Interesting News

While visiting ASAP last night, I heard the most interesting news. My neurosurgeon did say that he wouldn't operate on the syrinx until I was either paralyzed or until it encompassed more of the spinal cord. That's all the explanation we got.

Well a new comer provided more valuable information that I found very interesting. She stated that the doctor included that he wouldn't operate because the syrinx was the same size as the shunt. Therefore, being the same size, it would cause paralysis. If not paralysis, close to it, due to the severe numbness it would cause to the legs. She did receive conflicting information regarding the body parts that would be paralyzed. She first heard it would be from the waist down. Then she heard later that it would be from the neck down, causing a need for both a catheter and colostomy.

Givien the full scope is much more valuable than just throwing out there, "wait until I'm either paralyzed or the syrinx encompasses more of the spinal cord". She actually knows "why" it would cause additional problems. The size of the shunt is about the same size of the syrinx. Too much fluid would be drained, leaving no fluid to surround the shunt. I can imagine this would create a number of serious issues. I can now understand the need to wait until the syrinx is wider. The shunt basically needs to be bathed in the fluid.

I really don't want surgery anyway. Just hearing of the possibility of paralysis and knowing that the pain would/could be worse, was enough for me to shy away from it. Also, there's really no guarantee that having a shunt will actually "slow down the progression" of symptoms. There is no cure. I accept that. I don't want anyone to cut through the layers of my back, then the layers of the spine and spinal cord, in order to get to the syrinx, so the shunt can be placed. "No Thank You!"