13 years ago, today, my world changed. A “simple” visit to a Neurologist to find out what was causing my daily headaches, and subsequent CT scan, dropped a new word into my vocabulary. She was the first one to believe that there wasn’t anything sinister going on, that I was probably dealing with Migraines, or…
Sometimes, being sent home after going to the hospital with, “Nothing’s wrong, everything is normal”, is equivalent to being sent back to an abusive relationship. You don’t know when the next flare up/episode will happen. You don’t know how badly you’ll be affected. You don’t know if you’ll be in a position to get help…
I don’t regard myself as suicidal. It’s a very serious thing, to say the least. Therefore, I will NEVER make light of it. Too many people have ended their lives this way and the after-effects do not escape me. Despite being told that I am, treated with medication and “diagnosed” as depressed (another thing I…
I’d be lying if I said, I’m not concerned. The outbreak of the coronavirus is a hot topic across the world right now. I also have no doubt that there are some of us, living with Hydrocephalus, who are questioning the level of risk to us. In fact, many have asked the question. This is…
It’s no secret, money makes this world go round. (Some may suggest other things do but…). This week, I’ve been reminded again just how expensive, inconvenient and burdensome this condition is in my life. At my last visit, the Neurosurgeon told me to see an Ophthalmologist and also to get an MRI of my brain…
There are days when I wish I couldn’t read people. The unspoken can sometimes be so loud. • A reaction to something said. • The change of tone in your voice. • The way your face changes: mouth, eyes, brows… • A shift in your posture and demeanour. • Even just silence through no verbal…
Hydrocephalus doesn’t ask you if or when it can interrupt your life, it simply does. No matter whether you fail your last year of school because you were symptomatic around exam time and your brain took such a beating that nothing would stick. Or you have your baby brother’s wedding to attend and end up…
Do the people in your life, those closest to you, know what to do if you need help? How knowledgeable are they when it comes to Hydrocephalus and you? Honestly, I have the utmost respect for parents who fight fiercely for their children with Hydrocephalus and are so in tune, you’d swear they’re the ones…
“What do you want them to do?” A question I’ve been asked by some well-meaning individuals in my life, and in general, when I’ve been at my lowest point of not having my symptoms treated. (They don’t have Hydrocephalus). Truth be told, there’s a physical reaction I have to these words being asked of me,…
I never truly understood this saying. In fact, I suck at taking care of myself. This I know… It’s weird, I almost feel like I’m being selfish when I don’t respond to someone else’s request for help i.e. I can’t say NO. But, knowing myself, I can say with certainty that it’s not the same…
