up my face and smile really big a couple of times. He looked at my scar, asked me about my balance and said he was happy with my progress. I'm scheduled to see him again in a year with a new MRI.

This is how I feel that I am progressing.

I got board last thursday and decided I would test myself with riding my bicycle (thanks Cheryl) to where I work to say hi to my colleagues . I didn't do very well going down the driveway but once I got out to the street where I had more room to maneuver I felt safe. After that everything was going smooth until I got to the last block that's downhill. I figure I was going around 20 mph when I had to cross the street to enter the park. Having only one functional ear means that I have to look backwards over my shoulder to look for cars. That didn't go very well. But I managed to stay on two wheels. Coming home uphill was a much easier ride, it was very slow.

The next day friday, I had my friend Steve drive my truck with me in it of course, up to the Kern river. We had to take the canoe back to his cabin and pick up some things. Saturday morning was a morning I've been visioning ever since I was laid up in the hospital. We hiked down to the river and fished all day, what a great day. I felt like that was a major step in my recovery.

My face is about 90% back to where it was before surgery. My eyes are starting to track together most of the time and I'm starting to notice some tearing. It seems the more fatigued I am the less things work right. I have a constant ringing in my ear but it doesn't really bother me, it's just there if I listen for it. There is still some swelling around the temple area and I can feel a sense of pressure coming from behind my eye. But it is subsiding. So, overall I really can't complain much. You can't go through something like this and not pay some kind of price for it. I feel I didn't have to pay too much.

I'll update again when it's worthwhile.

Mike.

PS. Best wishes to Amy who's having surgery tomorrow to correct some complications from her AN removal surgery. I'm with you in spirit.

And best wishes to Marie on Monday. May the magic scarf give you all the magic you need.

Delayed Facial Weakness Progress

As many of you know, I experienced what's referred to as delayed facial weakness. This weakness is common in many acoustic neuroma patients. The facial nerve experiences some trauma that causes the nerve to swell on the side of the face during the tumors removal. That causes the facial nerve that controls the movement on that side of the face to temporally stop working until the nerve swelling goes away.

Quick recap;

My face worked fine until I got home 5 days after surgery. By the 6th day after surgery I had almost no use of the right side of my face, it went numb.. I also lost my ability to taste on the right side of my tongue. Since my right eye could not blink my eye would get dried out often especially at night while trying to sleep.

Little by little I noticed some improvement every day. I'm not back to 100% yet but getting close. Today I noticed enough improvement that I thought it would be worth posting an update. Today is the 28th day since surgery, or 23rd day since my delayed facial weakness started.

Here is somthing I couldn't imagine doing one week ago. Close right eye only.

This has been my indicator for improvement. My smile. It's getting close to normal, you can see more teeth, but you can still see a difference from one side to the other, especially around the eye.
The scar seems to be looking better. The only time I can get a good look at it is when I take a picture of it like this. The fact that I decided to start shaving my head a number of years back really makes it a challenging look. Imagine having to shave around a speed bump shaped like a backwards question mark. It aint easy!
As the rest of my recovery goes, stamina and balance remain the biggest obstacles for me. I'm sure that the lack of balance subconsciously is what causes my being fatigued so easily. You have to consciously balance yourself, one of the things you take for granted along with blinking, smiling and other things.

I'm looking forward to getting back to work. Being dizzy and not being able to drive, run, ride my skateboard, hike to a nice fishing hole and have a beer sucks.

One last thing before I go. Today is Lynette (AKA lawmama on ANA forum) from Florida's surgery to remove her acoustic neuroma tumor. She's someone I've met through the ANA forum. I'm wishing her a uneventful surgery and speedy recovery free of complications.

Hopefully I'll update soon.

