setthebarlow
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This is me a few days before my surgery! I was trying on my new unicorn PJs.
I was scheduled to get a VP shunt on November 25 (two days before my cake day) of last month to help with chronic condition I have called Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.
They went in for the surgery and found out my ventricles were too small and they couldn't perform the surgery. No shunt for me. (AND I forgot my cake day!)
As you can see I took this very well and did not emotionally eat at all...
And decided to use this opportunity to do some fun things with my hair...
As a high school teacher I had to do this one just for the photo, just to show it off to my one student with a Mohawk.
I think I rocked it, even if it was for five minutes.
So many great decisions. Sadly I did not remember to do a rat-tail. That is my biggest regret.
This is me three days post OP. Scheduled for a second operation to do a different shunt in a few days.
Really wish I had taken a rat tail photo for my cake day. Hope you enjoy my Mohawk/unicorn photos a few days late.
christopherwalkin393
Hope all is well with healing process!!! Happy late cake day!!!!!!
BobbyNewportJr
You make a glorious unicorn. I wish you all the best.
ClosedForANationalHoliday
I can't understand what's that's like for you but I wish you good luck!
TheElusiveEnchilada
Sweet mow hawk tho
WaluigiInAWheelchair
You make for a fantastic unicorn! Hope everything goes well for you!
setthebarlow
arnym
Hey I have iih too! So weird seeing someone talk about it since I know literally no one in my country with it, I hope everything works out<3
setthebarlow
Hey we can be Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension friends!!
meowzer3
hey op, i have this too. thankfully mine is decently controlled with diamox sequels. i pray this shunt works for you. this condition SUCKS!!
TheGaryGnuShow
@meowzer3 Yes it does!
setthebarlow
Currently on 1000mg of Diamox a day. Unfortunately it did not work out for me. I am glad it worked out for you!
masral
Bitchin' mohawk
setthebarlow
Hey thank you!
ErinFromTheOffice
Whenever I hear people talking about how alternative medicine is better, I'm just like, holy fuck modern western medicine is awesome
setthebarlow
Western is pretty great. This is a weird condition because they literally don't know what causes it, makes it hard to treat.
AnnaNimitee
Sorry for the unnecessary surgery, but glad it was uneventful. I think we can make an exception and celebrate a belated cake day :)
setthebarlow
Feels like a cake day to me!
Trelis
Always a good idea to have surgery for useless brain.
vudak
Pretty cute with no hair tbh, props to you.
setthebarlow
Thank you!
Taunismausi
That positive thinking and even with bad stuff incoming you decide to have fun, good job.
setthebarlow
I am trying. Thank you!
CharlesJacobs
You're ahead of the game. Some people don't have a brain at all. And then they get to be President-Elect. Ayyyyyyy
MadlyGeeky
TheGaryGnuShow
@op My wife has IIH, will keep you in my prayers. +1 for the awareness!
setthebarlow
Best wishes to you both. This condition is the worst.
TheGaryGnuShow
Thank you.
crypticharmony
I have this condition I got a vp shunt in emergency surgery or I would have been totally blind I got 90% of my vision back it gets better!
setthebarlow
I am glad to hear your condition worked out!
crypticharmony
I still get headaches when the air pressure changes but other then that I live a pretty normal life I hope works out for you!
crypticharmony
If you have any questions feel free to ask!
Lforloveballboy1
Sucks that they made you remove your horn with surgery
setthebarlow
Agreed!!!
CrookedWarden
you are very pretty.
trextyler
Atleast you got some badass hair
setthebarlow
Thank you!
killmizer
Don't ever stop being a badass.
setthebarlow
I shall try!
crucifiedpotato
I cant figure out whether you're a male or a female
setthebarlow
The secret is (waves arms around) it doesn't matter! Bam! (I'm a chick.)
crucifiedpotato
God Larry everyone knows it's * when you're doing a thing
crucifiedpotato
God Larry everyone knows it's * when you're doing a thing
canadiantimberwolf
Do you know if this condition is also called pseudotumor cerebri? I suppose I could just look it up, just learned about it in med school
setthebarlow
I used to be, yes.
Davemoon
So... Is she single?
setthebarlow
setthebarlow
hernameisri0
Girl, you are a warrior. Keep on fighting.
setthebarlow
That is the plan http://gph.is/2akfqOBv
ConkerHasNuts
I recently had an artery burst on my 18th birthday and had to get a stunt put in. I know how it feels to miss a cakeday. 1/2
ConkerHasNuts
Good luck getting symptom free! I'm trying my best to get back to normal too! 2/2
spaceystacey
Stunt. I literally LOLed as I pictured a skateboard trick being performed inside a skull. Thanks for the giggles!
betrayedgambit
here is an important question @op after said surgery do you feel different? Can you read people's minds and start lifting things with yours
setthebarlow
I have a brand new titanium plate! But no, no different. They didn't do anything but poke around. I think that they gave each me
setthebarlow
The standard plate NOT the mind reading one... unless it just has yet to kick in!
betrayedgambit
You got swindled demand the surgeon to go back in there and give you psychic powers this instant!
setthebarlow
Maybe on the next surgery!!!
