In November of 2014, I had a tumor removed from my brain.  Hearing loss was my only symptom and the only reason it was detected when it was.  I have no idea how long I had been struggling with this hearing loss or when it even started.  I just know I put my finger in my good ear to scratch it in the summer of 2014 and noticed that the volume on the TV went way down.  It was a light bulb moment for sure.

I made the appointment with an ENT and had a hearing test, from there an MRI which showed that I had a 1.48 cm tumor sitting on my hearing and balance nerve.  I weighed my options and had my surgery in November of 2014 at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas.  Surgery went great, only took 5 ½ hours and 5 days later I got to go home!  All of the tumor was removed, there has been no facial paralysis, I still have “some” hearing in my left ear and I am not having any bouts with vertigo.  YEA!

Every day since November 20, 2014 I have been working to return my life to “normal.” Well I am fast approaching the 2 year anniversary of my surgery and returning to normal has turned into creating a new normal.  You expect things to be difficult during the first few months after surgery.  I mean, they did cut open my head and remove something.  Not a minor surgery by any means.

In my new normal, I understand and accept that roller coasters or rough rides of any kind are OFF LIMITS.  Oh and none of those that twirl and spin rides either.  I did ride on Splash Mountain in the Magic Kingdom and I even did the Star Wars simulator ride at Hollywood studios.  A time or two when I thought the simulation was a little extreme, I just closed my eyes.  Worked like a charm.

In my new normal, I have to be very careful with sneezing or coughing.  If either sneak up on me and I’m not prepared for a “controlled” sneeze or cough, I suffer the consequences afterwards.  The entire back of my head feels like it is going to explode.  It takes me 20 to 30 minutes to get things calmed down.  I have learned a lot of massage techniques for my head when the headaches come.

In my new normal, I also understand that my balance is different and I have to be very careful when going up and down stairs and I really don’t want to trip.  I have lost my balance a few times by tripping over something, usually my own feet.  Once I am knocked off balance, unless someone is there to catch me, I will fall.  A couple of weeks ago we went to Disney World with the family.  We were all standing on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom watching the fabulous fireworks at 10:15 p.m. when I decided to move over a little.  I tripped over the train track in the road and was headed down.  It felt like I was moving in slow motion and I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it.  However, my husband who never moves very far away from me, caught me and I did not fall.  My hero.

Dancing was another area I was worried about.  Keith and I love to ballroom dance and I love for him to spin me.  That did not come easy, let me tell you.  We have worked on it and I’m very proud to say that I can do the double spin again.  Of course Keith is right there to keep me moving in the right direction.

I have not gotten back into running yet.  In fact, my entire desire to walk, run or do any form of exercise has been non-existent.  Yoga is completely off the table because it still bothers me when I have to bend over.  Downward dog would be so bad right now.   I have to be careful just bending over to pick up the dog food bowls twice a day.

I have been working for almost a year now to get in control or eliminate the headaches I have been getting since the surgery.  I am pleased to say that it appears I am on a good path with the headaches right now and I am trying to add back walking every day.  My headache regime is meds from neurologist, head and neck message every other week, chiropractic treatment and best of all, acupuncture.  I truly feel that the acupuncture has been the catalyst to make everything work together.  The headaches are mostly manageable now, fewer and farther in between.  I am looking forward to the day when someone asks me about my headaches and I can say, what headaches.

There are still a couple of things I have not tried yet because I just don’t know what will happen.  Tennis is one of them.  Since jarring things or sudden movements make my head hurt, not sure what will happen if I hit a tennis ball with the racquet.  The other sport that I dearly love and have not tried yet is bowling.  I had just gotten a new ball and shoes right before my diagnosis.  Fear has kept me from trying that as well.  I will continue my journey to create my new normal, taking each day one step at a time.  Who knows what will happen next.