THE CONSULTATION

November 23, 2010

After being advised to have another MRI and completing that procedure I received a call from Dr. Parsa's assistant wanting to confirm surgery dates.  What! Surgery dates!  Wait a minute.  I want to know what the MRI showed.  A consultation with Dr. Parsa was set.


The meeting with Dr. Parsa was not what I hoped. “The tumor is growing,” was the verdict. The entire team concurs, it needs to be removed; like removed with various tiny tools once a hole has been made in my skull.  If nothing is done it will keep growing, the symptoms will get worse and it will reach the brain stem.

The doctor explained the images from the MRI do not give information about the texture (my word) of the mass, only shape and size.  Nothing was done earlier because the growth might have been swelling from the radiation, not growiing. After watching and comparing MRI’s, the experts believe there is no doubt the mass has grown.  It looks like a piece of cauliflower, rather than a smooth disc and has gone from 14mm to 2 cm this past year. 

Dr. Andrew Parsa and his surgical partner, Dr. Steven Cheung, will lead their group of medical professionals in the surgery.  It’s tedious work and close to the brain, but they do this kind of surgery “all the time” and are very confident mine will be successful. They have designed a unique method of removing the tumor with minimal disturbance of the facial and auditory nerves. The goal is no facial nerve damage and some preservation of hearing. All is good news, much better than I had anticipated. 

The day before the surgery there will be some out-patient tests and another MRI. I'll check in at 6:30, get prepped with the surgery beginning at 8:30.  It  will take about eight hours.  I’ll be in ICU for a day and then stay for another five days until I’m okay to return home.  The recovery period will be about six weeks. I'm okay with all but the 8 hours in surgery, but if that what it takes, then, that's what it takes. The recovery period sounds like any other surgery to me. 

More good news. I have some time to prepare.  I want to go to Nebraska to visit my little grandson and his new baby brother who will arrive in mid December.  I planned to go in January for three weeks to give the family some help in the early weeks of round the clock feedings and such and I can keep those plans.  Hurray!  The doctor agreed to a late January or early February surgery date.

I’m resigned to this invasion into my life.  The spinning and other symptoms have become worse, but I’m still feeling well, able to go about life as usual.  Right away all I can think of is getting things done that I’ve been doing leisurely or put off entirely.  I’m not negative, but realistic.  I want to be prepared.

 For more information about the UCSF Team, go to this site.

UCSF Neuro Surgical Center