Earache my Eye

So, remember that hearing problem I wrote about? Turns out it's slightly more serious than I thought. An MRI discovered that I have an acoustic neuroma, which is a benign tumor that can be removed by surgery. At this stage it's relatively small, but left unchecked it could grow to the point that it presses against my brainsteam - a life-threatening situation. Needless to say, I'm getting the damn thing removed soon.

The procedure is scheduled for September 6, and should last 4-5 hours. I'll be in the hospital for 3-5 days following the operation, and recovery may take a few weeks due to dizziness caused by a loss of balance that often results from the procedure (I'm not looking forward to that). The good news is that I've been instructed to return to my computer as soon as possible, since reading will actually help me recover my balance more quickly. The bad news is that I've been told that the hearing loss I've been experiencing in my left ear will likely be permanent. While the hearing loss itself isn't too bad, the tinnitus is getting annoying - it's like a high-pitched buzzer I can't turn off.

This isn't the first operation I've had, but I have to admit it's the first one that has me a little scared (it's near my brain - that's scary). Some of the possible side effects - such as facial paralysis and eye problems - are common enough that I can't simply shrug them off, but I have spoken with a few people who know others who have had the operation, and they've all done well in the long term.

Regardless, I look forward to putting this behind me and getting on with my life.

Comments

[AlSki]

Good luck Nick. Hope it all works out for the best.

[Roy]

Best Wishes Nick and a speedy recovery. Re the tinnitus: I too suffer this condition. Luckily (so far) it isn't too annoying. It is at a level where most times I'm not aware of it, except when it is quiet around me or I'm thinking about it.

[graste]

I wish you all the best and a fast and complete recovery. Greetings from germany. :)

[enspired]

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

[matt]

Good luck, Nick.

[Justin Rudd]

Good luck! I've had a couple of operations done on my ears, and I believe the doctors exaggerate the recovery time. It took me about a week the first time and 4 days the second time. They are right about the reading. Read as much as you possibly can. The last one I had, I read the first 3 harry potter books.

As for the tinnitus, I've had it since I was 3. All I can say is that you get used to it :)

[Gordon]

Best of luck and good wishes for a speedy recovery.

I always find it helps to focus on the nurses when in a hospital - hope you have a cute one!

[Mike Stevenson]

Hey, Nick. Keep a good attitude and a good outlook on this and stay in high spirits and you'll come out fine. You've got a lot of people pulling for you, and there's a little spot slated for you in my prayers. Be sure to let us all know when you're back. :-)

[Lance Robinson]

Nick, get rid of that thing! Good luck and will pray for you and yours.

[Lance Robinson]

Nick, get rid of that thing! Good luck and will pray for you and yours.

[Ryan Guill]

I had a friend that had this condition several years ago. His had gone so far as to actually paralyze half of his face. but his surgury went well and his face actually went back to near normal, although his hearing didn't improve. Glad they caught it early, im sure you will be fine. Good luck and we will keep you in our prayers.

[Scott S.]

Hey Nick, my wife got tinnitus and some hearing loss from a loud concert in a small bar a few months back. She was pretty devastated by it at the time, but she's doing better now with the help of some devices she's wearing in her ears.

The devices look like hearing aids and generate white noise sort of like a fan running. They are the "Tranquil" product made by General Instruments http://www.generalhearing.com/ . Her hearing specialist took molds of her ears so they could custom mold the devices. Hopefully yours isn't as bad as hers, but the devices made a big difference for her.

I've also got tinnitus and have had it for years. For me it's not as bad. I mostly notice it in very quiet situations and sometimes it just appears if my sinuses are acting up. I wish you the best dealing with it.

[Mike Swaim]

I also have tinnitus, and had major ear surgery a decade ago. The paralysis warning's pretty standard because several important nerve groups exit the skull through the ear canal.
Any idea where they're going in? My incision was right behind the ear, and I still have a divot in my skull where they operated.
Good luck with your operation. If you've got a good doctor, the chances of permanent side efficts should be small. (My ENT referred me to another doctor in their practice because he didn't feel comfortable operating around all those nerves. Fortunately, everything went OK.)

[Brena]

Hey Nick hope all goes well. Best wishes from NZ!

[Kevin Burton]

Wow. Sorry to hear that Nick. I'm sure you'll go through it fine and be back soon enough implementing cool features in FeedDemon :)

Best of luck!

[Michael Moncur]

Best wishes, Nick - sounds scary, but I'm glad they caught it early. My thoughts are with you too.

[JD]

Good luck, Nick. We will all be praying for you. Come back soon for some more kick-ass products!

JD

[Stefano F Rausch]

All the best Nick! Our thoughts will be with you and your family.

[Morgan]

I am sure you will be fine but I will be thinking about your in surgery on September 6th (when I am away on my honey moon!).

All the best. Take it easy over the next few weeks :)

[alan]

Morgan....please don't take this the wrong way, but..... trust me. Do NOT think about Nick's surgery while you're on your honeymoon. LOL :O

[Manuela]

Best wishes, Nick. I hope all goes well.

[Joe W.]

Best wishes, Nick. Good luck and don't be afraid to put your health ahead of your customers. We'll be waiting for you once you're well.

[OSUKid7]

Good luck, hope everything goes well. We've seen the effects of you posting while you were on steroids, but now we'll get to see what you're like while dizzy.