Mike

Adios Magic Scarf

Today marks the end of a significant time in my life. The passing of the magic scarf. Yeah, it's only make believe but it's the connections with the others that's so special. When I first found out I had a tumor I searched the web for any information I could find. That's when I found the ANA discussion forum (where the scarf travels through) and I knew that I found the right place for answers. To be able interact with real people who are heading for surgery or have already gone through it and are willing to share their experiences with others is invaluable. It's a very special forum with very special people. Amy and Cheryl were the first two that I met on the forum and they both had the magic scarf during their surgeries. Little did I know then that Dennis would receive the scarf from Amy and then hand it off to me. I thought it was a chick thing until Dennis took possession of it but I'm glad he did because I got to meet him, then Tammy and Jay when it was my turn to hand it off. Hey, no homophobes here.

This is wear the handoff takes place. A very special place I might add. This is a view of St. Vincent's Hospital taken from the House Ear Institute. You can see the back of the memorial of Dr. House (the real one) looking towards the hospital.

Well, this is where I part ways with the magic scarf. I have had it since November 13 (much too long) and was ready to pass on to the next person, Tammy. I first wrote Tammy around October 29 on the ANA discussion forum and we stayed in contact throughout my surgery. I knew soon after that, that she was the one I wanted to pass the magic scarf to and I was very happy to hand it to her in person. That was one of the most emotional hugs I ever felt. She is a very sweet lady and Jim her husband is a very nice man. I really wish the best for the both of them.

Here's the L.A. group with Tammy and myself. From left to right Lainie, me, Tammy, Nancy and David. This is the most incredible group of people who care about others that they've never even met. They give their own time to meet with others before surgery and answer any and all questions that they might have heading into surgery. They did this for me before my surgery and it was invaluable. They give you all the confidence you could ever want and take away a lot of the anxiety you feel going into surgery. Tammy really looks good with that scarf around her neck. I sure the magic will work for her.

This is Jay, another that I have come to know through the ANA discussion forum. He is here to have surgery Wednesday at St.Vincent's and we were able to meet him (and Tammy) between their testing appointments at the House Ear Clinic just across the street from the hospital. I just caught him as we were leaving for this photo. Unfortunately we could not get the full group shot. Tammy and Jay's appointments were overlapped and we couldn't all get together at the same time.

Well as I write this Tammy is in surgery and I'm wishing her the best. She and Jay are using the same surgeons that I used Dr's Brackmann & Schwartz. The best in my opinion.

Jay's surgery is tomorrow and I wish him the best also. I will be constantly thinking of you two and will be anxiously waiting for any news about your recoveries.

Until next time.

Mike

Well maybe a few days isn't enough to notice any difference. Guess I'm getting impatient. Any how I thought this photo comparison is relevant. This photo was taken 11-19, 3 days after surgery. Face was working fine.

This photo was taken today, 19 days since surgery. Face not working fine.

I'll guess I'll wait until there's a visible improvement before posting anymore photo's.

As for other progress, I would say that there's little if any improvement. Starting to taper off steroids, sleeping more but still not normal. Pain is all gone. I'm still feeling weak and because of my delayed facial weakness, my eye is still not blinking. This is my biggest complaint because it causes a few other related problems with my vision and balance.

Patients.

Mike

December, facial progress

Goodbye November 2009, that's one I'd like to forget. Well I came up with this idea of posting a photo of my ugly mug every few days to see the progress of my facial nerve. Today I feel more sensation in my face. I seem to have a little more control of movement of my smile (mouth in particular). My eye still does not blink and both eyes still do not want to work together. The area on my tongue that has no taste is very small now and I can feel my cheek move when I try. I'm doing a lot of walking about a mile this morning and hopefully another later on today. My balance is at about 70% of what it was before surgery. The steroids are keeping my appetite way up and I'll eat anything. Slept about 3 1/2 hours last night but I don't feel tired. I usually take a nap. I laid on the new hole in my skull last night for the first time. It felt good to lay that way again, no pain. My head is still swollen with an obvious new corner where my new hardware is.

Out of 10 photo's this is the best I could do.

HEY LOOK! THE MAGIC SCARF WORKS!

Getting better.

Mike