Eliane c 73 year

I took Lotényl for several years and I spent the period of menopause without any symptoms

Summer autumn 2011: Signs before -courses. I am 62 years old. 

In mountain biking or bike, I find it difficult to see when I go from a sun area in the shade. An orthoptist friend said to me: this is normal as we get older we accommodate less well. On the Midi motorway, I see one day blurry the bifurcation between Marseille and Nice and moreover, I find that my portal is more and more close to park the car. I scratch over the entire length of a truck which is delivering. I take RV with my ophthalmos which after a DMLA search send me a visual field. First shock leaving the metro, looking for the address of the doctor who will make me a visual field, I cannot read on the other side of rue La Planque de la rue. After visual field, this doctor said to me "you have a bad visual field, I write to your ophthalmologist". Friday evening 7 pm of the same week, call from my ophalmo, "I took an RV for an MRI at the Neuro hospital for Monday at 7:30 am" Second shock of this announcement . My husband works, fortunately my nurse daughter can accompany me. Remember that it is always important to be accompanied as much as possible

The diagnosis of November 21, 2011 after an MRI

First experience of an MRI, and its not very pleasant noise. Diagnosis: "Probable 22mm large diameter meningioma which presses the chiasma (where the optic nerves intersect) especially on the right. The pituitary gland is driven downwards ”. New shock for me, I see a kind of cauliflower head in the center of my brain. "How could I develop this little cauliflower?" “I am in shock. The radiologist certainly tells me to reinforce me, "it is most likely a benign form, there is a good chance that it is not cancerous". It is necessary to form the radiologists which are in the routine to have a more appropriate language and more in empathy with the patients , benign but however traumatic for the patient

RV with the neurosurgeon, taken by his secretary very quickly  

The RV takes place with Professor J, head of service at the Lyon neurological hospital, a great surgeon specializing in the skull base surgery. I am accompanied by my husband. Remember that it is always important to be accompanied as much as possible to the RV because I do not hear half of what he tells me . I remember that I am prohibited from driving and I have to give up working (although retired, I still had a few services) and that he must find me a time slot for the operation, time slot that for the moment, he did not.

Waiting for the operation

I mobilize, continue thanks to a friend who takes me by car to go my Spanish lesson, I will get the bread on foot and ask the baker to take the currency in my wallet who says to me: "My brave lady, you must not forget your glasses ..". I ask someone to cross the street, because I hardly evaluate the distances. I experience disability, need for help, waiting

Operation December 2011

Consultation before the operation. Here again, it is necessary to be accompanied, I do not retain everything that the surgeon tells me, whose significant risks possible. We protect ourselves more or less consciously

I was afraid in I got into the airlock, before the block room, probably afraid of dying. For my 2nd ^operation I asked to be better pre-medicated so that I did not have to undergo this anxiety

Operation of 7 and a half hour by right transplant-pale. I have a very small scar on the right eyelid. It was necessary to lift the brain to access the area. Hats off to the surgeon, which my husband saw right at the end of the operation, a surgeon completely exhausted after such an operation.

I had a hemorrhage and the surgeon had left a residue in views where this meningioma is placed, it has its source in the carotid

Three -week hospitalization

I was very well surrounded by my husband, children, family, very close friends (fast telephone or support testimony via my husband). It is important to be surrounded. My two successive neighbors of the chamber were much less, almost solitude for one, it's terrible.

I had very badly the first days, not supporting morphine. The staff got into four to find me something to calm my pain, I thank them.

Back home and convalescence, first quarter of 2012

My husband set up a bed on me, so that I can be in daily life (but I have no more children at home) and be comfortably installed during the day. When I was exhausted, I covered myself with the duvet to be totally in the dark without sleeping, I think it rested my brain of excitations. Little by little, I found the colors and the view although right always deficient, the sheath of the optic nerve on the right being damaged.

I tried to walk every day, every day a little further, the first days accompanied and with walking sticks.

