anybody dealt with mass on pituitary gland?

FrogMan · 03-18-2012, 10:31 PM

hey guys, I'm not here much these days but I turn to you, my FOFC brethren in this tough time.

Some backstory. My dad has always been pretty active. He retired when he was mayb 58 and he'll turn 67 in May but the last couple of years, he's been really slowing down, looking older every month I'd see him. He was treated for prostate cancer maybe three years and has been cancer free since they removed his prostate then. He lost sight with his right eye maybe a couple years ago and it was then assumed he had suffered a small stroke that had touched his optical nerve. All in all, his health was declining. He was walking less and less steadily, needing help when he'd come to see my son play hockey for example.

Well, my dad was rushed to the ER yesterday after what my mom described to me as him going through a big fit of sweats where he was very weak. He could barely walk, pissed in his bed and all over himself twice more when walking to get to the toilet.

She was freaked but she said he was doing a tiny bit better at the ER last night until she called me back this morning to say the first scan had revealed what looked like a one and a half inch wide mass in his brain, right next to the pituitary gland.

I spent the afternoon with him, my mom and sister and he looks so weak. He's not holding any kind of food in. The had him in for an MRI this afternoon to know a bit better what the mass is but we're still waiting on the results.

Don't know what I come here to ask but if any of you had ever known someone that had to deal with a mass on the pituitary gland.

Oh, and please, keep him in your thoughts. To see him get weaker and weaker over the course of the last few months has been bad but to see him today was a shock.

FM

M GO BLUE!!! · 03-18-2012, 10:52 PM

No experience, but prayers sent...

Bad-example · 03-19-2012, 08:15 AM

Damn. Sending good thoughts.

JonInMiddleGA · 03-19-2012, 08:22 AM

Outside my experience but prayers with you all.

Eaglesfan27 · 03-19-2012, 11:58 AM

Outside my area of expertise but I will keep him and your family in my prayers.

Honolulu_Blue · 03-19-2012, 12:09 PM

I don't have any experience either, but send you and your family good thoughts and prayers. Hang in there, Froggy.

FrogMan · 03-19-2012, 05:39 PM

thanks guys, means a lot.

Today has been a rough, emotional day, at work but mostly waiting for some kind of news from my mom.

News are somewhat good. They moved him up to first floor from the ER and my mom and him met with an endocrinologist that explained to them what they saw on the MRI. She said it is definitely operable which brought some sigh of relief, but that they will wait for him to meet with an ophthalmologist that will determine the kind of pressure that is being made on his eye from the mass. Depending on if it's more or less important, he could have surgery in between 1-2 weeks or a bit more if they find it's not as urgent.

The endocrinologist added that from what she could see, she didn't think the mass was cancerous.

Mom said he looked much better today, was even able to walk a little on his own. Most important, he was able to eat something this morning and as of 3 this afternoon, had kept it in. VERY good news.

Taking it a day at a time for now, he seems in goods hands and now that they have diagnosed him with something they can treat, it's kind of a relief for us.

He even asked the endocrinologist if he would be able to dance with his 4yo granddaughter (my goddaughter) after the surgery, something he used to
do just 8-9 months ago but couldn't do anymore since it was making him feel dizzy, and she said that yes, she should be able to make sure he can dance with his granddaughter again.

Thanks again for the goods thoughts...

FM

JonInMiddleGA · 03-19-2012, 05:42 PM

Good news is always most welcome. Happy for you & the family.

JPhillips · 03-19-2012, 05:42 PM

My Dad had a calcium mass in the nasal cavity that pressed on the brain. He had surgery and no further complications until he passed from prostate cancer. His personality was a little different after surgery and his taste for food and drink changed fairly dramatically.

Brain surgery was scarey for all of us and I'm sure its scarey for you as well, but as long as you have a good surgical team and they are confident he'll be fine.

