It’s All In Your Head, Kathleen!
A Memoir of a Medical Victory!
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Did you ever have something happen to you in your life when you felt a nudge or urge to share what was happening to you with others? I have felt nudged to share my story several times over the last few years while on this journey of unexplained physical and mental changes that eventually led me to a diagnosis and treatment for a condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Normal Pressure hydrocephalus is a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the chambers, or ventricles of the brain. When too much fluid fills these ventricles, they press against the brain tissue which can lead to damage. This damage shows up in a variety of physical and cognitive symptoms. Treatment can involve placing a shunt to drain the excess fluid away from the brain. In an attempt to raise awareness and perhaps help others, I decided to share my story of how I went from looking at possibly entering a nursing home with a diagnosis of dementia to regaining the life I had enjoyed previously. My experience made me wonder how many people might be resigned to living out the rest of their lives languishing in nursing homes who could, with the correct diagnosis, benefit from the placement of a ventricular peritoneal (VP) shunt as I have done. This book is a memoir of the events that took me by surprise after many years of wondering what was happening to me. Were these symptoms the beginning of dementia or the dreaded “A” word – Alzheimer’s disease – or something else that could explain so many declining symptoms? And if it was something else, could it be treated? I consider myself lucky to live in Cincinnati, Ohio where we have the University of Cincinnati (UC) Gardner Neuroscience Institute. Through a series of unfortunate events, which ultimately turned out to be fortunate for me, I was led to Dr. Alberto Espay, a motion disorder specialist at UC Gardner who works with patients who have Parkinson’s disease and with patients suffering from the effects of NPH. Thanks to him and a senior resident in neurosurgery at UC Medical Center, I was able to, after more than three years of specialists and testing, eventually get my diagnosis and treatment. On December 11, 2020, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, I had a VP shunt placed and my life was changed. This is the story of how long it took me to reach the place where medical professionals decided to go ahead and perform the procedure that ended up changing my life. I went in with many symptoms that had greatly altered my life and was told that a shunt would probably not fix them all. But what was most important to me was the possibility of improving my balance, walking, changes in mental status, and incontinence issues. My purpose in writing about my experience is to be informative and helpful to others in a similar situation. Hopefully, this information will help you to research NPH and discover if a VP shunt might be beneficial for you or a family member who may be struggling to get answers about this sometimes difficult to diagnose condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus.
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About the Book
Random falls, loss of bladder control, sudden episodes of mental confusion. I never knew what each day might hold until I finally got an answer to this and many other mysterious symptoms that was plaguing me. This is my story of physical and cognitive decline and journey to get answers. I went from looking at possibly entering a nursing home to regaining the life I had enjoyed previously after surgical intervention. I faced many challenges along the way, and had support from my family members who were not going to give up on me. Their support in turn encouraged me to keep searching for answers.
About the Author
Kathleen is a retired Radiologic Technologist. This is her first book, a memoir inspired by her journey with getting diagnosed with a debilitating disorder Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). This condition is often confused with early onset of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other forms of dementia. While living with uncertainty of where this complex condition was leading, Kathleen sought out answers from numerous doctors. She refused to give up and was finally helped by a neurologist and a neurosurgeon at the Gardner Neurological Institute at the University of Cincinnati Hospital. This author feels like “it is her mission” now to educate others who may be struggling to find their own answers. Kathy lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a widow, mother of three adult children, and “Mimi” to seven Grandchildren.