Best wishes!

[bigstu]

Good Luck Nick, we will all be thinking of you

[Jeff Wilkinson]

best wishes from me too. you'll be in our prayers.

[Dave]

Good luck Nick.

[Andrew]

Hey Nick, if your doctor's anywhere near as good at his job as you are at yours all will be fine! At the risk of starting another flame war in your forums ... I'll be praying for you.

[Rob L.]

At least the title of the post indicates that you're keeping your sense of humor... that's a Cheech & Chong sketch, right?!?

Best wishes for the operation.

[Matt Zur]

Good Luck Nick! I'm sure everything will work out just fine.

[Spyro]

Hang in there Nick, I'm sure you'll come out ok (you might ask for some pills to decrease the dizziness, heh?) Remember that your family and your health come first, .... we'll be here when you're good and ready. All the best from France!

[Andrew Herron]

I'm sure you'll get another outpouring of support when you go in for the op, so I'll save my best messages... hope everything goes well until then :)

[Ian Betteridge]

Yowzah! Good luck with the op Nick - I look forward to it being all over and having you back blogging with us :)

[John Serris]

Damn Nick... You are starting to fall apart! ;)

Seriously though, good luck with it all. I'm confident it will all go well for you. I know a few people who have had similar surgery.

[Jack Eales]

Nick,

my most sincere best wishes to you at this difficult time - all the best for a sppedy recovery.

I look forward to your complete recovery and FeedDemon 2, 3, 4 & 5!!

Get well soon matey!
Jack

[Josh Bancroft]

Holy cow, Nick! Glad they found it while it was small. Take care of yourself, and get better soon.

Best wishes!

[sqlartist]

Good luck with the operation. I know how you feel, I am having my first operation on the 18th Aug where they will be implanting a brain stimulator - basically a pacemaker for the brain. Its quite weitd that after its done I can return to normal living again after 3 yerasd of hell and lack of funding from the NHS.

The hospital experience will be strange as its full of sick people :)

[Alex Barnett]

Wishing you all the best of luck for the op Nick.

Alex.

[caparks]

Nick,

Knowing the anxiety you most likely face, my prayers and well wishes (as well as the other 36 comments) are hopefully of comfort to you and your family.

It sounds silly coming from someone you do not know, but since I am in healthcare and live just down Hillsboro Rd. - if there is anything I can do (answer questions about facilities, surgeons, or just the need to grab a bite to eat outside of the house), please do not hesitate to email me.

Usually, the surgery is not bad. It's the post-surgery/recovery when one can get anxious. But worry not! I know that all will be fine and you'll be back and busier than ever.

Warmest regards,

Christopher

[Nick Bradbury]

Thanks for all the kind thoughts, folks. They're very much appreciated.

sqlartist, good luck with your surgery this month. I'm sure that, like me, you'll be glad to put it behind you.

John S., I've been falling apart for years. Thank goodness for duct tape!

Rob, yes - the title is the name of a Cheech and Chong song :)

[Rick Stratton]

Too bad it's not titanous!
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Pritam Pal]

Hey Nick, Get well soon. Best of luck for the operation and have a speedy recovery.

[Nicola Ken Barozzi]

Get well soon. I'm sure you'll be a RecoveryDemon! :-)

[Dan]

Good luck Nick - I wish you all the best and a very speedy recovery.

I'll be thinking of you on the 6th.

[Phil Davis]

Hang in there, Nick! Looking forward to having you back. As a fellow tinnitis sufferer I am very sympathetic, but can give you hope that it will "fade into the background". I've had tinnitis all my life and rarely notice it anymore.

You are in our thoughts and prayers.

[Dave Seidel]

Best of luck, Nick!

[Roy Reed]

Good luck, Nick.

[David Robertson]

My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family.

[Ed]

Good Luck, and take care.

[Simon Cox]

All the very best for the op Nick. I am sure it will go well and that you will talk about it like going to the cinema after a while.

[Giacomo]

First Pat "Slackware" Volkerding, then you. Geek lifestyle is dangerous!!!

Best wishes, take care

[Lance England]

My prayers are with you.

[WIll]

All the best, Nick and here's to a speedy recovery.

[Daf]

Sorry to hear about the impending surgery, Nick. Here's to a speedy recovery and as for the tinitus - too bad I'm not there... I was often referred to as a "buzz-killer" ;)

Take care!
Daf

[todd cochrane]

Nick

Man get that thing the heck out of their, good luck on the surgery! These types of things really throw you a curve ball. We will be praying for ya..

Todd..

[Alan]

Good luck, but you won't need it.

Take it easy and you'll recover fully and quickly, I'm certain.

Best regards, Alan.

[Peter Tilbrook]

Well at least now you know what the problem is - small comfort that may be.

But all the best for a full recovery. God bless!

[Char!ie]

My friend had tinnitus so bad she couldn't sleep well. They thought it was related to lupus. She went to an accupucturist. After a few, visits...gone. Another friend, same results. Dunno...probably getting tons of advice, but it did work in this case.

[Rob]

Best of luck!

[John Pacchetti]

Nick - best of luck to you.

If you are going anywhere near the Mayo Clinic, let me know. I am right in Rochester, MN and would be happy to help in any way.

God Bless!

[Olly]

Wow. Sounds like fun :(

Best of luck with it all.