FrogMan · 03-19-2012, 05:50 PM

thanks Jon

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPhillips

My Dad had a calcium mass in the nasal cavity that pressed on the brain. He had surgery and no further complications until he passed from prostate cancer. His personality was a little different after surgery and his taste for food and drink changed fairly dramatically.

Brain surgery was scarey for all of us and I'm sure its scarey for you as well, but as long as you have a good surgical team and they are confident he'll be fine.

thanks for sharing. Yeah, when you first hear "brain tumor", it freaks you out a bit. Then you start thinking about how they could remove it and it jumps at you even more when you say it out loud, "brain surgery".

But then, as I said, we at least know now what has been making him weaker and weaker all these weeks, months and we can only hope they can do something for him. Compared to watching his health degrade slowly before that without knowing why. Now we only wished we'd pushed him harder to see someone before now, but we just couldn't really force him you know...

FM

Radii · 03-19-2012, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrogMan

thanks for sharing. Yeah, when you first hear "brain tumor", it freaks you out a bit. Then you start thinking about how they could remove it and it jumps at you even more when you say it out loud, "brain surgery".

My dad had a brain tumor in 2002-03 that came about very quickly, he went from just fine to having major symptoms in a matter of weeks and was sent into surgery within a day or two of being diagnosed, it was unbelievably scary.

On the good side I can tell you to stay positive because miracles can happen. We were told that dad likely wouldn't survive for more than 6 months and here it is 9 years later and he's still with us.

The location of dad's tumor was really bad though and they couldn't get it all with surgery, they had to do whole-head radiation to get rid of everything, that has caused lots of other effects that have slowly come into play over the years, but the simple fact of the matter is that I've been able to spend almost a full decade more with him than anyone would have ever predicted.

Stay positive and I'll send good thoughts your way

FrogMan · 03-19-2012, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radii

My dad had a brain tumor in 2002-03 that came about very quickly, he went from just fine to having major symptoms in a matter of weeks and was sent into surgery within a day or two of being diagnosed, it was unbelievably scary.

On the good side I can tell you to stay positive because miracles can happen. We were told that dad likely wouldn't survive for more than 6 months and here it is 9 years later and he's still with us.

The location of dad's tumor was really bad though and they couldn't get it all with surgery, they had to do whole-head radiation to get rid of everything, that has caused lots of other effects that have slowly come into play over the years, but the simple fact of the matter is that I've been able to spend almost a full decade more with him than anyone would have ever predicted.

Stay positive and I'll send good thoughts your way

thanks for sharing, this is indeed bringing me hopes.

You know what, it's maybe the one thing that hits me the most, dad isn't old, it's just too soon for him to go. Life ain't fair, I know, but still.

Then in the last year, what with the dojo and me working two jobs, and them taking care or my sister's kids a lot, I have not had the time to see them as much as we used to. Now I'm mad at myself and can only hope he'll get a second lease on life.

FM

terpkristin · 03-19-2012, 07:35 PM

Yikes, Frog!

Sending good vibes up to the great white north!

/tk

FrogMan · 03-19-2012, 07:47 PM

thanks TK

FM

FrogMan · 03-21-2012, 03:39 PM

ok, things are looking better. I talked to my dad this noon and he sounded about a thousand times better than what he did on Sunday. He said they started giving him hormones and cortisone and it's doing him a world of good. He said he can walk albeit slowly but his feet don't hurt anymore when he does.

He was supposed to go through a battery of tests, mostly about the pressure the mass was putting on his eyes to determine the level of urgency for his surgery but the doctor who'd been following him since he had come to the ER simply decided to forego the test. He said his decision was made that him going to surgery was a priority and that more tests would simply delay this. So they have moved him to another local hospital where he could have surgery within a 3-4 day frame.

Dad sounded very optimistic about it. My mom told me that the endocrinologist they had talked to told them that if there was anything good about the mass it was that the mass was sorta solid in state and not filamentous (if that's even a translation, think thready) nor had it bleeded into the brain, thus reducing the risk of more permanent damage to the brain. They should be better able to remove it all at once in the state it's currently in. All things being relative, these are good news.

