Acoustic Neuroma - A singer's worst nightmare. After losing her hearing over night, Michelle was devastated to find out she may never sing again.

My name is Michelle I'm from Pennsylvania. Three years ago I was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma. I found out because I had lost the hearing in my one ear over night. And they said it was a brain tumor on my acoustic nerve. Had to wait three days until I found out it was a benign mass, your life flashes in front of you cause you think you have a brain tumor that's a malignant one. It really makes you stop dead in your tracks.



The treatment is surgery which I didn't want to do. I'm a singer and it was going to impair my vocal cords if they did a operation. It has affected me cause I have problems hearing when I sing now.



I'm on a watch and wait list and I go once a year for a yearly MRI to see if it's growing to a dangerous point and if not they're just going to keep me on a watch and wait. It hasn't grown in three years and it's made me really appreciate my life a lot.



I feel very blessed in my life. I feel blessed every single day. I love -- I love living.