History of Hydrocephalus Shunts - Tom Poss & Jeff Bertrand

Today this video is going to teach you about shunts. I hope that as you watch it, you'll learn from it. I hope it makes you want to learn more about Hydrocephalus. I hope you continue to learn as I will keep posting but I also hope you learned from Hydrocephalus Awareness Month. I hope that it has helped you as parents continue to have hope for your kids who have Hydrocephalus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT2tI4l0Sow

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the thirtieth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I will be sharing some facts. I hope that you enjoy today’s post and you have learned so much in these thirty days of this month. Although this is not the end because I’m going to try and continue to educate you more than what I just did. I want people like you and anyone to understand more about hydrocephalus everyday.
 1.There is no cure.
2. The only treatment is a shunt.
3. More people go through more surgeries than others.
4. They might have to go through another surgery because
the shunt malfunctioned, or quit.
5. People can pass away from hydrocephalus.
6. People with hydrocephalus can have epilepsy, cerebral palsy, seizures, and sometimes people with hydrocephalus might not be able to walk or talk.
7. Normal pressure hydrocephalus can be misdiagnosed.
8. There are different types of hydrocephalus.
9. There are walks for hydrocephalus that people can go to so that they
 can help find a cure but also help raise awareness.
10. Helping people being educated on hydrocephalus is a good thing because then people can understand what it’s about and learn something new.
11. Having hydrocephalus isn’t a bad thing.
12. I once was able to hear the fluid from shunt tubing drain. Although I don’t hear it as much anymore.
13. Hydrocephalus can develop in infants, adults and any age.
14. The Hydrocephalus ribbon matters.
15. Just like people who are like me.
16. Being able to have friends and family who understand is a wonderful thing.
17. Meeting others with hydrocephalus is also a great thing because they know and understand.
18. Going to medical research rally’s are a good thing to help spread awareness for any cause.
19. Being able to know and find information on something you find that is good to talk about is important because you are able to help others understand what you have been through.
20. I have only gone through three brain surgeries.
21. I have also gone through one open heart surgery when I was three and a half years old.
22. Hydrocephalus stands for water on the brain.
23. People with hydrocephalus might have to have their shunts adjusted.
24. They also might have to take some medicine to help stop seizures.
25. I haven’t had a seizure or many in a long time.
26. Sometimes people who have hydrocephalus might join a group on social media for support.
27. People with hydrocephalus might feel like they are alone.
28. Although they’re not because there’s a lot of people like myself who understand.
29. They might also feel left out and want acceptance by friends and classmates.
30. I understand because I feel left out and anyone with hydrocephalus justs wants to be accepted by others.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Alright so most of you must wonder why I didn’t do my Awareness post yesterday. The reason for that is because I was at a Christian concert in Columbus Ohio where I got to meet Mandisa. Mandisa was super nice and she signed my sign for me and even sang happy birthday to me. She even said no more brain surgeries and put that on my sign for me. What I think is important to know is that we are all God’s children and that no matter what we do not give up. Which is why I think I relate to Mandisa’s Song OverComer. Learning about hydrocephalus is important which is I’m doing day 29 of Hydrocephalus Month right now so that you can continue to learn. People like me might have hydrocephalus but the one thing we never ever do is give up because we know that even though it is a battle sometimes, God is with us. Being able to educate people on hydrocephalus is important to me. 

It’s important to me because I have it but it’s also important because people like me have gone through more than I have. 

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twenty eighth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month, and today I would like to share a new photo with all of you. In this photo it shows what enlarged ventricles and normal ventricles looks like. So as you can see someone who might be born with Hydrocephalus, might have enlarged ventricles than someone who doesn't have Hydrocephalus at all. Hydrocephalus doesn't have a cure. The only treatment option for it is a shunt. There are two more days till September is over along with it being Hydrocephalus Awareness Month. Although, I will be sharing again sometime tomorrow and the next day after tomorrow. I'm not going to stop telling you guys about Hydrocephalus. I'm going to keep trying to update you the best I can on this blog and my first one. I want to help educate those on Hydrocephalus so that they can help educate others that may not know about it. We all have different testimonies and we all have something to share, but what's important is that we not only tell about them but we help educate people so that they know more about us.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twenty seventh day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month, and I will be sharing a photo. This photo tells a little bit about Hydrocephalus and as you can see and read from it, I hope it will help you learn why this month matters to me and to others living with Hydrocephalus. I can't wait to share more with you because there is so much more I want to share with you to help educate you.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twenty sixth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and today I am sharing a video link. The video is called Shunting to Treat Hydrocephalus. It's important to know that Hydrocephalus doesn't have a cure. It's also important to know that the only treatment is a shunt. Which is why I felt it was important to share this video with all of you today. I am excited to share something new with all of you tomorrow but until then please enjoy today's video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJatSLilfXI

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twenty fifth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and before I tell you about it, I would like to wish my grandma a happy birthday. Happy Birthday grandma I love and miss you. I wish you a happy birthday in Heaven because I know you’re rejoicing happily there. I know I will see you again someday. Today I also want to share how a story about someone else can leave a impact on that person. Today that happened to me when someone came to the school and talked to all of us. It was so interesting to hear their story that it made me realize I’m blessed to not have what they have but really understand how much of their story impacted me because even though I may not have what they have, I know what it’s like to go through something. I know what it’s like to have people not understand me because they have not heard my story and they have never met me. I got a chance to ask my two questions to the speaker today and being able to hear their responses was amazing. It makes me want to continue to help spread awareness for hydrocephalus not just for this month but everyday. I am always going to have it, but I don’t let it stop me from being able to volunteer at school. I certainly don’t let it stop me from being me and being who God created me to be. He created me this way for a reason and I’m glad. People like me who have hydrocephalus, have trouble making friends, I am one of those people who still have trouble with that. They also have surgeries because their shunt quit or malfunctioned . These things can happen with a shunt, but yet no one gives up. I know I don’t. I’ll be sharing a new post tomorrow but until then please enjoy tonight’s post.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twenty fourth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and today I am going to be sharing different types of learning disabilities with all of you. This article is one I found online. Here is the link to the article: https://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/ .  If the link does not work then feel free to highlight the link and copy and paste it into the google search bar if you would like to read a little bit more about the site.

Types of Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities are neurologically-based processing problems. These processing problems can interfere with learning basic skills such as reading, writing and/or math.  They can also interfere with higher level skills such as organization, time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short term memory and attention.  It is important to realize that learning disabilities can affect an individual’s life beyond academics and can impact relationships with family, friends and in the workplace.

Since difficulties with reading, writing and/or math are recognizable problems during the school years, the signs and symptoms of learning disabilities are most often diagnosed during that time.  However, some individuals do not receive an evaluation until they are in post-secondary education or adults in the workforce.  Other individuals with learning disabilities may never receive an evaluation and go through life, never knowing why they have difficulties with academics and why they may be having problems in their jobs or in relationships with family and friends.

Learning disabilities should not be confused with learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages.

Generally speaking, people with learning disabilities are of average or above average intelligence. There often appears to be a gap between the individual’s potential and actual achievement. This is why learning disabilities are referred to as “hidden disabilities”: the person looks perfectly “normal” and seems to be a very bright and intelligent person, yet may be unable to demonstrate the skill level expected from someone of a similar age.

A learning disability cannot be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong challenge. However, with appropriate support and intervention, people with learning disabilities can achieve success in school, at work, in relationships, and in the community.

In Federal law, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the term is “specific learning disability,” one of 13 categories of disability under that law.

“Learning Disabilities” is an “umbrella” term describing a number of other, more specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. Find the signs and symptoms of each, plus strategies to help below.

Specific Learning Disabilities

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

Also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder, this is a condition that adversely affects how sound that travels unimpeded through the ear is processed or interpreted by the brain. Individuals with APD do not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even when the sounds are loud and clear enough to be heard. They can also find it difficult to tell where sounds are coming from, to make sense of the order of sounds, or to block out competing background noises.

Learn more about Auditory Processing Disorder

Dyscalculia

A specific learning disability that affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and learn math facts. Individuals with this type of LD may also have poor comprehension of math symbols, may struggle with memorizing and organizing numbers, have difficulty telling time, or have trouble with counting.

Learn more about Dyscalculia

Dysgraphia

A specific learning disability that affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine motor skills. Problems may include illegible handwriting, inconsistent spacing, poor spatial planning on paper, poor spelling, and difficulty composing writing as well as thinking and writing at the same time.

Learn more about Dysgraphia

Dyslexia

A specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based processing skills. The severity can differ in each individual but can affect reading fluency, decoding, reading comprehension, recall, writing, spelling, and sometimes speech and can exist along with other related disorders. Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as a Language-Based Learning Disability.