Thanks for caring guys.

FM

DaddyTorgo · 03-21-2012, 03:50 PM

Wow FM - sounds intense. Glad to hear that your dad is starting to feel at least a little better even before the surgery, and was happy to see it wasn't cancerous.

No experience on my end, but prayers sent for successful surgery.

FrogMan · 03-21-2012, 03:51 PM

thanks DT

FM

JonInMiddleGA · 03-21-2012, 05:53 PM

Sounds like he's got a properly aggressive medical team and that's a big plus afaic. The "not thready" thing sounds encouraging too, my limited understanding is that you don't want stuff "taking root" on other stuff.

Thoughts & prayers remain with your family, the one tiny bit of advice I'll throw in would be to try to stay even keeled as possible (tough as that can be). These things tend to have a few ups & downs - maybe nothing more than a scary possibility that gets mentioned in the run up to surgery or whatever - try to stay off the emotional roller coaster as much as possible, it can be exhausting.

Very happy to hear the upbeat news thus far.

FrogMan · 03-21-2012, 10:05 PM

that's some very good advice Jon and something I've been telling myself too. I'm for one happy they did find what made him look weaker and weaker over time. now, had they not done anything, he would have probably degraded into a shell of a man. Sure a surgery could bring him back, but it could also break him. I'm for now just grateful that they have found something they can do that could bring him back to somewhat normal, if that makes any sense...

FM

FrogMan · 03-29-2012, 11:46 AM

If you got any positive vibes you can spare, now's the time as my dad is currently in surgery to remove the mass.

From all I gathered in the last week and this morning when I talked to him, the mass isn't so much one big solid mass but once they'll have taken out the solid bottom of it, they should be able to suck out the rest of it. Surgery should last between two and a half and three hours.

His condition has gotten a great deal better in the last week and he was in really good spirits this morning when I talked to him on the phone. Actually sounded way less nervous than me to be honest.

He said he trusted his doc and that he was told he should regain a quality of life that had eluded him the last few years.

Thanks for caring.

FM

JonInMiddleGA · 03-29-2012, 11:47 AM

Thoughts & prayers

Chief Rum · 03-29-2012, 11:50 AM

Yup, good thoughts his and your way.

Kodos · 03-29-2012, 11:55 AM

Sending good thoughts.

JPhillips · 03-29-2012, 12:03 PM

Good luck.

AnalBumCover · 03-29-2012, 12:06 PM

Good vibes coming your way.

Izulde · 03-29-2012, 12:12 PM

Good luck!

spleen1015 · 03-29-2012, 12:27 PM

Good Luck!

FrogMan · 03-29-2012, 05:06 PM

thanks everyone.

Still no news other than my mom calling me at work at around 2:30 to tell me she wouldn't have news for me until maybe 8:30 or 9 tonight. Turns out he was supposed to go to the OR at about 11:30 this morning but only went around 1 pm this afternoon and now surgery is more a 3.5 to 4 hours thing and she won't be able to talk to anybody until he is out of the waking room.

I'll keep you posted.

FM

FrogMan · 03-29-2012, 08:33 PM

Heard from my mom and she said the surgeon has told her that for him, the surgery was a success. Not only was he able to remove the mass but he did so without touching or scratching what they call the dura mater. This should help him recover better and should lower the risks of complications.

He was able to remove the mass completely and even clean out around it. He said he also was able to stimulate both the optical nerve and the pituitary gland. Stimulating the optical nerve should make it so that dad should be able to see better when he wakes up than this morning before the surgery, and probably even better tomorrow morning or in a couple days.

The doc added that the mass has probably been growing ever so slightly for the last 12 to 15 years.

Dad will remain under observation at the ICU before moving to a room for a one week stay at the hospital before going back home.

Good news for now, fingers crossed it keeps improving. Thanks for caring everyone.

FM

JPhillips · 03-29-2012, 08:44 PM

Sounds good.

