I will soon be 8 months post-op. My emotions are sometimes good and sometimes not. I am still hemiplegic and most worrisome is what I call being wobbly. My balance is very much affected.
Introduction: I am a 44yo female. Turned 44 in the hospital. I in fact "woke up" 1 week before my birthday. I had a 5 cm tumor on my brainstem which was resected. I had a resultant csf leak that required 2 more surgeries on my brain. ICU was my home for 2.5 weeks or so I am told. I was warned of possible complications but I did not believe I would have any. My neurosurgeon, on the eve of the surgery said that he has never seen a tumor such as this and that it was very unusual. My skull-base surgeon who was and did open my skull, told me that my hearing or vestibular nerve would be sacrificed. Again on the eve of the surgery and I really wasn't too alarmed. Later, I found out my tumor was benign which is meaningless in the world of brain rumors. A malignant brain tumor can mean in a bad location and mine was certainly in a bad location. I did find out in August I had a VIth nerve schwannoma. It is very rare as most schwannomas are VIIIth nerve and rare theirselves. An VIIIth nerve scwannomas is also called an acoustic neuroma...that is not what I have had. I say this because I have scoured the web for info pertaining to me and I can not find it. I usually succumb to info on acoustic neuromas and stroke info (I didn't have a stroke but a resection...the neurosurgeon casually mentioned I might have had a stroke...no one knows.)
Things of which I am uncertain: ALOT!
Of what I am certain: God saw fit to save my life and I will praise and honor him forever! I am changed!
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