Being the exhibit

I had my chiari decompression on April 9, 2004.  My son, Robert, was in first grade at the time.  After dealing with lots of fear regarding the surgery itself and the possibility of my death, I came to be somewhat of a celebrity.  How many other first graders' mothers had shaved heads with a large scar because their brain was too big?

In May, 6 weeks post-op, Robert asked me to come in for show and tell.  I thought he was nuts.  Seriously?  I look like hell, I had just gotten out of the hospital after lunging after his sister who was 4 to keep her from falling down the basement stairs and setting back my healing significantly and I certainly didn't feel well.  I felt like my skull had been cracked open.  Oh wait, it wasn't cracked, they used a saw.  Over the years I have proven to be quite the walking exhibit for my kids.  For his history day project, Robert and his friend used my MRI's to show the how the MRI has changed medicine.  It is a great party trick to watch me "tune in" to my neurostimulator and if you are really lucky, I will turn it up enough that you can feel my head vibrating.

Who knew what a kick chiari could be?

Anyway, so in May of 2004 Tim and I decide that I will go and be the star of show and tell.  They devoted the whole time to me.  We explained in limited detail about how my brain was too big (kids were in awe), drew pictures on the blackboard to show how they took my skull off (kids were amazed and grossed out) and then, of course, there was the enormous scar and shaved head I was sporting.  I admit that I don't remember all the questions that were asked of me that day.  But I do know that it gave Robert celebrity status for a few weeks and forever changed the way we talked about having chiari.  It wasn't something totally scary anymore.  Yes, it still sucked at times but now it was cool.  A scar, a brain too big to fit and later to come - bionic.