4 YEARS AGO, I woke up with sudden unilateral hearing loss, followed the next day by nausea, severe dizziness, loss of balance, and extreme brain fatigue. An MRI confirmed what the ENT Doctor suspected, an Acoustic Neuroma! A tumor on the main nerve from my inner ear to my brain, touching the hearing, balance, and facial nerves. I was put on “Watch and Wait” to monitor the growth rate and symptoms; as surgery is complex with the possibility of very serious risks. February 2020 (around the beginning of the COVID pandemic in the US), the new MRI revealed the tumor was growing and my hearing had significantly deteriorated. It was time to take action!

I traveled from Maryland to California and had a Middle Fossa craniotomy April 28, 2020 to remove the tumor. My left balance nerve was removed, the remaining hearing in that ear was unfortunately NOT able to be saved (had a 50% chance of preserving), and I had delayed short term facial paralysis. The facial paralysis slowly improved over 3 months and is now considered facial weakness and synkinesis. I was out of work for 8 weeks and in vestibular therapy twice a week for 10 weeks. I began to try dance fitness again about 5 months post op. It was a very rocky, dizzy, uncoordinated start but at least it was a start.

Now at 21 months post op I am getting used to my new normal and am now on a continued journey of being the best ME that I can be in all aspects: proper rest, diet and nutrition, mental health/self-care.

I am obsessed with all things Q and I want to take you along for the ride.