Today a Sioux Falls teenager underwent a potentially life-changing surgery. Less than six months ago 19  year old Maggie Flanders was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 2. It's an extremely rare disease in which many non cancerous tumors grow inside the body. In Maggie's case, some of them attached to her spinal cord, to her hearing and balance nerves, and even the nerves controlling her face.

Last month, Maggie chose to undergo a risky operation that would remove a tumor in her head, but could also cause her to go deaf. Today that surgery took place and KSFY was with the Flanders family at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.  Maggie's doctors declined an interview following the surgery, saying it's still too early to know if her hearing and facial movement will be affected. But after the operation, the doctors did have a smile on their faces and said they were happy with how things went.  That's all the Flanders could ask for after a day like this one.

Maggie says, "I had two weeks last time with a private room." With two surgeries behind her, the routine was nothing new. A hospital worker says, "Can you spell you name?" It's old hat for Maggie. She gives them the information they need, but at 6 a.m., the 19 year old didn't have patience for waiting, or repetition." After all, Maggie knew what was at stake with this operation, and didn't know where her tumors were. Maggie says, "I hope that it will just be my facial nerve because then my face will just be paralyzed. I have crazy eyes the way it is so I'm used to having people look at me differently. So I just want to be able to hear."

Maggie isn't backing down, but she is scared. At 7:30 a.m., Maggie finally gets to take the walk she's been waiting for, and her parents give her the final embrace they've been dreading. Roy and Julie Flanders know that doctors might be forced to graft nerves in Maggie's face to keep it from going paralyzed during the surgery.  The only thing they can do is wait. Roy says, "It tears you apart. I don't know what else to say." And after waiting and moving and waiting some more, they got an early surprise. A nurse comes in and tells the Flanders the surgeons should be finishing up the operation and starting to close. Roy & Julie are thrilled.

In all, Maggie's surgery only lasted five and a half hours. But the Flanders didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing until they met with doctors behind closed doors. Later they tell KSFY, "They were able to save both nerves which is very, very good news. They didn't have to graft nerves or anything. That's why the procedure went a lot quicker. I'm just so happy. We just prayed and prayed for a miracle, and we got a little one. So that's enough right there."

Maggie is still recovering at St. Mary's Hospital. But her parents tell us she is already awake and alert. They say her face looks beautiful, and the first thing she said when they came in is "I can hear you."