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Description
Important-ish edit at the bottom of my rambling

3 years ago today, I had an MRI showing the reason why I had been sick for at least the 4 or 5 months beforehand. It diagnosed an arachnoid cyst, the approximate size of a tennis ball/peach in the base of my skull, preventing my spinal fluid from circulating correctly throughout my spinal cord and head. ***(((My normal doctor had previously diagnosed my 8-on-a-10-pt-scale-of-pain headaches as "displaced sinus pain caused by allergies" and my other symptoms of sleeping 14 hours a day, throwing up everything I tried to eat, double vision, balance problems and not wanting(or rather being able to) go to school to "clinical depression" and being a teenager with image issues. I was prescribed multiple allergy medications, anti-depressants, and told that when having double vision, its "always good to go to an optimologist every so often". Never mind the fact that he was trained to do a standard eye exam. I visited him at LEAST 4 times throughout the 4 to 5 months prior to the MRI, which, it is important to note, was suggested by a therapist we sought out when told that I was "depressed".)))***
3 years ago tomorrow, I had the first of four brain surgeries. It was to drain the cyst, and they removed my top vertebrae and a piece of the back of my skull permanently. The piece of skull was so small and under so many layers of neck muscle that it doesn't make that much of a difference that its gone.

A week after my first surgery I had my stitches out, and then soon developed symptoms of meningitis.
The short version is, after lengthy hospital stays, a spinal tap (which, by the way, is rumored to equal the pain of child birth) I was sent home with bubbles of fluid forming on the back of my neck-- which I repeatedly brought up and were repeatedly dismissed as my imagination by my neurosurgeon.
Then one decided to pop open in the middle of the night and I went back to the ER with spinal fluid, LITERALLY, squirting from the back of my head.
I had another surgery, inserting a shunt (essentially a tube with a pressure gauge) to correctly drain my spinal fluid.
I was then diagnosed with bacterial meningitis from a staph infection, was treated with iv antibiotics over the span of about 3 weeks, had my shunt removed and then replaced on the opposite side of my head to clear all worries of the staph infection.

thats the SHORT version of the story.
I don't want pity, I joke about it now. though, it sucks to have a permanent tube in my head. Its a great conversation starter/ender though.
I've often made my first impression of people by stating "Hi! I'm Demian! I had brain surgery 4 times! Do you want to feel my tube?!"
<33333

much love to ~Soularis who is still my friend through all my ridiculous body drama.<33 and because shes willing to joke about it with me!

picture of my original stitches found here: [link]

"Scars are souvenirs you never lose" -Goo Goo Dolls

PS, I'm fine now, people have a tendency to ask that b its all good.
I had a minor skin infection several months after the last surgery, but again, that was all 3 years ago. I'm currently only affected by not being able to go near large magnets, speakers, or ride roller coasters.
The shunt drains into my stomach (or rather, the empty space around)
you can find out more by googling 'vp shunt' and 'hydrocephalus', which I also have.

EDIT: Another reason why I make such a big deal out of it sometimes, is because they told me after inserting the shunt that it was possible I may never write or draw the same as I used to. It is important to note that every single picture that I put my best into is a metaphorical 'Fuck You' to every doctor and nurse.. or teacher or friend or peer (believe me, there have been more than a fair few) who didn't believe me or told me that I was imagining or exaggerating my symptoms or even just pitied me.

Description
Important-ish edit at the bottom of my rambling

3 years ago today, I had an MRI showing the reason why I had been sick for at least the 4 or 5 months beforehand. It diagnosed an arachnoid cyst, the approximate size of a tennis ball/peach in the base of my skull, preventing my spinal fluid from circulating correctly throughout my spinal cord and head. ***(((My normal doctor had previously diagnosed my 8-on-a-10-pt-scale-of-pain headaches as "displaced sinus pain caused by allergies" and my other symptoms of sleeping 14 hours a day, throwing up everything I tried to eat, double vision, balance problems and not wanting(or rather being able to) go to school to "clinical depression" and being a teenager with image issues. I was prescribed multiple allergy medications, anti-depressants, and told that when having double vision, its "always good to go to an optimologist every so often". Never mind the fact that he was trained to do a standard eye exam. I visited him at LEAST 4 times throughout the 4 to 5 months prior to the MRI, which, it is important to note, was suggested by a therapist we sought out when told that I was "depressed".)))***
3 years ago tomorrow, I had the first of four brain surgeries. It was to drain the cyst, and they removed my top vertebrae and a piece of the back of my skull permanently. The piece of skull was so small and under so many layers of neck muscle that it doesn't make that much of a difference that its gone.

A week after my first surgery I had my stitches out, and then soon developed symptoms of meningitis.
The short version is, after lengthy hospital stays, a spinal tap (which, by the way, is rumored to equal the pain of child birth) I was sent home with bubbles of fluid forming on the back of my neck-- which I repeatedly brought up and were repeatedly dismissed as my imagination by my neurosurgeon.
Then one decided to pop open in the middle of the night and I went back to the ER with spinal fluid, LITERALLY, squirting from the back of my head.
I had another surgery, inserting a shunt (essentially a tube with a pressure gauge) to correctly drain my spinal fluid.
I was then diagnosed with bacterial meningitis from a staph infection, was treated with iv antibiotics over the span of about 3 weeks, had my shunt removed and then replaced on the opposite side of my head to clear all worries of the staph infection.

thats the SHORT version of the story.
I don't want pity, I joke about it now. though, it sucks to have a permanent tube in my head. Its a great conversation starter/ender though.
I've often made my first impression of people by stating "Hi! I'm Demian! I had brain surgery 4 times! Do you want to feel my tube?!"
<33333

much love to ~Soularis who is still my friend through all my ridiculous body drama.<33 and because shes willing to joke about it with me!

picture of my original stitches found here: [link]

"Scars are souvenirs you never lose" -Goo Goo Dolls

PS, I'm fine now, people have a tendency to ask that b its all good.
I had a minor skin infection several months after the last surgery, but again, that was all 3 years ago. I'm currently only affected by not being able to go near large magnets, speakers, or ride roller coasters.
The shunt drains into my stomach (or rather, the empty space around)
you can find out more by googling 'vp shunt' and 'hydrocephalus', which I also have.

EDIT: Another reason why I make such a big deal out of it sometimes, is because they told me after inserting the shunt that it was possible I may never write or draw the same as I used to. It is important to note that every single picture that I put my best into is a metaphorical 'Fuck You' to every doctor and nurse.. or teacher or friend or peer (believe me, there have been more than a fair few) who didn't believe me or told me that I was imagining or exaggerating my symptoms or even just pitied me.