Collect life-threatening illnesses

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. I've ALWAYS loved Scotty Hamilton, but this man just nailed my thoughts exactly! We're all going to fall. That's life. Enduring life WELL looks like picking ourselves back up, brushing off the fall, and starting over again. Sometimes this is easier said than done, I know. Believe me! I know!! But wallowing in self-pity isn't helpful and in my case, it literally makes the pain worse. If you need a pity party, set a timer and when it goes off, move on with life! Get up. You've GOT this!

Brain Surgery #6

Brain surgery #6 is on Wednesday. They're going to replace my shunt valve because it either under or overdrains CSF. We're hopeful that this Medtronic Delta valve will work better. But who knows?!! I miss my ETV.

We all learn life's lessons in our own ways and circumstances. I don't know why I get to learn them through physical challenges, but please don't compare your headaches or your difficult day or your problems with mine. Just because your issues don't require brain surgery doesn't mean they're not difficult, right?! With some of my friends I tend to think, "oh man! I'm SO glad I only have to endure brain surgeries instead of her drama! I'll pray for her tonight!"

The Lord strengthens us to rise above the challenges we've been given so that we can grow to be the sons and daughters our Heavenly Father knows we can become.

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