Good Morning All

Its 8pm Bangkok time and I am finally out of bed for the day.So Good Morning.

This post was supposed to be the "Hi All, I am well again" post. Seems my head has other ideas.

Back in May last year I posted about the "Headache from Hell" and after a spinal tap it seemed to go away for a bit.
December came and my arteries had their turn and we all worked together one that one. Thank you.
So as I spent the time recovering I found that the head had decided to speak again. Frustration is reigning supreme here. My chest feels great, my hand is healed and now my head hurts. What the...?

So I rested, and rested and then rested some more.I spent almost all day every day in bed and the days I wasnt in bed and was working on my computer, I lay on my back on the floor with my notebook propped up on my belly so I could work.Not very elegant and not very comfortable but still let me talk a little and communicate with the outside world.

On 8th Feb I had had enough and went to have a spinal tap. Big ouch and horrible. The neurologist missed Twice and then the Dr who came and did the tap didnt take the pressure down. Why? Apparently she wasnt asked to and even though it was 19 points higher than normal she didnt stop and contact the referring Dr or even make a decision about treatment by herself but closed up and I had to wait until morning to do anything further. So next day she does the tap again and this time actually does what is needed. 4 needles into my spine in 12 hours.So not fun. And lying on your back for 24 hours is not the most comfortable spot either.
I went home on the Tuesday to rest some more. Sleep was great for a week. But crawling to the bathroom and around the little room I live in was not.
I even went to the River Kwai to rest for two days to get away from the computer and the city so I didnt work on anything at all.

My head hasnt improved at all this time.In fact if anything the headache is worse after this tap. So I went to find a new Dr, a new hospital and a very different possible diagnosis.
See in the past I had been being treated for Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. This is where the fluid still moves up and down the spine easily but doesnt drain.Pressure building up and squeezing your brain. Click here for link . Like that isn't bad enough? Now there is a question mark over that. Is this ACM1 ? Acquired Chiari Malformation type 1. Check it out at this page


Probably acquired due to a blow to the head and this has aggravated the underlying non-symptomatic skull deformation I was probably born with.

The photo I have put up is an example of the type of finding on MRI. The brain stem slips into the spinal space.

So now that I have bombarded you with all this info, what does it all mean?
Well it means that the headache from hell is going to get worse.It also means that unless I get the pressure reduced permanently and soon I am going to go blind. My eye sight in my right eye has already deteriorated to the point where I have no peripheral vision at all (last May I was blind in that eye for a few days as well) and my left eye has limited peripheral vision. I cant focus unless I wear glasses and that really bites when I am trying to create, and all this has happened since last May.Yes really fast. The neuro specialist and the neuro eye specialist both seem to think that if I get my head sorted very soon the damage may be reversed.I am praying so. At the very least I should be able to keep the vision I have.

I see the neurosurgeon on Wednesday. I'll have a better idea of treatment options when I know exactly which of the two evils it is and can then let you all know what I am doing. The main thing is I am going to have to have surgery of some major sort again. And that is so not fun.

So my friends there you have it.Why I had a small and very short comeback and a longer quiet time again.Why I possibly will be offline again soon. I so wanted to get my shop sorted and get all my new goodies listed and catch up with everything and everyone. Seems that is going to have to wait. I wonder if my getting the genes from the bottom of the barrel means that someone else gets a chance to stay healthy? I hope so.I will make it easier to deal with that way

Ok so back to bed. Maybe if I lie down long enough the vice will stop squeezing my head.

Light and Love to you all

Tanya

Happy Valentines Day to all.

Well I am home again.That is a quick shot pre op.I really wasnt in the mood for much afterwards LOL.
It has been a healing time and I have been buoyed up by the Light,Love,Care and Support from all around the world.
Today has really been the first day I have been out of bed very much and that I finally feel part way normal again.
My artery is repaired and is now in perfect working order.My hand has its blood supply back again and is pink and warm and all the sad, sorry parts are healed.
For those who dont know, I also had a spinal tap last week that was a nightmare in the making.The Dr missed twice and then the one who came after who managed to get into the area she needed to, didnt reduce the pressure.I had to have another tap the next day to remedy that.After 4 needles into my spine in 12 hours my back was so so sore.In fact after having to lie flat on my back for the best part of 18 hours my kidneys were protesting.I wont be going back to see that Dr nor go into that hospital again.

So onto new and better things for the year.

I am celebrating being here and it is because of the generosity of so many and the support of so many that I am able to do this.

Today is the big draw day. Happy Valentines to all and a very Lucky Chinese New Year to you as well.

There are so many many wonderful people who helped in so many ways and I wasnt able to thank everyone in in person.Please know I didnt over look you.You are in my heart as well.
I spent the day preparing to do this draw.We had a total of 1602 entries.This was with anonymous donations as well as sales and registered donations on the Pledgie page. I really wanted to send some token of my appreciation to everyone but that is impossible.
So for the next 3 months we will be having coupons in Artfire and on the Web site to give a discount to everyone who helped and donated. The codes will be given tomorrow as right now I want to use the rest of this post to announce the winners.

A very Special Thank You to Brenda Roberts and Family for hosting the Have a Heart For Tanya page.It was a great way to bring people together.
Huge Thanks also go to Marjorie,Cleo,Ingrid and Jutta and everyone else for putting the word out in places I would not have reached otherwise.

And Now for that moment......

Drum Roll Please......

The $250 certificate Prize goes to K. Trost.
$100 certificate prize goes to L.Hadberg
$100certificate prize goes to N. Koyama
$50 certificate prize goes to S. Orr.
I will email you later today as well.

All prize certificates can be redeemed for goods to the value in any of my stores and any area of my stores or by special order request.Please email me when you are ready to spend your prize.

I will email the winners of the 10 pairs of earrings to get your choice of stone you wish to have included in the design I have made.These are collectors items and are a small token of my appreciation for your support and generosity.

Once again I thank you so much and now look forward to sharing the rest of the year and have lots of exciting things planned we can share and work on together.I am looking forward to working with more of you to give back to the community at large.Tutorials are something I am looking to produce as well.So exciting.

Will be back again soon..

Light and Love to all
Tanya