Three Days Till...

Hello everyone. This is Mike's (Loose Screws as you all know him) son Michael. This is my first ever attempt at a blog so give me a chance...haha.
As you know, my dad is about to have his surgery in three days. He has asked me to carry on his blog for him while he is down. So, I will be inputting my ideas, feelings, and views before, during and after the surgery.
To be completely honest, I am scared. When I first heard the news about this whole thing, I was completely blown away. I mean it's not like he has a baseball size tumor in his head, but that's where it took me. As I did more research about AN, I felt a little more at ease. The whole procedure (don't get me wrong) is a pretty crazy process. I am glad that I get to be there for my dad because he has always been there for me. When I was growing up, I knew right from wrong and did wrong anyway, and he was there. My step brother, step mother, my grandmother and I will be staying at the hospital with my dad until he is ready to go home.
So a little about myself. I am 25 yrs old with two beautiful daughters (as I'm sure you've seen the pics) living in peaceful little Lomita, CA. I probably could throw a rock and hit my dad's house. I wouldn't do that of course...haha. I work at a publishing company in Commerce and faithfully go to work every day. Okay, enough of me...
I am glad that my dad has an outlet to talk and meet people who all have had, or who are newly diagnosed with AN. I thank everyone for being there because I'm sure it makes everyone happy to know that they are not alone. So, I wondered what the leopard print scarf was in his pocket. He took me to the computer and showed me the pictures of everyone with it. I thought his screws got real loose! But after he enlightened me on the whole Magic Scarf concept, it made me feel better now knowing that my dad has faith that everything is going to be okay.
So on that note, I am closing out, taking a shower and going to bed. You will be hearing from me soon... Good Night Everyone-

Final pre-op Good to go

This was the second most day I've thought about for the last few weeks, The final pre-op testing and meeting my neurosurgeon for the first and last time before surgery on monday.

Dr Schwartz, the neurosurgeon who will seperate all the wires in the harness and figure out which one goes where while trying not to touch the wrong ones and cut the right one met with my mother and I today to explain the process and answer all my questions. He actually did a excellent job. I only had about a hundred or so questions for him when he was done explaining things.

Today was also the day where they test your hearing, brainstem response and your balance. Here is the first test of the day. This one takes place in a recliner. Not bad.

This next test was a balance test. They put these goggles on you then blast your ears with cold and hot water. During this test they watch your eyes (you can see them on the monitor). It does make you feel dizzy.

Now come on how could you not want a brain tumor? Take a look at these sweet young ladies they have testing you. HEIs Nichole Greene and Laura Hernandez.

After the testing and consultation with Dr. Schwartz we were very lucky to meet a group of the most compassionate people that you could ever meet.

This is Dennis. He's here from Michigan with his wife Julie and he just had his tumor removed Wednesday Nov. the 4th, only 9 days ago. No, that's not piece of lingerie from one of the girls above he's handing to me, it's the famous magic scarf. It gets passed from one AN patient for surgery to the next waiting to have surgery. Since the discovery of my tumor I've gotten to know the last three people who've had possession of this magic scarf, Cheryl, Amy and Dennis. And they all lived. I've been fortunate enough to communicate with all three through there surgeries and they all have helped me more then they realize. Before Dennis getting the scarf I believe it's always been a girls thing. Way to go Dennis, it just proves that were not homophobes and were willing to take whatever magic there maybe in this scarf.

This is the welcoming committee in LA who greet all those who come to the House Ear Institute from all over the country and I think I heard them say they even have met some international visitors, to have their Acoustic Neuromas removed. You will never meet a nicer more compassionate group of people then Nancy and David and others who couldn't make it today. They come on their own free time to comfort others and answer any questions you might have, having gone through the surgery themselves. I know Dennis and I were both very thankful for their kindness. Well in a few days I can proudly wear my scar like these others and then I'll really fit in. The others that were their were my mother Diane and Dennis's wife Julie. We had a nice time.

