introduction

I've had a interest in writing since the third grade.I remember the teacher who got me interested,and how he did it too.When I entered that grade I was always trying to get out of it by writing in ridiculously large letters.But a project having to do with the children's book "wayside school is falling down" changed that for me.He had us each write a short story about our fellow classmates.After until I finished high school I liked to write short stories.Some were for classes but most were for my fellow classmates.After high school that all stopped,and I don't remember why.Before Myspace wen't downhill I would blog on there but that stopped a few years ago.Yesterday a good friend told me that he had seen what I've written on facebook lately and that I have wasted talent.He encouraged me to use it,and to write a book.I'm not ready to go far since it's something I haven't done much of in years but I am taking his advice.I've decided to start this blog and to start taking gen ed classes to get a journalism degree no matter how I'm physically doing at that point.

I knew I wasn't going to have a problem trying to think of something to write about,that's never been a problem.I just thought I was gonna think of a topic I could write about.I knew I wanted to write about my neurological condition because it's became a passion for me since I'm stuck living with and there's no cure for it,only treatment.I also know that I don't know alot about,and there are already blogs about that topic.Instead I've decided to write about how it's effected my life in almost every way.

I have Hydrocephalus,it's either something I was born with or developed as a new born.Even with the severe lack of of motor skills and almost constant high pitched screaming there was a least a couple who over and over told my parents that there was "nothing wrong me".Thankfully at 17 months a volunteer nurse at a clinic for poor families told us that I have it and refered us to a neurosurgeon,and then one of the doctors still told my parents I didn't have it.I may have problems that I may or may not have had if I would have been diagnosed but I would have been in deep trouble if I wouldn't have been diagnosed at that point.

Hydrocephalus is a build up of spinal fluid on the brain,normally the fluid is drained normally but with someone Hydrocephalus that doesn't happen.Instead a shunt is usually placed to drain it.A shunt is a silicon tube and valve that drains the fluid,it's either a "non-programmable" like mine where it's just placed and you can't make any changes but with programmables a setting is set depending on conditions that stop it from draining as fast.50% of shunts fail within the first 2 years and for some people there childhood becomes a "merry go round" of surgeries and hospital stays.For me this didn't happen and mine hasn't malfunctioned yet after 24 years..Just because that hasn't been a normal part of my life and headaches hadn't been up until the last couple years doesn't mean I have struggled.Having Hydrocephalus or a brain injury in general has caused me to struggle daily,and for a long time I was "fighting alone".There's alot of stuff my neurosurgeon didn't tell my parents,and that's something that's very common.This blog is to help people understand how it's effected me,to help others dealing with the same thing and to help me get my writing to the point where I'll be able to write a book.Thanks for reading :)

-Timothy Landry