Tuesday, February 2, 2010

i found a neat website

Sometimes i feel like such a complainer. I have had all this heart junk this year. I'm just tired of health issues and I am sure everyone is tired of hearing about it. But, I have this other thing going on. I have a Chiari malformation and it frustrates the crap out of me. I have known about it since I was pregnant with Bella. I had such a crappy time being pregnant and I had some issues that ended in me having to have a CT scan. Which is no fun in general but kinda scary when you are big and pregnant. But, they found my chiari. But, they didn't know much about it and neither did the neurologist i went to see about it. I have been told so many different things about it. I have been told that it is what it is. that it doesn't progress. Well, medical research is great! lol They have discovered that it does. i started having pain in my head that i can only describe as a HUGe rush of pain that stops me in my tracks. The pain started a couple of years ago and I went to the Dr. about it and they kinda just shrugged. I have mentioned it to all the Dr.'s I have seen hoping someone would know what it is. Over the past year and recent months it has gotten worse. it is so painful it stops me in my tracks. I sometimes will have to brace myself when it happens. It only lasts a few seconds but it's horrible. I mentioned it the last time I was in the emergency room and they sent a neurosurgeon to talk to me. ( he kinda looked like Chris Isac which wasn't a bad thing lol) It was amazing because he knew what I was talking about and he confirmed it was from my chiari. He started talking to us about brain surgery and it sounds HORRIBLE. Not a little bad but HORRIBLE. So, we all decied we would wait until I just can't stand it anymore. unfortunatley, I have read that a lot of people's symptoms start occurring in their early 30's so this may be only the beginning. Like everyone else in life, i don't know what life has in store for me. This could be the only symptom I have. It's not fun but I can live with it. or I could develop more. who knows.
But, to my initial point. i found this really cool website that explains what a Chiari is and has pictures of people with them. It also has support groups, and fact sheets. I cannot tell you how cool it is to find all of this when for so long I have felt very alone in this. I have to admitt that My sister Kelli had first found the Chiari websites but when I had Bella my symptoms that time were gone and then when they started again, i just didn't want to face it. I guess you could call it denial. But, now I need to face it.
here is the link to the fact sheet in case you are interested.



http://www.conquerchiari.org/awareness/Chiari%20Awareness%20Sheet.pdf