betrayedgambit
Fair enough >.> well happy cake day and glad you're doing well :)
Katimakittykat
You look really cute tho
setthebarlow
Ah thanks!
dinosaursarebadass
I have IIH as well. Been almost 10 years since I was diagnosed with it. I haven't had a shunt placed yet. I'm too scared....
setthebarlow
I wasn't too terrible of a process, except the not having them do the shunt part. Other than that everyone and everything about it was great
dinosaursarebadass
It's been a huge hassle and inconvenience for me the last couple of years...lost jobs, friends, family...and I'm only 26.
setthebarlow
26 is the worst. Obamacare is seriously the only thing keeping upright at the moment. Thanks Obama.
dinosaursarebadass
I have my dads insurance for the next 2 weeks, but it doesn't help with what I need to have done. MRIs, MRVs, catscans, multiple surgeries..
setthebarlow
Oh shit. I am so sorry. That is my nightmare.
dinosaursarebadass
Not only do I need the shunt, but I need large, grapefruit sized cysts removed from my abdomen. That's not cheap....shit suuucks.
ClockworkArchangel13
I had to get a VP shunt. I had a cyst preventing proper drainage of the cerebral-spinal fluid.
setthebarlow
Im sorry to hear that. Are you able to manage your condition now?
ClockworkArchangel13
Yeah, it's all good. The cyst was removed, but it was decided after further observation that a shunt was still necessary because the 1/2
ClockworkArchangel13
2/3 fluid still wasn't being reabsorbed properly. that was back in november of 2014. Prior to that, i was getting splitting headaches and
ClockworkArchangel13
3/4 had begun losing my eyesight. turns out all that pressure from excess fluid wasn't doing my optic nerves any good. Ended up spending
ClockworkArchangel13
4/4 3 weeks in the hospital overall. My eyesight never fully recovered in the left eye, but it's good enough for depth perception and stuff.
SadCannibalNoises
My friend has that condition. She managed it with stress reduction/weight loss/exercise. She's currently symptom free. Happy late cake day!
setthebarlow
I lost about 60lbs before they would operate. I also was doing therapeutic spinal taps and about 19 prescription pills a day. 1/2
IceBearisGood
I've only had one spinal tap and it was anything but therapeutic, I can't even imagine what that's like!
CanadianSith
Therapeutic spinal taos don't sound therapeutic.
dinosaursarebadass
out of me. I've been dealing with this crap since high school. Nobody in my family knows how bad the headaches get. It gets to the point 3/?
dinosaursarebadass
feel free to message me! :) 5/5 p.s. this was supposed to be the last comment haha.
dinosaursarebadass
for years now. They don't know whether it needs to go in my spine, brain, or blood vessels in my skull. Either way, it scares the hell 2/?
dinosaursarebadass
where I can't sit up or eat or do anything around light or noise or even being touched. I feel your pain. If you need to talk to anyone, 4/4
dinosaursarebadass
My doctors have me on diamox and a bunch of other medications. They don't work but I take them anyways. I've been putting off the shunt 1/?
wherearetheavos
How were you diagnosed, if you don't mind me asking?
setthebarlow
Don't mind at all! I had an atypical migraine my last semester of undergrad that sent me to the ER. They sent me to a neurologist. 1/?
setthebarlow
Described my constant pressure in my back and head to my Neurologist was concerned and sent me for a bunch of tests (MRI, CT, spinal tap 2/?
setthebarlow
Also saw my eye doc around the same time and they suggested a dilated eye test. We did that and found my optic nerve was swollen.All other3/
SadCannibalNoises
It's such a bizarre condition. My friend was without insurance at the time as well - she had to beg family for money for meds.
setthebarlow
Oh Jesus. That has to be the worst. They tried to get me to pay full price for one med last month and it was $650. That was one of seven.
setthebarlow
Oh Jesus. That has to be the worst. They tried to get me to pay full price for one med last month and it was $650. That was one of seven.
setthebarlow
Oh Jesus. That has to be the worst. They tried to get me to pay full price for one med last month and it was $650. That was one of seven.
SadCannibalNoises
Exactly. It really doesn't help with the stress reduction, does it?
setthebarlow
I am a grad student/student teacher (teaching government and civics) who lives in the US. What is this "stress management" you speak of?
setthebarlow
It is a weird condition, it just depends on the person what works and what doesn't. During the weight loss spinal taps my headaches only got
FragileReality
Fat chance of cutting down stress as a teacher! Hope everything heals up well, OP
HideyoWifeHideyoKids
Idiopathic is fancy for we've got no clue why the fuck this is happening, so yea weird condition I'll say.
setthebarlow
Exactly. Basically anyone with it has to just roll with it and do what they can to figure it out.
setthebarlow
Much worse. So the shunt was (extreme) the next option.
TacoRising
FUCK YEAH SPINAL TAP
setthebarlow
They sound pretty metal. I feel pretty metal when I tell people I have had seven!
wutsthefuss
I have this condition. I can't have brain surgery. I won't look nearly as cool with a Mohawk
setthebarlow
You never know until you shave it all off. Sometimes you just got to go for it. I'm sorry to hear you have iih.