A Road block but not a wall!

I have faced many road blocks in my life. I see them as a challenge that I must face and which only makes me a stronger and better person. In January some physical symptoms I had for the past two years had escalated to a point I felt I needed to follow up with them. The doctor I had was very concerned and sent me to both a Rheumatologist and a Neurologist. After some blood work and a thorough MRI they found that I did not have M.S. as they had been concerned about but instead found I have a rare condition called Chiari Malformation I.

Chiari is a condition in which the cerebellar tonsils of the brain have herniated through the hole at the base of the skull where only the spinal cord should be. This particular condition they believe is something you are born with. In the kind I have symptoms often do not present problems till your 30's. It often mimics M.S, Chronic Fatigue, and Fibromyalgia which I have been misdiagnosed with over the past few years. The only treatment for this condition is surgery. I was diagnosed in April and am slowly working through the process with doctors to determine what is the best step for me. It is a major surgery which I would absolutely love to avoid but medications are not working to control the pain, headaches, weakness, fatigue and other symptoms.

July 2oth I will be being seen at the Chiari Institute out on Long Island where they specialize in the treatment of this condition. In preparation for this appointment they have sent me for multiple Xrays, MRI's, and CT scans. Based on what they see and the thorough 2 hour evaluation they will determine what the next step is for me.

For me, finding out I have Chiari is in a weird sort of way a relief. I have had many, what seemed like, random symptoms and no one could put a finger on the cause or the best way to treat this. When they thought it was M.S. I was very nervous because I know that there is no cure for that. When I read the symptoms for Chiari it was a perfect match and the fact that there is a treatment is also a blessing. The only concern is whether there has been permanent damage to the nerves which may mean I wont have complete relief of the symptoms. However, I am being diagnosed much earlier than the average person so we feel that the likelihood of that along with the ebbing and flowing of symptoms means that the nerves have not been permanently damaged.

As challenging as this has been, I have been blessed with a God who promises that He will never leave us or forsake us...even in the most difficult situations. I see this as an opportunity to grow and learn. I have also been blessed with a great church who has surrounded me with love and support through this hole process. I don't know the outcome but I know that I will be OK in the end.