Julie’s Story

Site created on August 10, 2018

Julie is the most amazing person I have ever met! If you have had a single interaction with her you know what I'm talking about! About 4 months ago we discovered an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) attached to her eighth cranial nerve in her brain. This causes disorientation and anxiety, as it grows it can cause further damage to the inner ear, eighth cranial nerve, facial nerve and even effect the spinal nerve. This is why it is being removed now. This is a usually a benign tumor, but we won't know until it is removed and tested.


The recovery process in and out of the hospital is long. Once the tumor is removed she will have complete hearing loss in her right ear and will experience loss of balance. She can redevelop her balance with work and practice, but the hearing will be permanently gone. 


Post surgery she will be in ICU for 24-36 hours and in the hospital for 4-5 days. She will have a headache for ~2 weeks from the swelling post surgery, and will be in bed unable to lower her head below her shoulders or lift anything for 4 additional weeks.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Benjamin Vernon

Hello wonderful people, and again just thank you for all the support you all have shown Julie. Today she got a Lumbar Drain installed. This is basically an epidural style drain. They use this to drain cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Your body does make CSF hourly, so they are draining some hourly to relief pressure inside the brain and spinal. This allows time for the leak to heal itself. This takes 3 days. Hopefully , this resolves the issue and no further options are needed. 

She has been doing great so far. She has been walking, eating, drawing, playing cards, laughing, journaling, and charming are the nurses (I know, if you are reading this that charm has bewitched you). Today was a definite hundle. The draining of CSF cause an instant headache and seems to weaken her, but there are many variables playing into today's equation, so hopefully today is a bounce back day.

We have nothing but love and gratitude for all of you. Thank you.
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