Learn more about Dyslexia

Language Processing Disorder

A specific type of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in which there is difficulty attaching meaning to sound groups that form words, sentences and stories. While an APD affects the interpretation of all sounds coming into the brain, a Language Processing Disorder (LPD) relates only to the processing of language. LPD can affect expressive language and/or receptive language.

Learn more about Language Processing Disorder

Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities

A disorder which is usually characterized by a significant discrepancy between higher verbal skills and weaker motor, visual-spatial and social skills. Typically, an individual with NLD (or NVLD) has trouble interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language, and may have poor coordination.

Learn more about Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities

Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit

A disorder that affects the understanding of information that a person sees, or the ability to draw or copy. A characteristic seen in people with learning disabilities such as Dysgraphia or Non-verbal LD, it can result in missing subtle differences in shapes or printed letters, losing place frequently, struggles with cutting, holding pencil too tightly, or poor eye/hand coordination.

Learn more about Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit

Related Disorders

ADHD

A disorder that includes difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity. Although ADHD is not considered a learning disability, research indicates that from 30-50 percent of children with ADHD also have a specific learning disability, and that the two conditions can interact to make learning extremely challenging.

Learn more about ADHD

Dyspraxia

A disorder that is characterized by difficulty in muscle control, which causes problems with movement and coordination, language and speech, and can affect learning. Although not a learning disability, dyspraxia often exists along with dyslexia, dyscalculia or ADHD.

Learn more about Dyspraxia

Executive Functioning

An inefficiency in the cognitive management systems of the brain that affects a variety of neuropsychological processes such as planning, organization, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space. Although not a learning disability, different patterns of weakness in executive functioning are almost always seen in the learning profiles of individuals who have specific learning disabilities or ADHD.

Learn more about Executive Functioning

Memory

Three types of memory are important to learning. Working memory, short-term memory and long-term memory are used in the processing of both verbal and non-verbal information. If there are deficits in any or all of these types of memory, the ability to store and retrieve information required to carry out tasks can be impaired.

Learn more about Memory

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

I know that some of you might think why didn't a post come up for me to read? Well to answer that question, it's because I forgot to post yesterday. So today I will be posting a post that should have been yesterday's and I will be posting today's. Today is the twenty third day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I would like to share a video with all of you called What is NVLD? This is a video I found on YouTube. In the video it will explain what NVLD stands for and tell you a little bit more about it. If you watched my senior project video that I shared with you then some of you may know a little bit more about me and what NVLD stands for. If a lot of you did not, don't worry about it because you'll be able to see what it means. I like many others have Hydrocephalus and a learning disability. Although I will talk about different learning disabilities in my next post. So with that being said, I would like to share the video with all of you. If the link doesn't work, type in what I shared with you already and the channel that published the video is called The NVLD Project. That is the video you want and the channel you want, if the link in this post doesn't work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhNgxXCFXro I hope that as you continue to learn more about Hydrocephalus you will understand more about myself but others like me who live with it everyday. Even though we live with it everyday, we never give up. We never give up because we know we are never alone. So the next time you see somebody who may have Hydrocephalus and that person wants to share their story with you then just take the time to listen. Take time to listen because you just might learn something new about them.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the Twenty Second Day Of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month, and today I thought I share some different complications that can happen with a shunt. Now before I share it, I got the article from the hydrocephalus association website. Here is the article on: Complications of Shunt Systems. I hope that as you continue to read this and learn about it, I hope that you will continue to learn why this month is important to me and to others. I hope that you will continue to be educated and understand what most people go through each day. September is Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and It Matters. Hydrocephalus Matters. People who are like me that live with it matter. Awareness matters. This month matters. It's not always about what you read or what photo I post or video I share from YouTube. No it's about learning and being educated about what really matters. Hydrocephalus doesn't have a cure and people can pass away from it. Some people have shunt revisions because their shunt quit or malfunctioned. I can't wait to share more tomorrow but until then enjoy.

Hydrocephalus can be treated with a shunt system, and this treatment often includes complications. An estimated 50% of shunts in the pediatric population fail within two years of placement and repeated neurosurgical operations are often required.

The most common shunt complications are malfunction and infection.

Shunt Malfunction

Shunt malfunction is a partial or complete blockage of the shunt that causes it to function intermittently or not at all. When a blockage occurs, CSF accumulates and can result in symptoms of untreated hydrocephalus.

A shunt blockage from blood cells, tissue or bacteria can occur in any part of the shunt. Both the ventricular catheter – the portion of the tubing placed in the brain – and the distal part of the catheter – the tubing that drains fluid to another part of the body – can become blocked by tissue from the choroid plexus or ventricles. The distal part of the catheter is more often blocked in adults.