Thanks to everyone who's given me words of encouragement.

Mike

2 months of yard work in 1 day

Happy Veterans Day.

Nothing like a little yard work to clear your mind. Not your nose though it's full of gunk. Since I won't be doing any more for a couple of months, I did a couple of months of yard work today.

I received some messages today from Dennis, Cheryl and Amy (previous AN surgery recipients). I feel very lucky to have them to talk to. Hearing about their progress good and bad puts you in the right frame of mind to prepare yourself for the big day. Thanks all of you.

We are planing a meeting Friday with a few other AN surgery recipients at the House Ear Institute. It will be comforting to meet all those who've gone before me and give me some answers to some of the last minute questions I have. I'm looking forward to it.

Tomorrow will be a busy day. My mother is driving in from Arizona, Pam and I will be driving out to Newbury Park to pick-up our granddaughter for the weekend. No time to dwell and may be no time to add to blog.

Mike

Goodbye work (for a while)

Today was a good day. No balance issues, hearing was so so and only a slight headache on AN side.

Today was also my last at work before my Monday date with Dr. Brackmann and Dr Schwartz. It was a very odd feeling when I left work today. It left me wondering what it would feel like when I return for my first day back.

I feel very fortunate to have colleagues that care enough to give me their best wishes and keep me in there prayers. I really need that. Thanks to all of you.

I told my colleagues that I plan to return on January 4th. Thats my goal if all goes well, I hope to live up to my expectations.

I'm lucky to have these 5 days to take care of the loose ends and spend some quality time with my family. It keeps you from dwelling on the surgery.

For others facing surgery I highly recommend spending as much time with your family as possible before your surgery, especially the little ones. They have a special way of putting a smile on your face. Again do what you can to keep your mind off things.

We finally have all our arrangements in order so were ready for Monday.

My little ones that keep me smiling.

Mike.

Making arrangements

Having surgery is turning out to be a real pain in the ass. My parents are coming in from Arizona. We've reserved a room at Seton Hall ( a wing on the hospital ) for Pam, my kids, and my mom to stay at. They don't want my dad to sleep anywhere near them because of his snoring so I have to diplomatically convince him he'd be much more comfortable sleeping at our house. My two boys will be staying at the hospital monday night to comfort my wife and visa versa. I think their more nervous about this then I am.

Friday is my pre op hearing testing and final Q&A with the surgeons. After that I may be meeting the LA. AN committee. Plans have not been set as of yet I need to contact Nancy to make sure that will work out.

Here's a rare photo of the most special people in my life that will be with me during a very difficult day. I love them more then they'll ever know.

On a very special note . I would like to congratulate Denise S who had her AN removed today at At St. Johns Providence Park Hospital in Novi, MI

Neurosurgeon is Dr. Daniel Pieper

Neurotologist is Dr. John Zappia.

Her family is reporting that all appears to have went well. I hope they can all rest peacefully.

Mike

Friday I received a Big package in the mail from the surgeons. There was such encouraging news in there about things that could happen such as loosing my hearing, having facial paralysis, loosing my ability to taste, vision problems. Oh yeah, lets not forget the stroke and death part. Well time to sign my life away. I'm feeling a little nervous. 8 days and counting.

Head with no scar.

Mike

Loose Screw Removal

Around last April I got dizzy for about a day and a half. Nothing unusual, it's that feeling you have after a hard night of partying, but I didn't party. I told my wife (Pam) about it and she told me I should go to the doctor and I replied "yeah sure". Well, she called and made an appointment. I showed up at the doctors office and the nurse asked me a few questions and came to the conclusion that I was suffering from vertigo. Her remedy was take some of these and you'll be fine.

Fast forward two months. I noticed that my right ear was starting to hear things a bit differently. Kind of like when you come down from the mountains and can't pop your ear. Well after a couple of months of not being able to pop my ear I mentioned it to my wife and guess what she told me? So back to the doctors office I went. This time the nurse asked me a few questions and then pulled out a tuning fork, you know the kind you would tune a guitar with. He moved it all around my head and came to the conclusion that I needed to go to a Ear Nose and Throat (ENT)Dr.

