Yes, I had a meningioma. I first noticed something was not right with my vision in summer of 2007. My left eye was seeing thing 'too bright' .I could have worn sunglasses with right lens removed. My ophthalmologist thought is was just 'dry eyes' and to come back in 2 months if no improvement. Next visit , I did a 'field of vision' test and found the bottom left quadrant was extremely diminished. 'More eye drops were needed' was the prescription.
In January, I could smell a natural gas leak in my house. The gas company inspector came right over but could find nothing leaking. I went out to the library and grocery store. Yes, I could smell nature gas leak in both of them. I knew the whole city was going to explode.
Next visit in February, I suggested an MRI. "No, No. No, That's too expensive. It must be 1 of the 1643 diseases of the eye". I got an MRI. the following week on "Hypochondriac's Night". I came out of the MRI and there were 6 doctors there to hold my hand. '"Don't worry about a thing son, It will take a month for a radiologist to read it and another month for your doctor to get back to you". That night , in bed, in the dark, with my eyes closed, I noticed light in my left eye as if I had left a light on in the house somewhere. That was the tumor pressing on the optic nerve. Next morning, the phone is ringing at 8 am. It's the ophthalmologist's office wanting me to come in for a little discussion . The news was that I had a tumor, and to see a surgeon. After lunch , a surgeon phoned and wanted to meet, NOW. The doctor who had done over 700 of these types said that is must come out. They bumped everyone on the surgery list for me . The doctor said "be to the hospital by 7:30 am. -In by 8, out by noon.". By 4 pm my other have was worried, and phone the hospital. The surgeon said that the tumor was big, hard as wood and full of veins. They finished at midnite,16 hours and only got half of it. They told me to book another surgery in a month. It took 10 months to get back in for another 16 hour surgery due to patients
having more serious needs that me. The tumor ate through my olfactory nerve so I can't smell or taste anything.
That's what causes the sensation of 'nature gas leak'. Others report a smell of burnt toast. I still have a residual tumor , slow growing. There's lots of room for it to grow . They said "Your tumor was bigger than a golf ball , small than a tennis ball". My 'field of vision' tests still show the diminished left eye. Moral of story, Get an MRI if you've got a medical problem that isn't getting better. Doctors are only human and they make mistakes, too.
softie: So your surgeries were back in 2007, 2008? You sure went through a lot, including an extremely long time under general anesthesia. Thank you for the reminder that sometimes we need to push for an MRI. The "olden" days of just trusting "Dr. Welby" (tv show aired 1969-1976)
are over. We know when something is not right with our bodies and need to be our own health advocate.