ENT visit
In a couple of hours I go to meet the ENT (ORL in French) surgeon who will be part of the surgical team for the op. Since the House Unit developments in Los Angeles in the 70s, acoustic neuromas have been worked on by both an ENT (to get inside the skull, particularly through the mastoid bone which is quite tricky) and then the neurosurgeon (to extricate the tumour). I heard that the operation schedule for the next period was agreed on Friday past, so I hope to find out what date has been set for me - it will be nice to have something firm in my life!
As some of you know, I've had an MRI already (which is how they detected the tumour in the first place) but will now need a high resolution CAT/CT scan to help them plan the route taken during the surgery. It was quite funny to hear them describe it as 'high resolution' - at work, we're working on 50nm CT, and use 0.3um regularly - 3000x more detailed! Of course, we can't fit my head into the scanner at work...
They'll also be making an audiogram (which measures not only the frequency response of my affected ear, but also the ability to distinguish conversation over background noise, which is more important in day to day life) and another test, something like a 2D pet scan. They inject a radio isotope and then take an image, identifying the routes of the blood vessels in the side of my head.
I'll keep you posted on what happens.
Last night I had another headache. I've had them for years, but they are gradually getting worse, and I puked with this one. They're not really migraines - no funny visual disturbances or anything - just horrendously painful, and very sensitive to blood pressure. If I can catch them at the beginning and head them off with mild painkillers, they tend to dissipate, but if I don't pay sufficient attention, nothing seems to reduce them once they're in full-flight. It was a glorious feeling to wake up at about 3am and not feel anything!
There is no guarantee, but the headaches are likely related to the neuroma. Almost makes me want to have surgery...
As some of you know, I've had an MRI already (which is how they detected the tumour in the first place) but will now need a high resolution CAT/CT scan to help them plan the route taken during the surgery. It was quite funny to hear them describe it as 'high resolution' - at work, we're working on 50nm CT, and use 0.3um regularly - 3000x more detailed! Of course, we can't fit my head into the scanner at work...
They'll also be making an audiogram (which measures not only the frequency response of my affected ear, but also the ability to distinguish conversation over background noise, which is more important in day to day life) and another test, something like a 2D pet scan. They inject a radio isotope and then take an image, identifying the routes of the blood vessels in the side of my head.
I'll keep you posted on what happens.
Last night I had another headache. I've had them for years, but they are gradually getting worse, and I puked with this one. They're not really migraines - no funny visual disturbances or anything - just horrendously painful, and very sensitive to blood pressure. If I can catch them at the beginning and head them off with mild painkillers, they tend to dissipate, but if I don't pay sufficient attention, nothing seems to reduce them once they're in full-flight. It was a glorious feeling to wake up at about 3am and not feel anything!
There is no guarantee, but the headaches are likely related to the neuroma. Almost makes me want to have surgery...
posted by Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson | 8:11 am
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