As someone diagnosed with Hydrocephalus and living with a brain injury, this is a sore point, obviously. People don’t necessarily have to say they don’t believe your symptoms; their actions (or even inaction) speak loudly and clear enough. Seeing beyond an invisible illness or injury, is a difficult one,...
Articles with the Tag Brain surgery
Brain Injury: The invisible disability.
Hydrocephalus and brain injury won’t define my outcome, I reserve that right!
Cognitive impairment is NOT the same as intellectual disability
It seems common for people to (incorrectly) assume that brain injury, causing cognitive impairment, is the same as intellectual disability. The extent of the injury will be dependent on the location of injury. In saying this, I do not presume to speak for the next person with a brain...
Incidental MRI finding: Highlighting what lurks beneath the surface.
Despite hearing my surgeon speak, providing medical information, sound no longer filtered through my eardrum. After some time (I’m not sure how long), I drifted slowly back to the sound of his voice. I heard Dr Tollesson half thinking out loud; “How do you get a patient not to...
Brain injury wreaks havoc on relationships so protect your heart
Finding the balance, living life with hydrocephalus and brain injury, is tricky. Relationships take strain and fall apart. The loss of some relationships has been sad for me. But I’m realizing that this is inevitable unless the required effort is made by all parties. Truthfully, some have been easier...
It’s been a painful few days.
I’ve been dealing with a headache that won’t go away, lasting all day and night. Nausea, no vomiting. Lack of appetite. And, my shunt felt tight initially, pulling down the right side of my head. Thankfully that’s subsided. I tried to see if I could hear “Sophy” (my shunt)...
Hydrocephalus Awareness: What you need to know
What is it? Hydrocephalus is an incurable neurological condition that affects millions of people across the world. It does not discriminate. To date, the only treatment option available requires a person to undergo brain surgery (repeatedly), which is NOT a cure. The treatment options available CAN and DO fail,...
The unexplained is complicated, and neurosurgeons don’t always have the answer…
Let’s be honest: They are human too (despite some of them having a god-like complex). They can, and do, make mistakes but they also save lives. The difference: A surgeon who doesn’t make the effort, gives up because it’s too hard, or simply dismisses your concerns. VS A surgeon...
From IT professional to brain injury survivor
I have worked in IT for more than 20 years of my life. After starting my career as a secretary, I soon moved into IT and learnt as much as I could, on the job. It was a field I felt drawn to. Over the years, I have successfully...
The hard reality of living with a brain injury…
***TRIGGER WARNING: This post touches on suicidal thoughts and death*** When you sustain a brain injury, in the prime of your life, things change in an instant. It hits harder still if you’re a high functioning person, independent and always doing everything for everyone else. Nothing can prepare you...