CrimsonFox · 03-29-2012, 10:13 PM

Great news ! (Glad he didn't try to stick it himself with needles to drain it...

)

FrogMan · 03-29-2012, 10:18 PM

just talked again with my mom. She just got home and saw my dad on his way from the waking room to the ICU. She said he looked good. He had some long gauze in his nostrils but was able to speak.

She spoke with both the surgeon and his resident and his resident said the surgeon told him to watch that mass because he would probably never see one as big as that. My mom said he qualified its size as similar to a small grapefruit or a big orange.

Still in shock about that comparison to be honest...

She said they had to break his nose and go through the sinuses to get it out. Again, more shock.

Well, for now, all news are good. As I said, fingers crossed it keeps going well.

FM

CrimsonFox · 03-29-2012, 10:25 PM

Ow that sounds painful...

FrogMan · 03-29-2012, 10:30 PM

doc also said he didn't understand how dad didn't suffer more headaches. Yeah dad said he sometimes had headaches but who doesn't. In the week before his episode mom said he did take advils more often than usual but could have been from having his sinuses being congested and all.

Doc also said if my mom had not called 911 to get an ambulance that Saturday, dad probably could have died in his bed, and if not then, had they waited a few weeks, it definitely could have killed him.

FM

terpkristin · 03-29-2012, 10:33 PM

Wow.

I've been tied up with work today so just caught up on all the news. Glad the surgery went so well, and hope for a continued smooth recovery! Insane about how big it was, though, and what the doc said about timing. Yipes...

/tk

JonInMiddleGA · 03-30-2012, 01:15 AM

A grapefruit or an ora ... good grief.

Is your dad Irish by any chance? (Sounds like he had considerable luck with something that could have been a lot lot worse)

Izulde · 03-30-2012, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Wow.

I've been tied up with work today so just caught up on all the news. Glad the surgery went so well, and hope for a continued smooth recovery! Insane about how big it was, though, and what the doc said about timing. Yipes...

/tk

Funny how many of these things come down to timing. I've had experiences with it twice in my own life.

FrogMan · 03-30-2012, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

A grapefruit or an ora ... good grief.

Is your dad Irish by any chance? (Sounds like he had considerable luck with something that could have been a lot lot worse)

not that I know, we're French from as far as we could retrace but I hear you, could have been a lot worse. Even though he's not out of the dark and there will be a bit a rehab, it definitely could have been worse...

Still can't wrap my mind around the size of that thing, stuck in his head...

FM

Warhammer · 03-30-2012, 09:03 AM

On the lighter side of things, the next time he has an argument with your mom, and she brings up having something the size of a watermelon come out, he can say he had something the size of a grapefruit come out his nose!

Kodos · 03-30-2012, 09:21 AM

Glad to hear the procedure was a success!

Chief Rum · 03-30-2012, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warhammer

On the lighter side of things, the next time he has an argument with your mom, and she brings up having something the size of a watermelon come out, he can say he had something the size of a grapefruit come out his nose!

Even better, if she wants to pull out the heavy argumnt weaponry, she can tell him she knows he has a large vacant space in his head.

FrogMan · 04-08-2012, 08:59 PM

time for what I hope will be a final update. Dad moved back home on Tuesday, a mere 5 days after his surgery. They said he was doing so well, there was no reason for him to stay at the hospital any longer.

We saw him yesterday and he is indeed recuperating quite well. He's saying to whoever wants to hear it that he doesn't remember feeling this good in the last 5 years, at least. He is looking good and now realizes he got lucky with the timing of it all. He will have to stay quiet a bit until Summer time but so far, so good.

Thanks everyone for the good thoughts, I really appreciated all of them.

FM

spleen1015 · 04-08-2012, 09:39 PM

Awesome news!

terpkristin · 04-09-2012, 07:52 PM

Great news, Steve!!!

