Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Brain Tail Discovery Day

Today marks the one year anniversary of the date that I had my very first MRI and discovered that I had a brain tail. Oh what a joyous, shock filled moment that was to find out that I wasn't going crazy ~ that there was actually something causing my migraines, vertigo and other symptoms. I recall feeling numb for several days as I slowly digested the news that I have something in my head that would require brain surgery.

I went through all of the stages of grief ~ denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I think I have cycled through all of the stages over and over again throughout the year. I have been more than ready to go ahead and have the surgery done ~ but here I am a year later ~ one neurologist ~ five neurosurgeons ~ one ENT ~ one trip to The Chiari Institute ~ 3 MRI's later!

I can't help but be thankful that I am still functioning, can hold down a full time job, still keep up with the kid's buzy schedules, continue doing my life with the brain tail in tow. I won't lie to you, things have gotten a lot worse ~ incredibly worse over the past 365 days ~ but I know that there will be a solution soon ~ I have faith.

Here are some pictures of my brain tail ~ I wonder what it looks like now?





DOH!

3 comments:

Sharon (aka Sitting Porcupine) said...

Lace,
Thanks for your words of encouragement. I keep you in my prayers as well. As much as a diagnosis day can change you life for the worse, it can so change your life for the better. To realize we are not alone, we are not crazy and some one else actually believes all the "strange, crazy and indescribable" things your body does is a real gift. The Homer reference today made me a ROFL (and I really needed it).

Puglet said...

My one year anniversary of the ER visit and CT scan and lumbar puncture that led to the discovery is on Friday. Wowzas. Hang in there.

BillyBob said...

Wow, that's some herniation. I do understand that glee when you find out that you're not going crazy, the symptoms were what they were, and there was a reason you hurt, not just being a big baby. Now you at least have a name to go along with the pain. For me that's how it was. Then I mourned.