Mike just phoned from his long-awaited (three weeks!) specialist appointment. The connection was lousy, plus he had to use his rare indoor voice, being at the doc's and all. I couldn't make out much.
His tumor, though benign, has to come out. Like, now. They want to do it next week, but no openings are available, so it will be the week after. (You know, right before he returns to university to finish his last leg of that tour.)
All I know at the moment is that it won't be the scary peel-your-face-back kind of surgery. However, any surgery involving poking around the skull is generally unwelcome.
I'm not pleased about it. He's less pleased about it. At least it's not a malignant brain tumor, the kind people mention when they're casually throwing out worse-case scenarios. But you can look on the bright side of what we've got here all day and still not be pleased about it.
Is it me, or did Australia just stand up and scramble 100 light years away? And my sceptre still stretches short of a few thousand dollars, and a few days off. Tie the cheery ribbons of impotence a little tighter, now.
More when I know more.
Update: (ten after midnight)
First doctor (specialist, friendly guy): This has to come out, period. Now. It's the osteoma to end all osteomas. Very simple operation.
Second doctor (ENT guy, cranky bastard): I don't think this is causing your headaches. If you have it taken out, your face could be numb for life, definitely will be scarred, depressed in forehead (etc.). You should see a neurologist.
(Doctor leaves room. Comes back.)
Second doctor (ENT guy): Then again, the first doctor says it should come out, and (based on other things) I think it is causing your pain. Never mind the neurologist. (But that doesn't mean you should have the surgery.)
***
I'll skip the whole part where the second doctor then wouldn't advise him, refused to discuss any relationship with eye problems, and generally kept flip-flopping. Mike's spewing. ("What did he do, go search Wikipedia then come back in the room with a new opinion?")
End result: Mike is currently putting off the surgery for three months, but he's going to talk to the first doctor on Monday about what the second doctor said. So, more then.
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