Shunts are very durable, but their components can become disengaged or fractured as a result of wear or as a child grows, and occasionally they dislodge from where they were originally placed. More rarely, a valve will fail because of a mechanical malfunction.

Shunt Infection

Shunt infection is usually caused by a person’s own bacterial organisms and isn’t acquired from other children or adults who are ill. The most common infection is Staphylococcus Epidermidis, which is normally found on the surface of a person’s skin and in the sweat glands and hair follicles deep within the skin. This type of infection is most likely seen one to three months after surgery, but can occur up to six months after the placement of a shunt. People with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts are at risk of developing a shunt infection secondary to abdominal infection. Those patients treated with ventriculoatrial (VA) shunts may develop generalized infection, which can quickly become serious.

NOTE: If you suspect an infection, it’s critical to notify your neurosurgeon immediately or go to the emergency room. Shunt infections are serious and require immediate medical attention to avoid life-threatening illness or possible brain damage.

Other Shunt Complications

Over drainage causes the ventricles to decrease in size creating slit-like ventricles as a result of the brain and its meninges pulling away from the skull. Slit-like ventricles, sometimes called slit-ventricle syndrome (SVS), are most commonly a problem in young adults who have been shunted since childhood. A particular symptom of SVS is severe intermittent headaches that are often relieved when lying down. Imaging studies are required to determine SVS, which is typically indicated by smaller than normal ventricles. Most shunt manufacturers have shunt hardware designed to address slit-ventricle syndrome.

Under drainage causes the ventricles to increase in size and can fail to relieve the symptoms of hydrocephalus. To restore a balanced flow of CSF it may be necessary to place a new shunt with a more accurate pressure valve. For those who have externally adjustable or programmable valves, the balance of flow can be restored by re-setting the opening pressure.

Subdural hematoma occurs if blood from broken vessels in the meninges becomes trapped between the brain and skull. This is most common in older adults with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and requires surgery to correct.

Multiloculated hydrocephalus is a located (isolated) CSF compartment in the ventricular system that is enlarged and not in communication with the normal ventricle. It may be caused by birth trauma, neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage, ventriculitis, shunt related infection, over drainage or other conditions. This complication may be difficult to identify because it is typically seen in infants and children who may be neurologically compromised. Surgical treatments include multiple shunt placement, ventricular catheters with multiple perforations or openings, craniotomy and fenestration (opening) of the intraventricular loculations.

Seizures sometimes occur in people with hydrocephalus. There is no correlation between the number of shunt revisions or the site of shunt placement and an increased risk of developing seizures. Past studies have shown that children with hydrocephalus who have been treated with a shunt and who also have significant cognitive delay or motor disability are more likely to experience seizures than those without cognitive or motor delays. Studies have also indicated that seizures are not likely to occur at the time of shunt malfunction, and that the most likely explanation of seizure disorder is the presence of associated malformations of the cerebral cortex.

Abdominal complications can occur in people with hydrocephalus treated with a shunt. The peritoneum or abdominal area is the most popular site for distal catheter implantation. Although ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts do not have fewer complications than ventriculoatrial shunts, the complications are less severe and have a lower mortality rate. Shunt complications that develop in the peritoneum or abdominal area include peritoneal pseudocysts, lost distal catheters, bowel perforations and hernias.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twenty first day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and today I will be sharing a video with all of you. I want to share this video with you. I want to share this with you because I feel as though it is interesting, informative, helps you and teaches you about other people who have learning disabilities. Now even though this video talks about a different learning disability, doesn't mean that people with hydrocephalus don't have learning disabilities. I have a learning disability, but it's not the one you will be seeing in today's video. People with hydrocephalus can have different types of learning disabilities. https://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/ Some might even relate to some of these. I hope that as you continue to learn about why this month is important to me and to others that you will continue to learn and understand what others living with hydrocephalus go through. Now even though, I do not go through as many surgeries as others have to, I can be blessed by that, but I can also understand what they have to go through. See that's just it, we will always understand what we have to go through because we can relate in different ways. Our Lord and Savior understands, and so do our family and friends. The people who don't know about what I've gone through or don't really understand me that well, or know what Hydrocephalus is, well then that's when we should be telling our stories about what we had to go through and tell others about hydrocephalus. September is Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and it matters to me and others who are living with it, also. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoeZAXUZbqQ The video is titled Famous People with learning disabilities. If the link doesn't work then type in what I have shared with all of you or try copying and pasting the link into the search bar to see if that brings you straight to the video. This video is very educational and I hope that when you watch it, you will learn from it. 

