Conditions..Conditions..Conditions.. PART II

Ok.. so now you have a little insight as to the medical diagnosis in which I have been labeled (See earlier post). Now let me tell you a little bit about how this effects my normal day to day life.
While asymptomatic AC's are not that rare, symptomatic are. 99% of them are found during routine autopsy's after death and patients do not present with any problems. But I am part of the lucky 1% that is symptomatic.
My main AC, due to it's location and size, causes me to have such horrible headaches that I can not stand the sound of any noise or the brightness of a simple house lamp. My vision is often left impaired and I see what is know as the classical "fireworks" or floaters daily. (It is currently compressing my optic chasm therefore causing vision problems. I have almost completely lost my peripheral vision in my right eye) I can not stand the sounds of simple things and talking on the phone just heightens the pain. I am not even sure headache is a good word to describe the pain, because when most people hear that word it is often not taken to seriously.
I awake every single day this way and go to bed each and every night with my head throbbing. I have not been able to enjoy the small things with my 4 year old, like swinging on a swing. Its this type of thing I miss the most. I guess part of me has just gotten used to living this way and has decided that I will not let it control my life or dictate who I am. I work a full time job and raise (2) beautiful children. I do all of the normal things most parents do such as rush kids from practice to games, cook, clean, volunteer my time to anything my children are a part of and serve as an Elder at my church. Yes, I stay pretty busy. I do not call out of work due to my condition. But unfortunately, miss alot of work due to tests and procedures. I face each and every day with a smile on my face and rely fully upon God and not my own understanding to carry me through.
Seizures are also a side effect to the AC. While I have not had one in a while, there is still a chance and frankly it scares me to death when I do. I once was admitted to the hospital after a round of 22 seizures in less than an hours time because I could not speak. My oldest said I sounded like mush mouth off of Fat Albert.
I find that lately I become more confused than normal and my memory is completely shot. I am told this is due to the damage that has been caused by the pressure of how large the AC was before. (It was the size of a lemon. My head is barely that big so how it fit in there is beyond me?) I have been experiencing shortness of breath lately along with abdominal pain. I am sure this is in part related to the 16 daily prescriptions I take. My hands and feet stay numb and it is becoming more difficult to use my right arm.

The Intercranial Hypertension just escalates all of the above. In addition, it makes my eyes feel like they are going to pop right out of my head (that would be a sight...), constant ringing in both ears,dizziness and double vision. But the worst part about having it is that I wake up every day throwing up. I am not sure if it is the transition from laying down to sitting up that causes the vomiting but irregardless it never fails. Most days it only last a short time in the morning but others, such as yesterday, stay with me all day. Feeling like your in your first trimester of pregnancy 24 hours a day 7 days a week, is very unwelcoming. Especially when there's nothing sweet to look forward to at the end of it all.

The uncoroperative disks cause alot of uncomfortableness and neck pain that radiates into my back. My neurosurgeon thinks that part of the disk issue is related to the ICH. He believes if we can get the pressure under control with one of the many horse pills they make me take than they may subside some.However, it's to early to tell.
So for now I will continue to take my medication, take care of my family and stare straight into the eyes of my disease and tell it I am not afraid.
 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11