Now it's the last week in August and I'm off to the ENT Dr.. This is were things got interesting. He came in and introduced himself, he asked me the standard questions then sent me to the electric chair. The electric chair is in a room with sound proof walls. The nurse put headphones on me and gave me a button to push everytime I heard a sound. After I was done the Dr. (Dr. Levine) read the results to me and told me that I had unilateral hearing, my right ear was not functioning as well as my left ear (no kidding). He then started asking me about recent changes in my health when I told him about being dizzy for a couple of days. I noticed his eyes got large when he heard this (not a good sign). Then he said he wanted an MRI of my head.

A couple of weeks later the ENT doctors office called me and said they needed me to come in to discuss my MRI. Now, everyone knows thats never a good sign. So off I went. You really have a lot of weird things go through your mind when your driving to the doctors to receive bad news. I just knew he was going to tell me I blew out my eardrum listening to loud music or working around loud equipment. So I prepared myself for the bad news.

Upon entering the room he said hi. I replied likewise and was watching him very closely to see how he acted. The next thing he said was "You got a tumor". Ok, I replied "Where is it?" He slid the MRI on the light board and pointed it out. A little white thing 4x5x7 mm near the middle of my head behind my right ear. "Uh, that's not good" I told him. "No it's not, your going to have to have it removed". I really didn't know what to say after that so I just sat there with a dumb look on my face (you know, my normal look). He went on to say that if he were in my shoes he'd go to a place called the House Ear Institution in Los Angeles. He wrote me out a referral and sent me on my way. That wasn't a very good day.

Thank god for the internet because I spent the next 12 straight hours trying to learn everything I could about vestibular schwannomas as there called. They are more commonly reffered to as acoustic neuromas. Here's a place to read about them.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_neuroma

After days of researching everything I could find, talking to others who have had them and then finding a forum of people pre and post surgery exchanging information I felt knowledgeable enough to make a decision of how I was going to take care of this lump. Surgery!

Fortunately for me Dr. Brackmann and Dr. Schwartz are the premier team of surgeons in the world to remove these very bad lumps. They both practice out of the House Ear Institute in down town LA at Saint Vincents Hospital.

During my initial consultation with Dr.Brackmann he explained that my tumor was small and recommended the middle fossa approach to remove it. With that procedure he will cut a hole in the side of my head above the ear. Then he will move my brains over to expose the little bony canal that has a bunch of nerves going through it like a wire harness. He will then let Dr. Schwartz take over to carefully separate the nerves and arteries and find the balance nerve. Then he'll cut the balance nerve at the tumor to remove it. It's OK there's another balance nerve and balance organ on the other side. While I was at my consultation I was lucky enough to meet an incredibly nice lady named Cheryl (who I met on the internet) and her husband Charlie who came here from NYC to have Dr. Brackmann and Schwartz perform her surgery. She just had her tumor removed 5 days earlier with the same procedure I'm having and met Pam & I in the hospital cafeteria. She was kind enough to answer my many questions and show me her scar. Wow, thats a big one, right on the side of her head. Right then I wish I still had my hair. Well she seemed fine considering she just had brain surgery so I felt that I made a good choice with my selection of doctors.

I have since made many forum friends. Another is a new mother, Amy, who just had her tumor removed on Oct 28th and is recovering. I'm staying in contact with her and Cheryl to see how's their doing. There's so many nice people on that forum who are willing to help it's really amazing.

Ok, here's my plan. I will update this blog until next Sunday the 15th. Then Michael (my son) will be manning the blog starting Nov 16th ( surgery day) to let anyone interested know how things are going until I get home hopefully on the 21st minus a screw.

Thanks for reading. I tried to keep it short.

Mike