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twentieth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I would like to share a photo with all of you. Now this photo as you can see says that:  I believe this to be true because everyone wants to be accepted. Although some people may not see it but those who feel like our just like myself want to be accepted in many ways. September is Hydrocephalus Awareness Month And It Matters. So if you know someone who is going through what I go through please just let them know they are not alone and I understand what they’ve been through.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today I posted yesterday's awareness post, because I didn't get to yesterday. Today however is the nineteenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I will be sharing some photos with all of you that shows and talks about disabilities. You see people with Hydrocephalus also have disabilities but some in the photos don't always appear to be what they seem. I'll show you what I meant by that with photo number one. So you see because and even for the most part  So you see it's important for us to learn something new everyday. I'm hoping that by me doing this that you're learning something new. I'm also hoping that it's helping you as a parent so that you know that your child isn't alone. I'm hoping that for those who have Hydrocephalus that read these posts that they are helping you to know never give up because you have so much support from friends and family. No one is ever alone when they have friends and family who understand but the main thing to know, is that God understands us all. Which is why He will always be our friend and He will watch over us and protect us.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the eighteenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and yesterday I told all of you to stay tuned to find out what facts I would be sharing with all of you today. Well the time has come to share the facts with you. Fact One: People who have Hydrocephalus also have Epilepsy. Fact Two: They also have cerebral palsy. Fact Three: They also have what is called Spina Bifida which is also known as: Split Spine. Fact Four: People who have hydrocephalus might not be able to walk, or drive. Fact Five: Some people go through more surgeries than others to have their shunts replaced because it malfunctioned, or quit. Fact Six: It's a fact that shunts can break. Fact Seven: It is also a fact that Parkinson's is misdiagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Fact Eight: Hydrocephalus does not have a cure. Fact Nine: Hydrocephalus's only treatment is brain surgery. Fact Ten: Hydrocephalus stands for water on the brain. Fact Eleven: People can pass away from this. So here are eleven facts, and I hope that as you read them, you'll learn from them. This Month is important to me. It is important to me because it makes me feel good about myself when I can know and help people understand what Hydrocephalus is about. Hydrocephalus is very important to learn about. Not just sometimes, not just once in awhile but all the time because if no one learned about it and didn't learn something new about it, then there would be no need to mention anything about it. Anyway, I hope you're learning something new every day and that my posts have been encouraging to you all who are parents, and to those who know what it's like to have Hydrocephalus. 

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the seventeenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and today I will be sharing a photo with you from when I was little. Now with this photo, my mom told me this is when I had my external shunt put in. I have not had my shunt replaced since my tenth birthday. Most people have their shunts replaced because it's malfunctioned or quit. September is Awareness Month for Hydrocephalus and it matters. People living with Hydrocephalus Matter. Tomorrow I will be sharing something facts on something different but to find out what that is stay tuned and be on the lookout for tomorrow's new awareness post. I hope that my posts have also helped you guys who are parents and might have a child that is going through the same thing I am, that these posts have given you comfort, hope, and mostly encouragement to know that everything will be okay because no one is ever alone and we're in this journey together and no matter what we know God is watching over us.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the sixteenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and today I will be sharing a photo that describes people who want to be accepted.  Here is the photo. Anyone who has Hydrocephalus wants to be accepted for who they are. They want people to understand what they have been through. They want to know that they can talk to someone who will listen to their story and know that person who is listening will care and let them know they are never alone. I think that describes this photo perfectly. No matter if someone goes through brain surgery or doesn't. It doesn't me we give up and we stop spreading awareness and telling others about Hydrocephalus. God created us differently and I'm glad to know that He created me this way not just because I or yourself have a story to tell but because I'm okay with being me. I'm okay with living with Hydrocephalus because I wouldn't trade it for anything. I wouldn't trade it for anything because I know that God created me this way but I also know that He had a plan for my life. I hope you learn from the two Hydrocephalus Awareness Posts that are available because today I have posted yesterday's awareness post and now I hope you enjoy reading yesterday's and today's. I can't wait to share more tomorrow but until then enjoy each post.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the fifteenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month, and I will be sharing a photo with all of you. The photo is something I found on Google and it's a photo I feel that anyone who understands or knows what it is like to live with Hydrocephalus can relate to this photo. Here is the photo. This photo is something I feel as though all of us can relate to because I know there are many of you that feel alone and I'm here to say yes there are many times when I feel that way too, but the main thing to remember is that we are never alone in this world. Hydrocephalus impacts many of us not all people but many of us. No matter what we go through, no matter if we are having a bad day, we will always have a friend to be able to talk with us. September is Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and It Matters.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the fourteenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and today I'm going to share another song I wrote. So here is the song I wrote. So now I would like to present the title and the lyrics. We Are Uniquely Different. The name of the song is We Are Uniquely Different and I wrote this, not just because of the other one, not because of the message that goes with the other one but because this song means so much to me because as you continue to read the lyrics, you’ll understand more about me. What I hope this song does for me, but mainly all of you is that yes we are not alone in this world but we are Uniquely Different because God created us differently. This song is also something I wrote for hydrocephalus month and it’s a song about more of who I am and as I continued to write this song, I felt as though I needed to write one that would continue from my one I shared which is called The Battle I With Others Face. I hope you enjoy my song and the lyrics, along with the message as well.

