----- Original Message -----
From: "mom96097" <mom96097@...>
To: <hydrocephalus@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2006 23:22
Subject: [hydrocephalus] HELLO I'M NEW HERE...


> I WAS REALLY JUST HOPING TO TALK TO
> SOMEONE, ANYONE REALLY THAT KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT HYDRO.IF THERES
> SOMEONE OUT THERE PLEASE CAN YOU E-MAIL @ RENAE23@... OR
> POST A MESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
> RENAE( KAIDEN'S MOMMY )

Hey friend. Slow down, slow down. Greetings and welcome. First I'd like to
say please turn off your caps-lock. Typing in all capital letters is
regarded similar to "shouting" and can be frowned upon by others. But I
don't know anyone here who would turn away a new member in need. I'm Sean
and I may know a little bit about hydrocephalus. I was diagnosed with it
shortly after I was born and as far as I can figure my first documented
shunt operation was when I was four months old. I'm now 38 years old. For
the large part, we are survivors, and we get through it. We don't get
"cured" but we generally make it through the tough spots. Your son will
too. Some said I as "tough". Some said I was a "fighter". I said they were
full of it. I had no choice. Your son has no choice. BUT, the recuperative
powers of a young child are NOT to be underestimated. You sound concerned,
and you should be. Any caring parent should be if their child had an ordeal
with the hospital I'm so glad you're reaching out. It's not necessarily
something you can face alone. I used to have multiple shunts. As far as I
know, I still do - one that works, one that is rotting inside of me which is
supposedly too messy and hazardous to remove. I thought I was free of shunt
revisions. Yeah right. Don't count on it. in 2002 I had my first operation
in 16 years - a longevity record for me. Freaked out my wife. She knew the
risk when she agreed to marry me but she never really thought it would
happen. Freaked her out totally but she survived. So did I. I think. And we
continue on our way.

-Sean