/tk

FrogMan · 04-09-2012, 07:55 PM

thanks guys, great news indeed. My mom came to see my son's hockey game today while my dad stayed home since the game was maybe a 30-35 minutes car ride away from home and she said he's been taking little walks outside with their dog. Good to see him being able to enjoy such a simple thing as taking a walk, something he'd stopped doing in the last few months since he felt his footing was not sure enough.

FM

JPhillips · 04-09-2012, 09:08 PM

Great to hear.

03-19-2012, 08:22 AM	#4
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Outside my experience but prayers with you all. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

03-19-2012, 11:58 AM	#5
Eaglesfan27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: New Jersey	Outside my area of expertise but I will keep him and your family in my prayers. __________________ Retired GM of the eNFL 2007 Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles (19-0 record.) GM of the WOOF 2006 Doggie Bowl Champion Atlantic City Gamblers. GM of the IHOF 2019 and 2022 IHOF Bowl Champion Asheville Axemen.

03-19-2012, 12:09 PM	#6
Honolulu_Blue Hockey Boy Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Royal Oak, MI	I don't have any experience either, but send you and your family good thoughts and prayers. Hang in there, Froggy. __________________ *Steve Yzerman*: 1,755 points in 1,514 regular season games. 185 points in 196 postseason games. A First-Team All-Star, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Selke Trophy winner, Masterton Trophy winner, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Olympic gold medallist, and a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. Longest serving captain of one team in the history of the NHL (19 seasons).

03-19-2012, 05:39 PM	#7
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	thanks guys, means a lot. Today has been a rough, emotional day, at work but mostly waiting for some kind of news from my mom. News are somewhat good. They moved him up to first floor from the ER and my mom and him met with an endocrinologist that explained to them what they saw on the MRI. She said it is definitely operable which brought some sigh of relief, but that they will wait for him to meet with an ophthalmologist that will determine the kind of pressure that is being made on his eye from the mass. Depending on if it's more or less important, he could have surgery in between 1-2 weeks or a bit more if they find it's not as urgent. The endocrinologist added that from what she could see, she didn't think the mass was cancerous. Mom said he looked much better today, was even able to walk a little on his own. Most important, he was able to eat something this morning and as of 3 this afternoon, had kept it in. VERY good news. Taking it a day at a time for now, he seems in goods hands and now that they have diagnosed him with something they can treat, it's kind of a relief for us. He even asked the endocrinologist if he would be able to dance with his 4yo granddaughter (my goddaughter) after the surgery, something he used to do just 8-9 months ago but couldn't do anymore since it was making him feel dizzy, and she said that yes, she should be able to make sure he can dance with his granddaughter again. Thanks again for the goods thoughts... FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-19-2012, 05:42 PM	#8
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Good news is always most welcome. Happy for you & the family. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

03-18-2012, 10:52 PM	#2
M GO BLUE!!! Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005	No experience, but prayers sent...

03-19-2012, 08:15 AM	#3
Bad-example College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: san jose CA	Damn. Sending good thoughts.

03-19-2012, 05:42 PM	#9
JPhillips Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newburgh, NY	My Dad had a calcium mass in the nasal cavity that pressed on the brain. He had surgery and no further complications until he passed from prostate cancer. His personality was a little different after surgery and his taste for food and drink changed fairly dramatically. Brain surgery was scarey for all of us and I'm sure its scarey for you as well, but as long as you have a good surgical team and they are confident he'll be fine. __________________ To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.. - Mr. Rogers

03-19-2012, 07:35 PM	#13
terpkristin Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ashburn, VA	Yikes, Frog! Sending good vibes up to the great white north! /tk __________________ GO TERPS! https://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin https://twitter.com/terpkristin

