Facial weakness a thing of the past!
Recovery is still going amazingly! To see the original video look at the July 27th blog video.
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Excited to be on my way home from my post-op appts. Staples are a thing of the past! Balance wise I’m doing great, I have a few new exercises mainly looking left and right as I walk. I do have some nystagmus but doing daily exercises should have it cleared in no time. I was really concerned about the staple removal process but it was nothing! I had hubby take a video for those of you wondering. At the worst it felt like pulling hair. We met a very nice couple in the waiting room that was there for a consult for her AN. She saw my staples and asked questions, I was more than happy to share my experiences for this scariest time of life.
Recovery Update
It's been a few days - each day getting stronger! Yesterday I went to watch kiddo at this lifeguard training and today we ventured to the park. Walking across the grounds wass no issue, in fact kiddo had to tell me to slow down. I am amazed at how good I'm feeling. Steroids were done 2 days ago, I did take an Oxycodone to help sleep but now and I'm just taking Advil for minor discomfort (mainly for a crick in my neck) in the morning and to help sleep. I did a half mile walk yesterday around the neighborhood and will repeat again tonight. My facial weakness is lessening by the day, I almost feel normal! It's Friday now and my post op is on Tuesday - can't wait to get the staples out! God Bless my fellow #ANWarriors out there!
Tapering steroids now, 2 days left of them. Trying to not take oxycodone if I don’t need it. I last took oxy last night at bedtime, I did take Advil this morning. All is progressing very well. Dizziness is pretty much a thing of the past! I am still moving slowly and will be for a while but can’t wait to be back in the dojang. To be able to try a spin kick is going to be amazeballs! Working on my rehab, and tomorrow I hope to start finishing my NSDAR New Horizons program.
A little setback, but lesson learned.
Well i didn't make it to the swim meet today, It was a little too warm to sit outside that long. Boys are going to karate tonight and I will tagged along to say hey, but exerted myself a little too much at the end standing and talking. Wound up at the ER after I passed out. I felt it happening so I was able to sit down on the ground and not fall over. Dr orders more fluids and taking it easier. They did do a CT scan of my head to make sure all was good and X-ray of my chest. Today is just watching all my efforts. I totally forgot that those 960 steps the other day was from when Jim brought the watch from the hotel room. So I’m using the “move calorie goal”. Today I’m just looking at 160 calories.to burn.
Wow It feels good to be home! I really want to shower completely but can’t get the staples wet for a week. Luckily my mom is here and helped me get some of the ick out of the other side of the hair. I look forward to going to Jeremy’s swim meet tomorrow but I will be taking it easy. Doctor said do 5% more each day, not 10%...I will be using my Apple Watch to gauge my activity. I have a wonderful friend bringing a tent for me to sit under! Total steps 950. 1 flight of stairs climbed. I want to thank Lisa for her recommendation of button up tops and using a non powered toothbrush!
I believe I will be heading home in a few hours. I just had breakfast and have been up to the restroom all on my own. I am disconnected from my lovely IV pole. I really want to wash hair, so when I get home that will be Jim’s challenge, can’t get staples wet until next week. I will be going home with some steroids and tapering those off, so I may not do quite as much as I can feel I can right now. Gotta be on watch for fever, but so far so good. Still a bit dizzy when I rotate my head but working on my PT is definitely helping. I’m getting ready to got for a walk around the nurses station. I put my Apple watch back on today as doc says he’s scared I might push myself too much. He only wants me doing 5% more each day. I am so excited to be recovering better than I thought. My PT was thankful for all my pre-balance work and said it definitely made a difference. My main exercises were balancing on the bosu ball. I highly recommend it. I will video the PT that I am doing, which
So I am 2 days out of surgery, I had a bit of a wig out coming out of anesthesia, some hallucinations. Surgery lasted from 9:30- 6:45. I spent the first night and most of yesterday in ICU due to lack of step down beds. My hearing was preserved, I have a little facial weakness but it should clear in a week or two.ive been up walking with PT and they say they are clearing me today! I’m still waiting to be cleared from the docs but all is going better than expected,
So I report in for surgery in 8 hours. This is by far the most scared I have ever been. I can’t really express myself more than that. I want to tell my husband Jim, I love you. You are my soulmate and I hope to have many mote great years with you. To Jeremy, I love you so much, I can’t wait to see the man you turn out to be. To my mom and dad, I love you and are so thankful for your commitment to each other and your family. To my brother, my friend I love you and can’t wait to see fireworks in Cincy with you. To my In-Laws, I love you and thank you for accepting me into your family. There are so many people that I want to say I love you to before I go under the knife. Please know I am writing this for you.
Today marks 6 days until surgery, Jim and I went to Ann Arbor for pre-op appointments and a few more tests. Hearing, ABR, and EKG along with blood draw. We walked around the hospital in between appointments to get the lay of the land. Nerves are really doing a number on me, Jim is such a wonderful support! My hearing issue from last week had abated by Saturday, and today she said I tested the same as I did back in February. The Doctor reviewing the pre-op stuff with us was amazed that I’ve only ever had anesthesia 1 time when I was a child getting teeth out. To those of you texting and messaging I truly appreciate it, my phone is being wonky so I apologize if you have not heard back from me.
So here I am 11 days from surgery...My only symptoms to this point have been vertigo and tinnitus. Until yesterday. I think 'Habib' (the name we have given the tumor) is fighting back. My vertigo is back and worse than before. Tinnitus is screaming in my ear and now my hearing on my right side is diminished. It sounds like I have an ear plug in my ear. I am hopeful that it won't get any worse before surgery. Once hearing is gone it can not be restored so timing is of the upmost importance. If you are a praying person please pray that no more damage will be done.
Black Belt with a Brain Tumor
It's been a while since I have posted and now it's time to change the focus of this blog. For a few years now I have suffered from chronic vertigo. During Black Belt Bootcamps I would have to grab onto a wall sometimes to keep my balance, I completed and passed my 9 hour Black Belt test in February of 2018 and am so proud to be a "ChoDan". All this time my vertigo was holding me back. In November of 2018 I decided enough was enough and I was determined to get to the root of the problem. I went to my doctor who referred me to an ENT. The ENT ordered an MRI and on Dec 31 I had my first ever MRI. January 4th I received my results. I have a brain tumor known by 2 different names Vestibular Schwannoma or Acoustic Neuroma. This is a benign tumor that grows on you balance nerve. The nerve structure in the brain places the balance nerve, acoustic nerve and facial nerve all in a bunch. Most people who are diagnosed have a loss of hearing on one side as their first sym