I went to see a psychologist as soon as I was able to put words on my experience. I recommend this approach which appeased me and which allowed me to get out of everything that could have been traumatic.

Another traumatic experience to see if there is a pituitary deficit

To find out if I had a deficit in the pituitary command, I went to the endocrinology service. I underwent insulin hypoglycemia caused to see if the pituitary gland commanded in the pancreas to inject sugar. This hypoglycemia causes a very important, very unpleasant body stress (sweating, tremors), we are at the bottom of the bed without being able to react with a nurse and an aid -soign ready to intervene. I went alone like a big one. Again an accompaniment may be necessary for the return home

After six months, resumption of all my activities (municipal councilor, sports activities)   

Note, however, pump strokes

January 2017 Méningioma residues in Regossi. New operation in February 2017

The view has dropped again. Second operation this time by nasal way to reduce the volume again. Operation carried out by the same surgeon as in 2011

Wick in the nose after the fairly painful operation to bear. Because of the nasal transplant, for a month you have to stay close to the hospital and you must avoid flying, coughing, sneezing

I resume my activities faster than the first time, after a month

September -October 2020 Radiation therapy

Complementary drilling linked to the progression of meningiomato-supra sellaire residue with the suffering of the right optic nerve

I put you what I wrote to the Lyon-Sud Hospital team, I had done the same for the Pierre Wertheimer neurological hospital, but I no longer have traces, eleven after

 

Which I felt as positive and helping.

Home of the first meeting : the time spent, the availability of the doctor, then the nurse. The possibility of relying on parallel medicines and knowing that there was a psychologist in the service.

Reception at the time of radiotherapy sessions : most of the time the reception was positive including the general entry airlock of the whole service

Weekly follow -up with the doctor to take stock, dialogue

Possibility to have an interview with the psychologist , who introduced me to self-hypnosis, who was attentive that I was well taken care of for self-hypnosis at the mask making session, which had a follow-up with me after the start of the first sessions.

Auto hypnosis sessions with the psychologist, a well -trained manipulator radio. This practice helped me a lot in the mask making session (45 minutes) and for the first 3 sessions to avoid too much psychic stress.

The schedules of the sessions which took into account my geographical place (I had to take the tunnel under Fourvière) which allow not to be, in addition, in the stress of the traffic jams and to lengthen the deadlines of round trip and return after the sessions. Respecting the schedules mentioned for the vast majority of sessions.

The possibility of being able to bring your own music CDs.

 

Which could have brought me a little more comfort,

While knowing that this may be subjective and cannot be true for another patient.

Mask making session: perhaps asking, at the start of the appointment, to the patient if he wishes a little more details on the different phases of the mask making, the 3-part molding, the heat of the material placed on the face ...

First or first sessions : propose, if the patient wishes , an explanation time with a "visit"  where the patient could ask questions of the style : what we see on the screens outside the room, what is you watching ...? In the room, how are the settings with lasers and various screens, how will the different phases of the session go, their duration, why a latency time before the machine sends the shelves ...? The fact that for me it was necessary to enter the room twice to change the angle of the table ... I gradually asked these questions at the entrance or at the exit of the sessions, but I always asked if I did not take too much time from professionals.

Before each session, we are always welcomed, in addition to the regulatory declination of his identity, by a kind word (hello, how are you very appreciable. I would have liked the staff too could decline their identity quickly : I am "M, or C or A ..., with their function ... it creates human bond.

During the session , I would have liked the people to warn me with a little word, before changing the angle of the table . For what ? Because the change of angle is not very pleasant, it is a feeling in the body as sudden tremors while I was in relaxation. I suggest that the staff are relaxing on the table and experimented with this feeling experienced a little sudden .

The experimentation of the mask seems to me more difficult, since it is made in the shape of the patient's face, but if it is possible to experience it too.

When the session is over, and the team returns to the room, first watch to contact the patient, before talking about the technical aspects, when there is a trainee.