----- Original Message -----
From: "MGranadaHome" <robert_g54463@...>
To: <hydrocephalus@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2007 10:58 AM
Subject: Re: [hydrocephalus] VP Shunt surgery aftercare...............


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "christine3438" <chris.taylor68@...>
> To: <hydrocephalus@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2007 7:04 AM
> Subject: [hydrocephalus] VP Shunt surgery aftercare...............
>
>
> > Hi Everybody!
> >
> > I've recently had a VP shunt inserted (4 Sept 07).........and live in
> > the UK..........I'm 38, not one of the younger person who get
> > shunted!!
> >
>
> I am 40 so you are not the only "young" one in the group type thing.

I too am 40.

> > I've been discharged from hospital with minimal advice on living with
> > a shunt, so any tips you could give on what I should or shouldn't be
> > doing would be so much appreciated.
> >
>
> They never gave me any advice about it either when they put mine in on May
> 25th

Part of it is that this "advice" can change over times. I got my shunt a few
months after I was born, which is to say 1967. In fact as of today I am one
month short of having the thing for 40 years.
Things I have learned:

Don't let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do. You may listen to
feedback, input, suggestions, etc. but ultimately you must decide what is
too much for you, and what you are capable of doing.

Don't let anyone tell you how or what to feel. Your feelings, emotions, and
senses are yours alone. If you're in pain, don't let someone else belittle
it.

Don't let anyone else hold you back. If you're overdoing it, you'll know
soon enough. You don't need someone else telling you.

> So far they said that if the symtoms of not standing and not walking come
> back, we know the shunt isn't working. And any MRI's will throw it out of
> whack so they have to reset if you go thru that.
> I just don't like the idea of it being in my head for the rest of my life

Ah yes. That can be seen as a problem. But you'll have to get used to it.
Think of it as a life support system. None of us can get along very easily
without it once we have it. Or at least, not many of us - I know there are
sometimes exceptions.
Just don't go hoping that you'll be one of them. Of course I had mine before
I could make a conscious choice of having it for the rest of my life. One
positive point is that after adolescence, our metabolism doesn't change as
drastically anymore and as a result, shunt complications aren't as common
anymore. The fact that I had to have one more revision in 2002 is proof
that we're not IMMUNE, but at least I had a "vacation" from surgery for
sixteen years. For me that is the longest span ever.
I won't lie and say you won't know it's there. I can feel it - especially in
my neck. I'm highly sensitive and don't like to be touched anywhere near
it. If you're never had surgery before, you also have to contend with the
"trademarks" on your body. This could make a person self conscious, but
then again, they're yours for life now. I try to accept this - I still
can't so I try to coexist with them. It took my wife by surprise the first
time she saw them, despite me warning her ahead of time. She has since
gotten used to it. And now, having had a C-section when our daughter was
born, she has one of her own, one scar that almost matches one of mine too.

> > At the moment I'm still not feeling too good, yet have no follow-up
> > appointment until February 2008 (our Health system works so
> > differently here)...........so in those months I could be doing lots
> > of things not advisable to be doing with a shunt.

As I said, these "things" that are "not advisable" changes from time to
time. You have to decide for yourself. If you don't feel up to it or don't
want to risk it, that is your decision. Others should respect that.

> With me getting sick bothers me, especially coughing, and I keep getting
> broncitis which throws me into a coughing fit and a horrid headache
> so.....not sure if you'd have the same results but I figured I would warn
> you about that just in case.

After surgery, nobody wants to cough. It's painful. Getting sick is normal
for all humanoids. It's telling a "shunt" headache from a "normal" headache
that is tricky.

> What is A/C?

Air Conditioning?

> The surgeries, I ended up with a brain biopsy first and I was awake for
> that, yuck, so I hope and pray too no more surgeries

There are no guarantees. NONE. It is possible there will be no more for
you.
Again - I had surgery in January 1986. After that I just counted the years
as they passed. It was exciting to see the number increase - 7 years without
a malfunction, 8, 9, 10 - hey I had beaten my old record - 11 - 12- it came
to a halt at 16 years.
It was nice while it lasted. But already that was five years ago.

Best wishes.

-Ugly Sean