Chiari institute Part 4

After what seemed like a life time, I had my appointment at The Chiari Institute! I met with the neurologist again for a follow-up visit. The medicine they tried helped only a little but the side effects were too much for me to deal with. The decision was to send me to the surgeon at the end of October to pursue surgery. Surgery is really the only treatment for Chiari anyway and was what we figured would be the direction we would be going in the long run. The doctors at the Chiari institute wanted to do their due diligence and make sure that what I had was true Chiari, which is a herniation of the brain and a narrowing of the base of the skull. You can have a herniation of the brain for other reasons besides Chiari. So the past few months they have run a series of tests to rule all this out and have come to the conclusion that I have a true Chiari herniation.

Many people would say, well you seem normal, why would you change what is fine? I am not fine. I have some good days but most days I am not fine. I have serious fatigue. I don't sleep through the night and have a difficult time working an 8 or 10 hour day. If I could go out on disability now I would but I can't afford to do so. I often work and come home and do nothing more. I have chronic pain in my joints and muscles. I have headaches that start at the base of my skull that don't compare to your everyday headache. When they are severe, I can't lay down because it feels as though someone is hitting me with bricks. The headaches are caused by a build up of pressure in the brain due to the fluid being blocked and not allowed to flow freely. Some days the pain in my legs are so bad I crawl up my stairs. I have weakness in my legs and arms especially the right side. I often stumble and trip because my leg doesn't work. My memory is effected, my bladder is effected...and i could go on and on and on.

The next step is to meet with the surgeon on Oct 29th. From their they say they may do one more procedure and then schedule surgery. Surgery is the process of opening up the back of the skull and the brain to release the pressure on the brain and take pressure off the nerves. It is much more detailed than this and is a 9 hour surgery and a long recovery. I am trusting the Lord to provide for the finances and the timing of every detail of this surgery. Please pray for the doctors and their hands as they do such a delicate surgery. Thank you to all who have sent me notes of love and encouragement through this time. I feel so blessed even in a time of difficult challenge. I truly can say I have such an incredible peace about the whole thing. It is a peace that passes all understanding...one that could only come from God.

"The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not Want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me besides quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides my paths of righteousness for His names sake." Psalm 23