Thanks!

This post coincides with my post about support.  It took 35 years for me to really connect with anyone else that had hydrocephalus.  Now that I have formed some close relationships, I have come to realize how hard all this must have been for my family and friends to see me go through surgery after surgery after surgery.  My heart breaks every time I hear about someone needing a shunt revision. 

My good friend Stephanie has had her fair share of problems with her shunt recently.  She is a complete sweetheart and is always there for me when I am having problems with my shunt.  I can only hope she feels that I have been there for her as well.  Seeing her go through all this pain just kills me!  I wish that I could fix it for her.  I just keep praying that her doctor figures things out and gets her feeling better soon.  After all, when we are both feeling better we have champagne to drink and lots of dancing to do.

I realize that the aching pain I feel in my heart and the tears that I shed for Stephanie and my other friends with hydrocephalus are probably what my family and friends feel every time I call them and tell them that I am having yet another revision.  It took me meeting other people with this condition to come to this realization.  I am not proud to admit this but growing up I had the attitude that I was going through it not them.  It just couldn't possibly be hard on them right?  But that simply isn't true.  This condition is not easy to live with and it is hard on everyone around us.  I know how badly my husband and even my doctor just want to fix it.  Sadly that will never happen.

What gives me hope is that I do have family and friends who support me through this complete and total madness.  I want to thank all my family and friends who have stood by me through the years and have given me support.  It means more to me than you can possibly imagine.  Even if we don't talk often just letting me know that you are thinking about me means so much.  People are often so busy these days  that we don't reach out to one another anymore.  Just a text, a short message or phone call could really brighten a person's day.

So thank you again for listening and letting me cry when I needed to.  For anyone that may feel I haven't been there for them lately I truly am sorry.  Sometimes this condition takes so much out of me.  But I am going to make an attempt to reach out to others more.