[Magdalen] Shunt Surgery

[Ginga Wilder]

Christopher, both Lisa and you are in my prayers at this scary and
stressful time.

Ginga Wilder

On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 10:44 AM Sally Davies <sally.davies at gmail.com> wrote:

> Prayers continue Christopher.
>
> A friend mine went through this a couple of years ago, outcome has been
> very good.
>
> Once I had got over the shock of seeing CSF circulating outside the head, I
> was entranced by how beautiful it is (when not infected, blood stained or
> whatever). Like liquid crystal.
>
> Sally D
>
> On 4 December 2017 at 17:34, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Good heavens, Christopher, sounds like a horrific day! Prayers that all
> > goes well with Lisa from now through the procedure, and prayers for Lisa
> > and all those who care for her. And for you, of course...which goes
> without
> > saying and almost went unsaid!
> >
> > On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 9:07 AM, Lynn Ronkainen <houstonklr at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Christopher - prayers rising for you and Lisa as you continue to move
> > > through this challenging medical procedure... and prayers for all of
> the
> > > medical staff who are part of the care giving.
> > >
> > > Sending hugs and love eastwardly this morning.
> > > Lynn
> > >
> > > website: www.ichthysdesigns.com
> > >
> > > When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have
> > not
> > > a single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave
> > me."
> > > attributed to Erma Bombeck
> > >
> > > "Mercy and compassion are more than personal options. They are the
> > > antidotes to that fear and hatred." Mark Singel
> > >
> > >
> > > --------------------------------------------------
> > > From: "Christopher Hart" <cervus51 at gmail.com>
> > > Sent: Monday, December 04, 2017 8:01 AM
> > > To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
> > > Subject: [Magdalen] Shunt Surgery
> > >
> > >
> > > Dear Pub Friends,
> > >>
> > >> My wife, Lisa, was born with hydrocephalus and has had since
> childhood a
> > >> shunt to relieve the excess fluid in her brain. Like many medical
> > devices
> > >> shunts can and do wear out and time also finds the medical community
> > >> making
> > >> improvements in treatment. About three weeks ago her neurosurgeon
> > placed a
> > >> new type of programmable valve into her existing shunt to enable
> better
> > >> control of her fluid which was draining too much. This sort of valve
> did
> > >> not exist when she had her last shunt implanted. The valve was placed
> > into
> > >> her abdomen near a rib to avoid surgery at or near her head.
> > >> Unfortunately,
> > >> it became disconnected from the tubing and she was leaking
> > cerebro-spinal
> > >> fluid through the incision at an alarming rate. I took her to the
> > >> emergency
> > >> room yesterday when I suspected what was happening and the
> neurosurgeon
> > >> who
> > >> examined her (her surgeon's associate) confirmed my layman's
> suspicion.
> > >>
> > >> ​The upshot of this is that she now has her shunt connected to an
> > external
> > >> ventricular device to control and monitor the flow and will be
> ​having a
> > >> whole new shunt installed tomorrow if all goes as planned. This is
> > pretty
> > >> major surgery, but she has a very good surgeon so we have high hopes
> for
> > >> the outcome. If all is well she may come home as soon as Wednesday,
> but
> > >> will no doubt have a significant period of recovery to follow. Your
> > >> prayers
> > >> and good wishes are, of course, welcome and desired, both for her and
> > for
> > >> me as I deal with everything. After eleven hours in or around the ER
> and
> > >> then ICU (following transfer from one hospital to another) I'm happy
> to
> > >> say
> > >> that I did not reach for a drink which certainly would have been my
> > >> default
> > >> action in the past.
> > >> --
> > >>
> > >> Christopher Hart
> > >>
> > >> List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
> > >> Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
> > >> Twitter: @cervus51
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> >
>