Some good vibes for the FOFC Senator!

[markprior22]

Get better soon!

[Julio Riddols]

It appears you have become a baseball. Knock the cover off this recovery, glad to hear the surgery went well.

[Karlifornia]

Senator, you rule. Fighting this while keeping good humor all the while. Quite inspirational. Best of luck.

[Senator]

Acrostic Neuroma - Bucc Style

I had a retro surgery at 10am on Wednesday, January 23rd. Dr. Thomas Ellis was the surgeon. It was done at Harris Hospital in downtown Fort Worth.
Arrived at 5am for check in and then prepped until 10. Last thing I remember was a nurse telling me to think a happy thought. My mind conjured throwing a football back and forth with my son.
I had a contingent of 30 people in the waiting room. Harris has a big screen that tells status of where each patient is during surgery. My brother said I was first on the screen, and last to come down.
It took 9 hours. The tumor was wrapped around my facial nerve and was touching the brain and brain stem. Dr. Ellis said at one point he stopped to stretch, get a cup of coffee, and sat down and had a eureka moment in how to approach it.
When I woke up in ICU, I had over 60 staples, my entire face was fine, no paralysis at all, 10-15% hearing left in my damaged ear, and no CSF.
A flat out miracle for me.
Three fingers on my left hand tingle and will not wake up currently, but hopefully with time we can fix them.
They sent me home 5 days, including surgery, and I putter around the house with a walker for 15 minutes then sleep for 4 hours straight. Very odd for someone used to being active.
I am still very dizzy, is this normal? 1 week out and I think I should be able to walk around better. Maybe not. I have no taste. Drinks taste horrible to me. Water, yech!

My mind seems fuzzy and inarticulate, and that makes me frustrated.Basically, I am an impatient old toot.
The one thing I wished happened that didn't was he had to leave 5% on the facial nerve and, of course fears of that thing growing back will always haunt me. But, I would give this an A on the grade scale.

Sorry for the poor grammar, I feel like I am typing in a ball full of helium.

[Senator]

PS. I have never had a shaved head before, but part of me wants to keep it shaved so that in board meetings, when someone gives me shit, it gives me corporate fake street cred.

[MIJB#19]

That sounds pretty rough! Take it is easy for now, bud.

[Dutch]

Wow. You are one tough SOB, Senator. You've earned the shaved head in the board room look if you ask me. Consider a Tyson tattoo to compliment your new look if you go that route.

[Eaglesfan27]

Wow. I wish you the best in your recovery.

[Buccaneer]

Thanks for the update, Brandon. You are very fortunate and it was a miracle. 40% of those having gone through the surgery do have facial paralysis on that side. I didn't for the tumor was on the audio nerve (which knocked out my hearing years earlier - and that was my good ear). The facial nerve as well as the balance(?) nerve are all next to each other and it's a matter of separating them apart and hope the tumor comes of cleanly. I am happy that you didn't have paralysis and only minor hearing loss!

[stevew]

Walter White badass.

[cartman]

Damn, dude. When you are up for it, the first few rounds are definitely on me! If you decide to keep the shaved head look, I have five words for you:

Whole Head Longhorn Helmet tattoo.

[Edward64]

Take care. Get well.

[judicial clerk]

Congratulations on a successful surgery and best wishes for a speedy recovery;

Modern medicine is a wonder to behold; and

I think the stapler might have jammed on number 15.

[BYU 14]

Damn, stunned reading this. Glad to hear surgery was successful and definite thoughts and prayers for a full and speedy recovery!!

[miami_fan]

Best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery!

[saldana]

best of luck and a speedy recovery Senator.

my girlfriends brother in law has had 3 surgeries on a frontal lobe tumor in the past year that cannot be fully removed, and has had a tremendous recovery in terms of getting back functionality he had lost from the tumor...hope all goes well for you

[Dodgerchick]

Senator... wow. Sending some healing thoughts your way and keep the bald look, it's sexy.

[Poli]

Hope the recovery goes well. If you need me to pinch hit for the flag football coaching, just let me know.

[Senator]

We will know Tuesday if we have a malignant nuisance on our hands but will keep the good vibes till then.
Doesn't really make a difference in how the prognosis goes as far as my thoughts here are concerned. I have interacted with most of you since 1998 and with very few exceptions, I have come away with new knowledge, and even an entirely new perspective on an issue.

I consider my time here at FOFC useful and added value to my internet experiences and interactions. While I have high hopes I will be fine, I still have other unexpected health concerns that threaten my mortality to overcome.

I just wanted to stop for a second, say thank you to those who befriended me, and even those who challenged me on my stringent way of thinking.
This is not a morbid, so long post, but the challenges ahead will keep me focused for the foreseeable future.

People have asked if I have learned any secrets with skirting the void of life, and I can only think of one that never let me down. When it comes to women, you stay cocky and funny.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Senator

People have asked if I have learned any secrets with skirting the void of life, and I can only think of one that never let me down. When it comes to women, you stay cocky and funny.

Gold - HornsManiac is the gift that keeps on giving.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop Senator, and best wishes for your recovery.

[Senator]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Hang in there, Senator, I hope your neck muscle doesn't hurt as much as mine did.

The neck is miserable, but I am hoping it improves as I am only 4 months post op.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by Senator

The neck is miserable, but I am hoping it improves as I am only 4 months post op.

Tricky question, but... Are there any good signs to report (aside from the obvious, the removal of the tumor back then)?

[Senator]

Let's see. A positive spin. Thinking... Thinking.... Don't rush me.... Brain surgery ya know.
As Bucc can attest, it is one of those surgeries you are better off overall than after. I am back at work now for the past month, and they showed no mercy on me, piling it on me high and deep. I go home, and despite my willpower, am usually running on empty. My hearing is gone in the right ear, which has provided a myriad of challenges. My vestibular nerve was cut, so I currently walk like an end of night pub crawl, despite constant rehab. My left hands ring finger and pinky are always asleep as the A Line from the surgery damaged some nerves, my neck developed 2 pinched nerves at the base and the scar tissue constantly tightens the neck. Those are probably positives for many people who have gone through this. No facial paralysis, and we see my first MRI next week to gauge the small part left behinds death or regrowth.
I am a bit more clear headed than last month, and that is a big relief.
I have been told they measure progress in months, not days or weeks.
So until then, I will lurk here and see if anything interesting happens.

[MIJB#19]

Dang, that still sounds rough, bud. It's often overlooked that surgery ends things, clearly it's only the beginning of a long process. I hope you can focus on the good stuff often enough to pull you through the rehab!

[Senator]

Thanks as usual, my friend. While it will keep me from coaching football with my brother this season, I may wobble my way up and down the sidelines for my sons team.

[Kodos]

Keep on fighting, Senator. We're all pulling for you.

[Logan]

Embarrassed that I missed this the first time around. Continued improvement and good luck to you Senator.

[Lathum]

It sounds like a lot of challanges but the positive is you are still with us. Enjoy every moment of walking those sidelines, it means the world to your boy.

[CU Tiger]

Senator, man wow.
I am not sure how but I totally missed this entire thing until now.

Stay strong and keep fighting.

[Dodgerchick]

Keep strong, we're pulling for you, you magnificent bastard.

[Buccaneer]

Hang in there, I know how tough it can be.

[DaddyTorgo]

Keep fighting Sen - way to go. Sounds like you've got a positive mental state yourself, which is I'm sure as huge a part of recovery from this sort of thing as from other medical issues. Will keep you in my thoughts.