I can be angry that life dealt me the Hydro card. I can curse everything under, around or above the sun…but, it won’t make a difference. 29 years old and living a reasonably sheltered life (as far as this condition goes), that’s the reality I faced before I read...
Articles with the Tag Brain surgery
Hydrocephalus: Some conversations aren’t worth having…
Is it really worth having a conversation with someone who doesn’t understand what Hydrocephalus is all about? (I’m not talking about Awareness or education because that will always be worth it). Someone who doesn’t get that this is a serious condition, requiring immediate action, in some cases? Someone who...
Hydrocephalus : Some of us don’t realise how lucky we really are…
How many brain surgeries have you had due to Hydrocephalus? Some have had a few (2..maybe even 1) others, too many to mention. Personally, I would never dream of telling the next person that they’re lying when they say they’ve had in excess of 100 brain operations. As unbelievable...
Hydrocephalus Awareness is everyone’s responsibility
Someone you love or, even you yourself, has Hydrocephalus. Or, you may have heard of the girl down the street’s cousin who has it. It really doesn’t matter. The effects of this condition, as well as the Awareness and Advocacy thereof, lies with all of us. We do it...
Hydrocephalus: ICP Monitoring results leave me feeling “conflicted”
I’ve waited more than two weeks to hear about my ICP Monitoring results and eventually assumed that “No news, is good news”. And, as it turns out it is indeed the case. I should be relieved and happy, to say the least. But…I have mixed emotions… I requested a...
Hydrocephalus: When you hear but don’t listen…
2 weeks ago, I had ICP Monitoring done (only my 5th Hydrocephalus-related surgery since being diagnosed just over 11 years ago). There were 2 things of note, amongst others, I took away from that experience: A nurse who looked at me surprisedly when I told her I have Hydrocephalus...
Hydrocephalus: What’s the reason why doctors “refuse” to help patients?
I remember a time when things were so simple, medically speaking. You felt unwell, went to the doctor and they actually helped you. Illnesses like Cancer, which everyone knows has a slim chance of survival, depending on the stage it’s at (but it’s possible), were/are accepted for the fatal...
Hydrocephalus: What is the right frame of mind?
This question pertains just as much to someone who has recently been diagnosed with Hydrocephalus as it does to someone facing brain surgery, which is never easy. For me personally, it doesn’t matter that people say one procedure is “not as bad” as the next, it doesn’t stop me...
Hydrocephalus: When the thought of brain surgery “excites” you
You’re probably wondering if I’ve completely lost my mind or how I can say that, well that’s because it’s only one of the emotions I feel right now – along with fear and anxiety. It may not be an ETV or Shunt surgery but it’s brain surgery nonetheless. The...
Hydrocephalus: The memories we retain (or forget) aren’t by choice…
With memory issues being a challenge on any given day, a side effect of Hydrocephalus and the subsequent brain surgeries, it’s a pity we don’t get to choose which ones we retain or forget. (Don’t get me wrong, ageing definitely plays a part in it too but remember, this...