I am happy to be here with others like me. My journey with ataxia started over six years ago when I had surgery for a fourth ventricle Brain Tumor. Fortunately, it turned out to be a pilocytic astrocytoma which is a grade one cancer and the residual Tumor in the brain stem has not grown. Unfortunately, I have lots of neurological problems. I can not walk on my own without my walker and I can not see well. I am alwAys dizzy and type at the blazing speed of three wpm. I won’t go on but have lost lots. I also have a wonderful husband who helps me so much and two great adult children. I am lucky to experience no pain and my condition is not getting worse. I keep hoping for a miracle that I will improve, but accept that I can not make the miracle happen.
Hi Linda, please see my note in general anesthesia topic on an exercise to help build/rebuild neural pathways. My ataxia also occurred as a result of surgery. Anesthesia is simply not our friend. It’s not too late for renewal in your brain. At the caution of offending you, may I recommend worship music…also, as a believer I’ve clinically seen calming effects from simply repeating within my mind, “Lord, have mercy.”–I did this during a functional neurological mapping of my brain for six minutes. The doc was startled to see all areas of my brain calmed down! That’s given me deep hope as I had been going through a time of not even comprehending what I was reading…I hid it well for a year and a half from my friends.
Be encouraged. You have come to a forum where folks listen and care. JD
Hi there! Senior48. I just read your reply to Linda. Love the idea of Worship music. I will def look into it. I am 60 and was diagnosed with MSA last year.
I’m saddened to hear of your MSA diagnosis. We had a friend who had that. We saw depression as the greatest battle in his life. May you be strengthened by worship music. And by laughter. I’ve really appreciated reading Anatomy of An Illness by Norman Cousins. Very encouraging to read his account of recovering from a very serious illness…