Vision Improving After Shunt Revision

I'm wearing my contacts today! It's the first time since May!! My vision is finally improving after this summer's brain drama. Woohoo!!!

Neurosurgeon's Back In Town!

Day 44

We've been waiting for over a week for my neurosurgeon to get back in town. Thankfully today's the day!

I'm not trying to be all "woe is me!" whiny on you guys. I just have a lot of friends who watch their babies and older children struggle with hydrocephalus and I want to give them a clear picture of what ETV failure feels like. So this is for them...

It's almost been 13 years since my last shunt failed and I received my ETV and this experience has been very similar up to a point. It started out with the same symptoms: a headache that wouldn't go away, then dizziness and blurry vision, then nausea and vomiting. And in the past, that's when I'd go into a coma. Each time that happened, I remember throwing up from the pain and not waking up until after the surgery however many days later. But this time around, I've been coherent and very aware of what's going on. It think it's a huge tender mercy from the Lord because I really, REALLY don't want my kids to see me like that.

So now we're adding to the list of symptoms: a week ago my blurry vision turned into double vision, two days ago I started getting tingling and numbness on the left side of my body, and last night my always-there headache increased its intensity and won a place on "Kelly's 5 Worst Headaches of Her Life" list.

The waiting game is over. I'm visiting with a new neurologist this morning and then I'm pushing the issue with my neurosurgeon, but that will probably happen from the ER. This isn't the kind of headache we can ignore. It's time for surgical intervention.

#hydrocephalus #ETVfailure #brainsurgery #FaithHeals#StrengthCourageDetermination #EverythingIsGoingToBeFine#TenderMercies 

Insurance: Practicing Medicine w/o A License?

Day 39

I'm jumping the gun on this day by 45 min because I'm done with day 38.

I went to the eye dr Thursday morning and was told there's swelling behind my eyes, but my optic nerves are good for the moment. But that was enough evidence to finally convince me, beyond a shadow of doubt, that's it's time for brain surgery #5.

Unfortunately, now they get to play the pre-authorization with the insurance company game which could take a business day or two or up to three weeks.

Anyone have friends who work for PEHP who can help move that along?

I'm not waiting for more than a week. The pain is getting ridiculous. I'm about ready to throw in the towel and force the issue by going to the ER.

Hug someone in your life who suffers from chronic headaches and migraines, my friends. They need your love. At least my headaches have a fix. Yeah it's brain surgery, but I'm positive that migraine sufferers would love any kind of procedure that could cure them of their chronic headaches, even if it's brain surgery. #hydrocephalus #brainsurgery #failedetv

Accept His Will

Still day 29.

It's almost been 13 years since my last brain surgery to treat my hydrocephalus. Unfortunately, it is a life-long condition that requires monitoring. And since I've been struggling with headaches, dizziness, blurry vision, and nausea for the last 29 days, we have to wonder if something is wrong with the hole they poked in my brain over a decade ago. It may have scarred over or it may not be draining as much as it should. We don't know. I'll get an MRI in the next few days to monitor the CSF flow, but it may or may not show anything definitive. We'll decide the next steps after we've seen the MRI films. Whew! So crazy!!