03-19-2012, 07:47 PM	#14
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	thanks TK FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-21-2012, 03:39 PM	#15
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	ok, things are looking better. I talked to my dad this noon and he sounded about a thousand times better than what he did on Sunday. He said they started giving him hormones and cortisone and it's doing him a world of good. He said he can walk albeit slowly but his feet don't hurt anymore when he does. He was supposed to go through a battery of tests, mostly about the pressure the mass was putting on his eyes to determine the level of urgency for his surgery but the doctor who'd been following him since he had come to the ER simply decided to forego the test. He said his decision was made that him going to surgery was a priority and that more tests would simply delay this. So they have moved him to another local hospital where he could have surgery within a 3-4 day frame. Dad sounded very optimistic about it. My mom told me that the endocrinologist they had talked to told them that if there was anything good about the mass it was that the mass was sorta solid in state and not filamentous (if that's even a translation, think thready) nor had it bleeded into the brain, thus reducing the risk of more permanent damage to the brain. They should be better able to remove it all at once in the state it's currently in. All things being relative, these are good news. Thanks for caring guys. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-21-2012, 03:50 PM	#16
DaddyTorgo Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Massachusetts	Wow FM - sounds intense. Glad to hear that your dad is starting to feel at least a little better even before the surgery, and was happy to see it wasn't cancerous. No experience on my end, but prayers sent for successful surgery.

03-21-2012, 03:51 PM	#17
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	thanks DT FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-21-2012, 05:53 PM	#18
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Sounds like he's got a properly aggressive medical team and that's a big plus afaic. The "not thready" thing sounds encouraging too, my limited understanding is that you don't want stuff "taking root" on other stuff. Thoughts & prayers remain with your family, the one tiny bit of advice I'll throw in would be to try to stay even keeled as possible (tough as that can be). These things tend to have a few ups & downs - maybe nothing more than a scary possibility that gets mentioned in the run up to surgery or whatever - try to stay off the emotional roller coaster as much as possible, it can be exhausting. Very happy to hear the upbeat news thus far. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

03-21-2012, 10:05 PM	#19
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	that's some very good advice Jon and something I've been telling myself too. I'm for one happy they did find what made him look weaker and weaker over time. now, had they not done anything, he would have probably degraded into a shell of a man. Sure a surgery could bring him back, but it could also break him. I'm for now just grateful that they have found something they can do that could bring him back to somewhat normal, if that makes any sense... FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-29-2012, 11:46 AM	#20
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	If you got any positive vibes you can spare, now's the time as my dad is currently in surgery to remove the mass. From all I gathered in the last week and this morning when I talked to him, the mass isn't so much one big solid mass but once they'll have taken out the solid bottom of it, they should be able to suck out the rest of it. Surgery should last between two and a half and three hours. His condition has gotten a great deal better in the last week and he was in really good spirits this morning when I talked to him on the phone. Actually sounded way less nervous than me to be honest. He said he trusted his doc and that he was told he should regain a quality of life that had eluded him the last few years. Thanks for caring. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-29-2012, 11:47 AM	#21
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Thoughts & prayers __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

03-29-2012, 11:50 AM	#22
Chief Rum Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Where Hip Hop lives	Yup, good thoughts his and your way. __________________ . . I would rather be wrong...Than live in the shadows of your song...My mind is open wide...And now I'm ready to start...You're not sure...You open the door...And step out into the dark...Now I'm ready.

03-29-2012, 11:55 AM	#23
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Sending good thoughts. __________________ Author of The Bill Gates Challenge, as well as other groundbreaking dynasties.

03-29-2012, 12:03 PM	#24
JPhillips Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newburgh, NY	Good luck. __________________ To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.. - Mr. Rogers

03-29-2012, 12:06 PM	#25
AnalBumCover College Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: La Mirada, CA	Good vibes coming your way. __________________ ABC's Game Giveaway list

03-29-2012, 12:12 PM	#26
Izulde Head Coach Join Date: Sep 2004	Good luck! __________________ 2006 Golden Scribe Nominee 2006 Golden Scribe Winner Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) Rookie Writer of the Year Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

03-29-2012, 12:27 PM	#27
spleen1015 Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2003	Good Luck!