I wanna be known I wanna be heard I wanna let people know that I am not alone

I wanna stand out I don't wanna be in the dark

I wanna be seen I wanna let people know that I feel left out

I wanna have hope I wanna reach out to the crowd

I wanna let them know it's okay I'll be there

You don't have to be afraid afraid to know

That God will always be there

And no matter what

You just gotta have trust

Have faith , Have hope and remember God's plan

Because God has a plan for each and everyone of us

He'll keep us safe and He will protect us from any danger that comes our way

We have to be strong and not afraid because God will help us through everything that comes our way

I wanna share my faith and I wanna share about God's Word and His love for us

Because I am strong and I am brave

I know that God will catch me if I fall

When I fall, I know that God will help me back up again because no matter where I am I know He's there taking care of me

His children is who we will always be

Because He loves and we know He cares for everyone in this world

We trust in Him , We trust His ways because we believe that He will guide us to the right path we need to take

He'll show us the way , the ways of His goodness and His truth

He created Heaven and Earth, so that we could come into this world He created

He died on the cross, to forgive our sins

So that we could have everlasting life

I wanna let others know that I'm okay with who I am

Because God created me this way Because He had a plan for me

I wanna let the light shine for those who may need a little bit of Hope

I wanna show kindness to those who may not even have a friend or may feel left out like me

I know what it's like, to feel like no one understands but I'm here to say I do

I do but you are never alone because I understand what you have been through

I understand what it's like to not fit in , to be misunderstood by those who don't know what you have been through in your life

I know and I understand because I feel left out, misunderstood, and sometimes even knowing how hard it is to fit in

Don't worry it's ok, because God is with us and He will always be our friend

He understands, He knows our needs,
He knows exactly who we are meant to be

We may not always understand His plan, we may not understand His ways but He knows and we just have to put our trust in Him

Our Heart is full of God's love and His compassion for us

We need to show Compassion and We need to let others know that God is merciful, almighty, and amazing

I believe that no matter what I do, I have a loving Savior who will show me the way

Show me the way of His Mercy, His Love, His Grace, Compassion, Goodness, and Truth

He'll be there when I am down and He'll lift me up

He'll help me even when it seems like things are not going well

God is King, Ruler Of All The Earth, He Is There, and He sent His Son To Die For You And Me

His Son rose again, and gave us everlasting life, so that we could be saved

Be saved by all the darkness that is bad in this world and be saved so that we could share His Word, His Truth and Grace

His Grace and His Truth will set us free
His Name Is Great and above all things He will guide us when we don't know which way to turn and help us in our time of need

I'm misunderstood, I may not fit in, I feel left out but that doesn't stop me from being who I am

Because I am strong and I am brave and I am a warrior who can do all things through Christ who gives me strength and hope

Hope is great, Hope is what we hold on too and we are His Children because that's who we became

We became His and We are loved by Him
His Love Never Fails and It Never Gives In

He Created Us, so that we could follow Him and So we could Share His Love for those who may not know Who He Is

We need to let them know, so that they can follow Him too, and so that they can Share His Word and His Love too

I may not always understand but that's okay, because God Created me this way

He created us differently and no matter where I am or no matter where we are just know that it's always in God's Hands

It's In His Hands, when things are out of our control and we are blessed by Him because we are His Children and He'll be wherever we are in our time of need

We are His Children and We will always be saved by His Grace and His Love

He understands, He will hold us close and He’ll hold us in His Arms when we need comfort

