AN ENTIRE YEAR HAS PASSED

A whole year has come and passed since I was hospitalized with a "mystery" illness. The day of the royal wedding was the exact day. It also happened to be my oldest son's 13th birthday (April 29th). I totally forgot that it was the day that marked a year since I had become so ill. I started this blog since I had such a hard time talking (stutter), also so that I could let family know what was going on with my health, and also to help raise awareness in this strange illness. And, there have been over 9,000 hits! That is just AMAZING.

I have had many ups and downs. The tethered cord surgery has brought me some relief from leg weakness, and decreased the frequency of migraines, decreased my stutter, and so on. Best of all, I am released to drive short distances. However, there is no cure for Chiari or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Chiari is a neurological condition so I have relapses and remissions. Everyday is still a struggle in someway or another but I am glad to have some relief. I continue to go to physical therapy, cognitive therapy, and vision therapy every week. It almost feels like a full-time job.

Dondi and I are headed to The Chiari Institute in a couple weeks. We both have imaging and appointments with Dr B, the neurosurgeon. This will be my third trip in a year. It is in Long Island and I have yet to make it into the city for site seeing. Maybe someday.

I would like to take a moment to thank everyone that has helped us in the last year. It is greatly appreciated and did not go unnoticed. I did write a lot of Thank You notes but was not always able to write them for everything that was done for us. Please know that we could not have made the trip to New York without your help! I am so happy we had the opportunity and that the neuro tissue is beginning to heal.

Tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy had a child being tested for Chiari and when I was in the hospital last year, House had a man with Chiari. Maybe, we are starting to get the word out.

Please help me continue to spread the word by finding a Conquer Chiari Across America 2011 walk near you! Visit ConquerChiari.org to register now. Chiari is painful and debilitating. Help us find a cure and raise awareness!!!!