For Dave

August 30, 2007

Hey, I think you got the wrong person.

From: " ph" <faithfuljsj778@...>Reply-cholesteatoma To: cholesteatoma Subject: Re: For DaveDate: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:45:20 +0000>I just had to write being that our surgery dates are the same!!! Goody>goody!!! You think of me and I'll think of you on that day!! It is my second>surgery though and on the same ear at that!! I still need surgery on my left>ear, I got a double whammy! I would just like to say don't let people fool>you into thinking there won't be a lot of pain although I may have been a>special case? I ended up in the hospital for two nights following the>surgery on IV pain meds. An ENT did my surgery so this time I am getting it>done by an otologist and I am HOPING he will do a better job with not>causing me so much pain but that just might be my body?? I was in TERRIBLE>pain and yes I am afraid of the next surgery but I KNOW I HAVE to do it no>matter what. So, I just deal with it. Like anything else you kinda forget>you had that pain as life just goes on. I was amazed at how life just goes>on once you have dealt with the initial shock of what you have. I was a>little surprised when I found out I had the C-tomas but at the same time>knew something was wrong. All I had were the ear infections, ringing in my>ear and I always felt "stuffed up" in my ears. My scar is very sensitive and>I'm having a hard time imagining them cutting it open AGAIN. Ugh.>>By the way I am in Michigan, 29 year old female here. I pray all goes well>for you and would love to hear how you do. I was thinking back and I don't>remember them giving me anything to get relaxed, maybe they seen I wasn't>afraid? haha! I don't know. I remember being rolled into the operating room>and the anesthesiologist was messing with the IV tubes and then I was out.>I've heard the stories of counting backwards and all that, they didn't do>any of that. So, anyway, go in there and be a super trooper!! hehe.>>>>> >From: Matt Marsteller <matthewm@...>> >Reply-cholesteatoma > >cholesteatoma > >Subject: Re: Still Scared but Coping> >Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:34:10 -0400> >> >Dave,> >> >Like you, I'd never heard of this either. My otologist/neurotologist> >kind of just lowered the boom on me too without going into it much. So,> >these often brilliant folks need to work on their people skills here and> >there. It took a nurses aide to go find the doctor after he breezed out> >of the room ... I was dumbfounded. When I got home, my wife just about> >had kittens and scheduled another appointment with the doctor. He was> >very patient with her and she got all the information that she wanted.> >> >They tell us this is a minor surgery, but when it's your body ... it's> >anything but minor. But ... I guess it wasn't really that bad. They> >gave me a shot to calm me down somewhat for my second surgery - for some> >reason I was more wound up for that one. The surgery can last from a> >couple of hours to all the live long day (like my first one). It all> >depends what they find - we just want them to take their time and make> >sure they get it all. Goal one is a safe dry disease-free ear. If they> >can do more than that, buy 'em a beer. ... on a day they're not doing> >surgery.> >> >Even with my marathon surgery, I was out of there that very day ... er> >... night. My pain has usually been attributed to the damn bandage -> >they always manage to pinch your ear somehow! The bandage is> >uncomfortable for the first 24 hours, but then you get it off and it> >feels great. I've heard of a few folks complain about pain, but I was> >fine with Tylenol for the first day and a half. Our old Tom cat ... may> >he rest in peace ... tried to attack me the one time ... he either> >didn't know who I was or thought it was his chance to become the alpha> >male I reckon. He died of old age - honest - I wouldn't lie about that> >to a policeman!> >> >The toughest thing for me probably won't be much of a problem for you.> >I'm a bit overweight - okay, maybe a bit more than a bit - and I have a> >hiatal hernia. Sometimes I have stomach problems because of that.> >Well, after my first surgery, I was feeling pretty good on the second> >night and decided to reward myself for getting through things by having> >steak and french fries. Neither my wife nor I realized the consequences> >of that. It takes a good four days for the anesthesia to wear> >completely off ... so you have to go a bit easy on the hardier foods.> >The nurses called the needed diet the BRAT diet - maybe somebody else> >will need to correct me, but I think it's bananas, rice, applesauce,> >toast. If I were you I'd trust someone else's memory though. Get good> >post surgery instructions!> >> >You'll usually have two plugs in the operated ear: an outer one that> >they don't really care about - sometimes it falls out on its own and an> >inner one (or deep plug) that the doctor will remove ... I think at> >about the two or three week point. While the deep plug is still in,> >it's likely that your jaw won't shut exactly right - don't let that bug> >you. When the plug comes out it will. You'll probably note some small> >amount of blood seepage after the deep plug comes out. It's nothing to> >worry about at all. Use cotton balls so you don't take out any pillow> >cases. The scars are barely noticeable for me now.> >> >Someone on this list mentioned once that worry is far worse than the> >actual operation - I would have to say that is usually true. It always> >was for me, so stay busy and keep your mind off things.> >> >Tomorrow morning I have a six month follow-up appointment. If all is> >well again, I may get put on one year follow up visits. Cross your> >fingers.> >> >Matt> >> >dthoma11392003 wrote:> > >> > > I wrote eariler as my name is Dave and I am a 32yr old male living> > > just outside of Indianapolis where I am a police officer and really> > > need to hear. I have read quite a lot of posts on here( thanks> > > for the reply) and there is a lot of useful information out there> > > and my god some of you people are such an inspiration with all you> > > have had to deal with. You are all in my prayers!> > >> > > I guess I feel a little different because I haven't really had all> > > the signs and symptoms. I had no chronic ear infections maybe one> > > every few years. No smelly discharge. I had some fluid in my ears> > > in which they put in a tube for both ears and that helped a lot and> > > it has been two years since I had any infection at all. However I> > > started to get some ringing in my left ear and it just felt like> > > there was some pressure but no pain. I just thought my tube fell> > > out and that I would get another one put back in for the pressure at> > > a later time. I finally went to see my ENT and she couldn't> > > understand why I was losing hearing in my left ear. She took a hard> > > look and noticed the top of my eardrum was sucked back into my> > > middle ear. I got a cat scan and she suspected C-toma. I then went> > > to a ear surgeon who told me the same thing.> > > The doctor was very nice and confident but he dropped the surgery> > > bomb on me. He told me I would need two surgeries no matter> > > what,even if there was no damage to my ear bones which he won't find> > > out until the first sugery.> > > I'll be honest. I have never had any type of surgery before and I> > > am scared. Mine is set for the 21st of September as i just wanted to> > > get it over with and I am not looking forward to it at all. Its> > > been hard for me to work and sleep as i constantly think about it.> > > I am just so suprised with how hard the C-toma is to clear up. I> > > have never heard of it before but wow what an annoyance and to think> > > its just dead skin that builds up.> > > Anyway I apologize for this being so long but there are a lot of> > > pros out there who have been through a lot. Can you give me any> > > advice on how to cope before the surgery. Also any positive surgery> > > stories is appreciated as well. I apologize for being a bit of a> > > 32yr old baby here but I need to get this off my chest. Thanks> > > dave> > >> > >> >> >--> >> >