His comfort will help us when we are scared and we need His comfort most we always know that He cares because He’ll protect you and I every day and night

With His Love We will Worship Him, With His Grace We will overcome everything

When We Overcome, We Persevere , and We will always remember that God loves us

I wanna be known I wanna be heard I wanna let people know that I am not alone

Cause No Matter What We are Uniquely Different In Many Ways

We will sing praise, We will Worship You

No matter how far, We will always know that you’re King and Mighty and Powerful

I wanna be seen I wanna let people know that I feel left out

Cause no matter who I am, I’m unique in my own way and I love that I can be who I am and not be afraid to know that it’s okay to be different from those who may not know me

Cause No Matter What We are Uniquely Different In Many Ways

We Will Always Overcome and We Will always learn to know that no matter how far we may be, we are never alone because God is always with us and He lives in our hearts forevermore

Forevermore we will worship Him and we will sing praise to the one who died for us

Cause No Matter What We are Uniquely Different In Many Ways

He Died For Us, He Rose Again and We Know He will come again just like the Bible says

Cause We will follow Him no matter what or where we maybe because we know He’s with us through eternity

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the thirteenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month, and today I will be sharing my senior project video with all of you. I am sharing this video with you today, so that you can learn a little bit more about me. I'm also sharing this so people who are like me will know that I understand what they are going through but also to let them know they're not alone. Here is the link and if it doesn't work go to youtube and type Normal on the outside. It's not the song but it's the one where it will say Nemak122 and it will also say five years ago. That is the one you want. Anyway here is the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slezNrN6jLs . I hope that as you watch that you will not only learn more about me a little and my story but you'll understand why it's important to me to continue to educate all of you on Hydrocephalus. I am excited to share something new tomorrow but until then please enjoy today's video and I hope that learning something new each day has inspired you or helped you to understand what people like me go through.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the twelfth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I will be sharing a song called Through People Like Me. I feel like this is a song where a lot of people can relate to it. I will be a sharing another song that I wrote on a different day, that follows the one I have shared with you already. Here are the lyrics for Through People Like Me by Mass Anthem. I hope that as you read the lyrics especially with the first verse, that you'll understand that no matter what people like me go through, we will never ever be alone. I can't wait to share more but please enjoy's today's post.

[Verse 1]
People like me, we feel so ordinary
Lookin' for a place where we fit in
And people like me, we lie awake and worry
We're gonna miss a moment when life kicks in

[Pre-Chorus 1]
Oh-oh-oh-ohh
It's nice to know I'm not alo-o-o-one
'Cause this is what gives me hope

[Chorus 1]
You're the God who goes before
You're the God who comes behind
You're the God who dreams big dreams
With the perfect plan at the perfect time
I can only see what is, You see what will be
I believe You change the world
Through people like me
Through people like me-e-e-e-ee

[Verse 2]
People like me, I see 'em in Your story
You take the weak, You take the least
And do somethin' mighty
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Oh-oh-oh-ohh
Even when we fail, we kno-o-o-ow
There's grace to turn the page

[Chorus 2]
You're the God who goes before
You're the God who comes behind
You're the God who dreams big dreams
With the perfect plan at the perfect time
I can only see what is, You see what will be
I believe You change the world
Through people like me, ohh
Through people like me-e-e-e-ee, yeah
Through people like me, yeah
Through people like me-e-e-e-ee

[Bridge]
I'm trusting You
You to do what only You can do
I'm trusting You
You to do what only You can do
I'm trusting You
You to do what only You can do
You can do, You can do!

