The Great Introduction

This is my official greetings to all who read this blog:

Hello!

Epic, yes I know. Truth be told I am a bit intimidated by writing this blog. First off, I am not the best when it comes to grammar. I feel that the rules change way too much, I also have been told I use commas far too often. I hate phonics, ever have since I was a kid. Those rules need to be fixed as well like ("i" before "e" except after "c") except in the word "weird"… enough said. Also as you can see, I tend to rant. So when it comes to my grammar, spelling and ranting, I would like to apologize now. However, if I wrote something incorrectly and it is causing you restless, sleepless nights, let me know, I will fix it.

Now that the formalities are over let me introduce myself, my name is Timothy Lunny Ball. I go by Tim, Timmy, or Timothy. Lunny which sounds like "bunny" with an "L" is a family name. It was kept in the family as my dad's middle name and now mine. In the future I have a feeling if I have a son, his middle name will be Lunny as well. My primary nickname is TBall and everyone is welcome to call me that. My best friend Leisha, however, has I think, somewhere around 6 different nicknames for me, that's how she works. :)

I was diagnosed with Chiari's Malformation Type 1 in the winter of 2004, right in the middle of my senior year of high school. But the story begins a long time before that. But first let me give you the basic idea that I understand Chiari Type 1 is. This is what the Mayo Clinic's Website explains Chiari Malformation to be:

"Chiari malformation (kee-AHR-ee mal-for-MAY-shun) is a condition in which brain tissue protrudes into your spinal canal. It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward. Chiari malformation is uncommon, but improved imaging tests have led to more frequent diagnoses.

The adult form, called Chiari malformation type I, develops as the skull and brain are growing. As a result, signs and symptoms may not occur until late childhood or adulthood….

Treatment of Chiari malformation depends on the form, severity and associated symptoms. Regular monitoring, medications and surgery are treatment options. In some cases, no treatment is needed."

Thats simple, or is it? So the research continues. I have researched and compared the definitions of several websites but what I needed to hear how other people have dealt with this problem. I have found two other blogs written by Chiari patients and they explain it so much better. The simplest I can explain it is this: Chiari Type 1 is a neurological disease in which the Tonsils of the Cerebellum (yes, you have more than one set of tonsils in your body, congratulations) become impacted between the base of the skull and the brainstem. It is way more complicated than that but thats the best I got.

The main treatment for this problem is to have a surgery that I was told is called Cranial Decompression. I had such a surgery on March 7, 2005. Then why am I writing about this six years later? I have read that roughly 85% of patients that have this surgery for this disease have a greater quality of life. I think I may be in the other 15% group. Don't get me wrong, my life in the last six years has been great, but a lot of that time was spent in pain.

So what I am planning on doing is going through my entire story. The years before I was diagnosed that are relevant to the journey, the story of my surgery and my recovery, some patches of information while I was in college and the past eight months that have been that hardest to live through, though I think its been harder on my parents, most of all.

It will take me quite a while to write all the background story, my eyes (the largest area of symptoms and problems) can't handle me being at the computer for more that 15-30 minutes at a time every few hours. So bear with me. TBall