Brain Surgery – One Week Later!

Hi, friends! If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’ve been following along with us during this crazy brain tumor diagnosis and journey to surgery. Thank you seems to fail at describing my gratitude, but maybe it’s a start J

One week post-surgery is better than I could have imagined! I really didn’t know what to expect. Would I be sleeping all day every day? Be in lots of pain? Constant vertigo and dizziness?? No, no, and NO! I’m so grateful! So here’s what IS happening:

I am starting to sleep a little better and getting my appetite back. So, better eating and sleeping is helping me to have more energy.

I’m still pretty unsteady on my feet because of the loss of the balance nerve in my left ear canal. That’s the nerve that had the Acoustic Neuroma or Vestibular Schwannoma on it. We knew I’d lose that nerve and that it would make balance a challenge for a little while. So, I’m doing short walks in the neighborhood 2-3 times a day with Reece or Kate’s help. It’s getting better every day!

I really haven’t been in much pain at all. I’m still on a steroid to decrease inflammation, an antibiotic to prevent infection, and Tylenol!

My ear and incision don’t hurt – just feels full. It feels almost like there’s water in my ear from swimming and sounds like a fetal heart monitor on that side sometimes. How weird to hear my heartbeat in my head like that! But, I think those things will improve over time and after my post-op appointment on May 5.

Other than that, I just feel a little like I’m bouncing around in a stroller as I’m walking. I don’t feel like I’m going to fall, just that everything isn’t as steady as it needs to be yet.

Today, we got a call from the Neurologist’s office. They confirmed, as expected, that the tumor was a benign schwannoma, requiring no further treatment!

Some of you have asked about hearing and the ringing in my ear. I think it’s hard to say at this point, because they’ve packed my ear with some fluids to help with healing. That will eventually go away or they’ll remove it, I think.

The ringing comes and goes but isn’t bad at all. And, it would seem that I won’t have hearing in that left ear, but we knew that was a sacrifice in order to preserve my facial muscles. Seemed like a much better deal to me, since smiling’s my favorite!

I’ll write again soon – just wanted to pass along my gratitude for all the love, support and prayers on our behalf. I am SO grateful for all the calls, texts, meals, gift cards, flowers, cookies, and prayers!! Thanks so much for checking in on us!

Most of all, I am SO GRATEFUL for the way God has guided us through this process and for the ways I’m learning to trust Him more in all of this. It’s so great to have the hardest part behind us and to have felt so confident we were never alone!