Hi,

Sorry about having been remiss about writing here. I just started back working at pk-8 school a couple of weeks after my surgery and it’s busy!

As I referenced, I did have the surgery at Mayo to remove the paraganglioma from my neck. This was mid-August. I went into surgery thinking that I would have to have my vagus nerve severed, and I would have to learn to talk and swallow. In the recovery room, I asked for ice and then said, “I can talk!” I chewed the ice and said, “ and I can swallow!” I haven’t stopped talking since.

The tumor was not on the vagus nerve, but near it. I have some nerve issues (look up Horner syndrome), but it seems like no one notices.

Thank you for asking. Mayo is the best.