Case,
Sure!
Hydrocephalus, or hydro, for short, is a condition where the fluid that's around your brain can't move around like it's supposed to. The fluid is there to help protect your brain when you bump your head, and also help carry nutrients to your brain cells. It's mostly in places in your brain called ventricles, which work kind of like the air bags in a car when you hit your head.
The fluid normally moves between the ventrcles and flows out at the back of your head into what's called the subarachnoid space, down around your spinal cord, and is reabsorbed. As it's reabsorbed, more is made to replace it. I was born with a growth at the back of my head that prevented the fluid from flowing into that space. Since the fluid couldn't flow out, the ventricles got too big. It's kind of like filling up a water ballon; as you put more water into it, it gets bigger. As the ventricles got bigger (mostly at the base of my brain), it squished the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance and coordination, and caused my CP. Hydro is treated by putting in what's called a shunt, which is a piece of tubing that drains the extra fluid from a venticle to somewhere else in the body.
If you've got any other questions, or if this doesn't make sense, let me know, and I'll take another shot at it, and have my wife help, since she's a lot better writer than I am.
Kendall
________________________________
From: Linda Walker [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Fri 4/7/2006 10:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Case Introduction Age 7
Kendall,
I don't know what hydrocephalus is yet. Can you tell me?
Case
At 08:05 AM 4/7/2006, you wrote:
>Case,
>
>Great to meet you, and glad you had a great time on your break! I'm
>Kendall (so I don't get confused with all the Kens I know!). I'm 45 and
>have CP and something called hydrocephalus, which a lot of people called
>"water on the brain" back in the Dark Ages, when I was a kid. =20
>
>My brother helped me out when I was a kid too. He taught me how to
>drive, and helped me tie my shoes until I figured out a way to do it on
>my own. My wife also has CP, so we help each other out (she's got
>better use of her left arm, and I've got better use of my right, so we
>do lots of things (like opening jars) together that people without CP
>would do on their own.
>
>Kendall=20
>
>An unreasonable man (but my wife says that's redundant!)
>
>The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one
>persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all
>progress depends on the unreasonable man.
>
>-George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ken barber [mailto:[log in to unmask]]=20
>Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 5:59 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Case Introduction Age 7
>
> hello, Case. good to meet you. my name is ken. i am
>50 years older than you, but understand appreciaing
>what we are. my family still helps me sometimes, but,
>only if i ask.=20
> snowmobiling? did you go to the big island for that?
>glad you enjoyed your spring break.=20
> i am going to the national money show today. it is
>here in atlanta this year.=20
> better go now.=20
>
>--- Linda Walker <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Aloha,
> > I am Case and I have cerebral palsy but I was
> > taught to appreciate=20
> > it because some people can't even walk at all. And I
> > like how my=20
> > family helps me out on all the things I can do. They
> > are very helpful=20
> > to me and I like that. I have a very loving family
> > that support me=20
> > in my life.
> > I went snowmobiling and tubing over spring break
> > and swimming. I=20
> > almost hit a tree tubing. It was so scary. I also
> > went to the Santa=20
> > Monica Pier with 6 friends. I went on the roller
> > coaster for the=20
> > first time ever and on the dragon.
> > I agree with my family that Bush is not a good
> > president and only=20
> > got elected by cheating. I believe that a president
> > is supposed to=20
> > present peace and he is presenting misery to our
> > state.
> > Nana has told me what a lot of great people you are
> > and my brother=20
> > helped me very much with my CP because he offered
> > something from his=20
> > body to help me. (Case is talking about his stem
> > cells which we hope=20
> > the research will someday help Case.)
> > I am going to join the CP kids list. (Nana typed
> > this for me.) I=20
> > hope everyone is having a good life even with CP.
> >=20
> > Good by and I hope you are all well,
> >=20
> > Case
> >=20
> > -----------------------
> >=20
> > To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY
> > list, go here:
> >=20
> >
>http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=3Dc-palsy
> >=20
>
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around=20
>http://mail.yahoo.com=20
>
>-----------------------
>
>To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here:
>
>http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=3Dc-palsy
>
>-----------------------
>
>To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here:
>
>http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=3Dc-palsy
-----------------------
To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here:
http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=c-palsy
-----------------------
To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here:
http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=c-palsy
|
