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1) How old were you at the time of your diagnosis?
Both the onset of my symptoms and my diagnosis took place when I
was 61.
2) Do you have any history of Schwannomas in your family?
None and I had never known anyone who had one.
3) Where was your Schwannoma located? And
what were the symptoms that lead to your diagnosis?
My Schwannoma was located at L4 and L5. My only symptom was
acute and debilitating pain. In approximately six weeks I was losing the
ability to walk. In March I was hiking in Sedona and by the middle of April I
was having difficulty walking. The onset and progression was very quick.
My internist diagnosed my tumor and I was sent for an MRI the
same week I saw him. I know this is not the norm and I feel very fortunate to
have the diagnosis and the surgery in a short period of time.
4) Could you describe, in whatever detail possible, what kind
of surgical treatment was performed on your Schwannoma, and if you would
consider it successful? (Or describe what you may know about the surgery that
may yet be performed, if you haven't been operated on yet)
I had my surgery -- a laminectomy -- a month after diagnosis,
and I consider it necessary and highly successful.
5) Having gone through the experience, what do you think are
the most critical questions for someone to ask their doctor about
surgery and treatment of this kind of schwannoma?
The most important issue for me was the outcome. My doctor was
very candid and let me know that the surgery might not put an end to the pain.
I would also ask about the recovery process, especially the estimated length
and how pain would be controlled.
6) Can you describe what the recovery process was like for
you – if you feel you have made a positive recovery…and what things you
have done that have been of most help to you? (Also, you are free to
describe what doctors tell you to expect from your recovery if you haven't been
in surgery yet)
My recovery went well. I was in the hospital for two night and I
was able to walk when I went home. In three weeks the worst of the pain was
gone and I was walking three or four blocks a day. I went back to work a month
after the surgery and I started physical therapy the next week. The therapy was
very helpful and saw a physiatrist three months later. He had good advice about
the long term prognosis, which was more his area than my surgeon's.
The part I would have wanted more help with is going off the
pain medication. I stopped too quickly -- there was no schedule -- and had a
week of awful depression.
7) Are you able to do all or most the things you did
before? (Also feel free to describe your abilities even if you are still living
with the tumor or tumors)