June 3, 2008

Dave,

I have posted about 4 times in the last week: to others, asked something

about trigger finger, reported about my failed second epidural and then shared

a personal loss about my brother (not to mention several other emails) and I

have not received one response. is the only one that " notices " me, and I

reply to others' posts.

Is there something that I am doing wrong?

Dave Cruikshank <d.cruikshank@...> wrote:

At 02:04 PM 6/2/2008, you wrote:

>I wrote this(below) and joined your group some time ago, I at

>least have found a Dr. to help me somewhat, but I can't keep up with

>the group as I should. I need to recieve less E-Mail. Unless there

>is someway to keep me on the list and only recieve statements about

>me or that can help my situation just remove me from the group, and

>send my best wishes to all.

Gerald we would like to keep you as a member if we can be of any

service at all, or if you can provide us with some of your

experiences, and maybe help someone on the list. That's why we are

here. There are several options. You can get a daily summery of all

the e-mails from the group, instead of many individual ones. You can

choose to be Internet only. That way your still a member, you won't

get e-mails, and you can visit the groups site to read and or post

messages. One last option is that you can create a filter in your

e-mail program. All e-mail programs allow for this. This would direct

all email coming from the group into a separate box for just neck and

back pain e-mail. Then you can read that when you get a chance, and

it would be easier to highlight and delete those of no interest to

you. Or we can just un subscribe you from the list if that's what

you really want. Think about it and let me know. Sincerely, Dave Moderator.

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June 3, 2008