03-29-2012, 05:06 PM	#28
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	thanks everyone. Still no news other than my mom calling me at work at around 2:30 to tell me she wouldn't have news for me until maybe 8:30 or 9 tonight. Turns out he was supposed to go to the OR at about 11:30 this morning but only went around 1 pm this afternoon and now surgery is more a 3.5 to 4 hours thing and she won't be able to talk to anybody until he is out of the waking room. I'll keep you posted. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-29-2012, 08:33 PM	#29
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	Heard from my mom and she said the surgeon has told her that for him, the surgery was a success. Not only was he able to remove the mass but he did so without touching or scratching what they call the dura mater. This should help him recover better and should lower the risks of complications. He was able to remove the mass completely and even clean out around it. He said he also was able to stimulate both the optical nerve and the pituitary gland. Stimulating the optical nerve should make it so that dad should be able to see better when he wakes up than this morning before the surgery, and probably even better tomorrow morning or in a couple days. The doc added that the mass has probably been growing ever so slightly for the last 12 to 15 years. Dad will remain under observation at the ICU before moving to a room for a one week stay at the hospital before going back home. Good news for now, fingers crossed it keeps improving. Thanks for caring everyone. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-29-2012, 08:44 PM	#30
JPhillips Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newburgh, NY	Sounds good. __________________ To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.. - Mr. Rogers

03-29-2012, 10:13 PM	#31
CrimsonFox Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2009	Great news ! (Glad he didn't try to stick it himself with needles to drain it... )

03-29-2012, 10:18 PM	#32
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	just talked again with my mom. She just got home and saw my dad on his way from the waking room to the ICU. She said he looked good. He had some long gauze in his nostrils but was able to speak. She spoke with both the surgeon and his resident and his resident said the surgeon told him to watch that mass because he would probably never see one as big as that. My mom said he qualified its size as similar to a small grapefruit or a big orange. Still in shock about that comparison to be honest... She said they had to break his nose and go through the sinuses to get it out. Again, more shock. Well, for now, all news are good. As I said, fingers crossed it keeps going well. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-29-2012, 10:25 PM	#33
CrimsonFox Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2009	Ow that sounds painful...

03-29-2012, 10:30 PM	#34
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	doc also said he didn't understand how dad didn't suffer more headaches. Yeah dad said he sometimes had headaches but who doesn't. In the week before his episode mom said he did take advils more often than usual but could have been from having his sinuses being congested and all. Doc also said if my mom had not called 911 to get an ambulance that Saturday, dad probably could have died in his bed, and if not then, had they waited a few weeks, it definitely could have killed him. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

03-29-2012, 10:33 PM	#35
terpkristin Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ashburn, VA	Wow. I've been tied up with work today so just caught up on all the news. Glad the surgery went so well, and hope for a continued smooth recovery! Insane about how big it was, though, and what the doc said about timing. Yipes... /tk __________________ GO TERPS! https://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin https://twitter.com/terpkristin

03-30-2012, 01:15 AM	#36
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	A grapefruit or an ora ... good grief. Is your dad Irish by any chance? (Sounds like he had considerable luck with something that could have been a lot lot worse) __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

03-30-2012, 09:03 AM	#39
Warhammer Pro Starter Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dayton, OH	On the lighter side of things, the next time he has an argument with your mom, and she brings up having something the size of a watermelon come out, he can say he had something the size of a grapefruit come out his nose!

03-30-2012, 09:21 AM	#40
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Glad to hear the procedure was a success! __________________ Author of The Bill Gates Challenge, as well as other groundbreaking dynasties.

04-08-2012, 08:59 PM	#42
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	time for what I hope will be a final update. Dad moved back home on Tuesday, a mere 5 days after his surgery. They said he was doing so well, there was no reason for him to stay at the hospital any longer. We saw him yesterday and he is indeed recuperating quite well. He's saying to whoever wants to hear it that he doesn't remember feeling this good in the last 5 years, at least. He is looking good and now realizes he got lucky with the timing of it all. He will have to stay quiet a bit until Summer time but so far, so good. Thanks everyone for the good thoughts, I really appreciated all of them. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...