It's Alive!

I saw Dr. B on Monday, 5/14.  My audiogram revealed that the steroids worked, my hearing has recovered to very close to my February levels.  This has really set me at ease and he suggested waiting till August still for the next MRI.   I'm good with that in light of the hearing results, its amazing how much better I feel when I know that my hearing issue is likely not AN related.

On a side note, but quite serious, my mind is on my husband who had shoulder surgery less than a week ago and just an hour after Dr. B cleared me was sent to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism.  Thanks to God and all who have been praying, he is recovering without further complications.  This obviously makes my AN a very insignificant detail at the moment.

Steroids

On 4/20/12 I went to bed feeling my hearing had diminished and that my tinnitus had worsened as well.  I woke up the following morning with drastic loss in hearing.  I had an audiogram that Monday and was prescribed oral prednisone.  After 14 days of steroids, I finished them up about a week ago.  I was able to regain some of my hearing, it peaked around day 6-8 and then started declining again.  The fullness feeling is back and the tinnitus is back just as strong. I've found that I am extremely sensitive to sounds.  Clanging dishes, car doors closing, the electric stapler on my desk, even the TV.   I've also been experiencing some headaches, though I can't say for sure they are related to my headache.
Last Saturday I attended the support group meeting for our local ANA chapter.  The timing was perfect, again, and the topic was hearing devices.  An audiologist explained how to read your hearing test report and went over all the different types of hearing aids.  This was extremely helpful in that if my hearing continues to get worse, I'm certain I will be looking into a hearing aid at some point.  She said that they don't like to put aids on persons with an active neuroma.  That hearing needs to be stable for 6 months.  Since costs are not typically covered by insurance and adjustments will be needed as hearing continues to decline.  To be honest, this is not what I wanted to hear, the thought of  just waiting for things to get as bad as they are gonna just seems awful.  Just waiting and not being able to do anything.
The last few days I've had plenty to keep my mind off things, my husband had shoulder surgery on 5/10, so I've got my hands full taking care of him and the house.  He is the laundry guy, but for the next few weeks I'll have to be the laundry gal.  My least favorite household task.
I see Dr. B again tomorrow.  I think I will ask if he can order another MRI.  It has only been 3 months since my last MRI, but with the increase in symptoms I find that I am thinking about my AN daily, several times a day and wondering if there has been growth.  What if I am in that rare group with rapid growth?   I don't know how I will make it 3 more months if he doesn't order one.  I do trust his opinion, though, so one way or another all will be okay.