Remembering 9/11 And Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is more than just learning about Hydrocephalus Awareness Month. Today it's about learning what happened today and remembering it. Today we are going to learn about Hydrocephalus but before we do that, we are going to remember what happened on nine eleven. We should always remember and never forget what happened today because it's an important part of our history. It might be the eleventh day of Hydrocephalus Month but Nine Eleven is very important. Today I am going to share a photo with all of you. This photo is going to show what a brain looks without Hydrocephalus and what it looks like with someone who does have Hydrocephalus.  So as you can see both photos have meaning to them and can both be important. I hope all of you have learned something today and will continue to follow along as I help educate you this month and everyday.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the tenth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and today I'm going to share a little bit about me so you can get to know me and a little bit of my story. The people in the photo with me are my sisters and my brother. Now I am going to tell you a little bit more about this photo. This picture was taken in June of 1996 after I was life flighted to the Cleveland Clinic. I had a seizure that was resulted in brain damage because I had so much swelling in my brain that the wrinkles were completely smooth. The doctor said if I gotten there 15 minutes later I would've had severe brain damage and 30 minutes later would have resulted in me not surviving. After this picture was taken an external shunt was placed to monitor my fluid... and a few days after that I had another surgery to be permanently shunted. So as you can see helping people learn about Hydrocephalus is important to me because I not only want people to understand my story but I want people to understand what people like me have to go through.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the ninth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I will be sharing a video with all of you. Although before I share the video with all of you today this video will not only what I've been helping you to understand, but it will also be talking about it's treatment. The video in case the link doesn't work when I share it. Is called Hydrocephalus and it's treatment|Boston Children's Hospital. That is how you can find it on Youtube. Here is the video link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHD8zYImKqA . I hope that this video helps educate and you learn something from this. No matter what I share or what I'm posting, it's my hope that you're getting something out of this. It's my hope that you're learning something new. It's my hope that you're and hopefully wanting to learn more about why people who live with Hydrocephalus like me is important. I''m hoping you're wanting to know that just because someone who may be different from someone you may know, just wants to be accepted. Although I'll talk about that a little bit later too. I'm going to continue to educate you not only for this month but everyday. Why? You might ask. Well because I feel as though it is important for people to learn more about it, not just sometimes but all the time. September is Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and It Matters. Please enjoy today's educational video and I can't wait to share more tomorrow with all of you.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the eighth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I am going to be sharing a photo fact about Hydrocephalus that I found on Google. Hydrocephalus is important to learn about because not only does it not have a cure but that doesn't mean that we should stop learning about it and not help people be educated on why Hydrocephalus is important along with this month. We need to help people know that Hydrocephalus Awareness Month Matters. We need to let them know that Hydrocephalus Matters. We also need to let them know that people like me who are living with it Matter. All of us have a part in someway whether it be someone with Hydrocephalus educating someone who doesn't know anything about it or the person who's learning about it to tell others what they've learned about it so far. Hydrocephalus is not something that a lot of people know about. Although it should be but it isn't. Hydrocephalus however is treated with what is known as a shunt.

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

Today is the seventh day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and I will be sharing different types of Hydrocephalus along with the link so that if you want to know where I got the information from, then you'll be able to look it up in case the link doesn't work.  So as you can see learning about Hydrocephalus is important. It's important because people need to be educated and I'm hoping by me doing these posts you're learning something new about it each day. September is Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and It Matters. Everyone living with Hydrocephalus Matter Too. Here is the link: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/ue5427 .

Classification and Types of Hydrocephalus

Topic Overview

Hydrocephalus of the brain occurs when there is an imbalance in how much cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is made and absorbed, or in how it flows. One way to classify this condition is by how the imbalance occurs. There are two main ways:

• Non-obstructive, or communicating, hydrocephalus occurs when the CSF flows out of the chambers of the brain (ventricles) and into the spinal canal, but it is not reabsorbed normally by the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Sometimes this type of hydrocephalus corrects itself.
• Obstructive, or non-communicating, hydrocephalus occurs when the CSF does not flow properly between or out of the brain ventricles because of an obstruction, such as from a malformation or narrowing.

In very rare cases the brain tissue makes too much CSF and the body can't properly absorb or distribute the high amount of fluid. This is called overproduction hydrocephalus.

Cerebrospinal fluid sometimes builds up rapidly, such as with an injury, and can cause sudden and severe damage if not treated. Other times the fluid gradually accumulates and may not cause problems right away.

Types of hydrocephalus include:

• Congenital hydrocephalus, which is present at birth. Congenital hydrocephalus may be caused by physical problems with how CSF flows or is made or absorbed, by infections or trauma during fetal development, or by teratogens. It may be linked with other birth defects that affect the spine, especially open neural tube defects.
• Acquired hydrocephalus, which develops at the time of birth or later. It can be caused by infections such as meningitis, bleeding, injury, or a tumour.
• Normal-pressure hydrocephalus, which usually develops in people who are age 55 or older. It is a potentially treatable cause of dementia. This type of hydrocephalus often occurs after head trauma, infections, and bleeding within the brain.
• Ex-vacuo hydrocephalus, which occurs when there is damage to the brain caused by stroke or traumatic injury. This type of hydrocephalus may not be a health danger for some people, in which case treatment is not needed.

With all types of hydrocephalus, early detection and treatment are important to minimize or prevent long-term problems.