Last night I was watching National Geographic series on Life OR Death. The story is about brain damage from stroke on this lady name Shelly Cushing. I don't dare to watch the final 10 minutes as it contains graphical picture of the surgery. This the first time I encounter this situation. Tell you why. Maybe my words will send some chill to your spine. This young girl was 22 when she suffer stroke. It caused the left side of her brain damaged and began to swell. The doctor at that time can't figure out what's the root cause of her disease as stroke usually won't attack at such a young stage. However, back to this story.. The swollen side of her brain ballooned up until it caused pressure to the wall of her skull. So the doctor drilled her skull and insert one gauge to measure the pressure inside her brain. If the pressure exceeded the number 20.. Shelly won't survive. Soon after, the gadget hit the 20 marks. The parent was panicked and then told by doctor to perform a surgery that was last done 60 years ago (those days all the patients died). The procedure is to cut the left side of the skull so that her brain can swell outside of the brain. Scary huh? Wait. There's more. 3 days later her condition got worse. The brain didn't shrunk back to its size. Then the doctor told her dad which I find to be the hardest sentence to be accepted by a father. The doctor told him that her daughter will definitely die and the last resort is to cut off the damaged part of her brain. Ok. But the doctor continued with his sentence that if she managed to survive, she might be left semi- paralyzed or full paralyzed or can't even remember them or the condition is even worse for her to survive. Wow... It's like the only best option is to die. The parent had to make a decision.. So they decided to do everything they can to preserve her life. The doctor began to cut of part of the dead cell in her brain. She managed to survive. But with her condition so weak, infection is the next thing to worry about. She woke up from her coma. That's not the end. She then suffer lapse of will to continue living. She's given up on physio-theraphy. She then developed high sensitivity to light, touch, and noise. Then, one day a nurse that opened her bandage to clean her wound found out...... ( I watched until here) For the remaining part of the story, click here and read. Of course from the picture above you can bet she's alive.Thursday, February 7, 2008
Shelly Cushing
Last night I was watching National Geographic series on Life OR Death. The story is about brain damage from stroke on this lady name Shelly Cushing. I don't dare to watch the final 10 minutes as it contains graphical picture of the surgery. This the first time I encounter this situation. Tell you why. Maybe my words will send some chill to your spine. This young girl was 22 when she suffer stroke. It caused the left side of her brain damaged and began to swell. The doctor at that time can't figure out what's the root cause of her disease as stroke usually won't attack at such a young stage. However, back to this story.. The swollen side of her brain ballooned up until it caused pressure to the wall of her skull. So the doctor drilled her skull and insert one gauge to measure the pressure inside her brain. If the pressure exceeded the number 20.. Shelly won't survive. Soon after, the gadget hit the 20 marks. The parent was panicked and then told by doctor to perform a surgery that was last done 60 years ago (those days all the patients died). The procedure is to cut the left side of the skull so that her brain can swell outside of the brain. Scary huh? Wait. There's more. 3 days later her condition got worse. The brain didn't shrunk back to its size. Then the doctor told her dad which I find to be the hardest sentence to be accepted by a father. The doctor told him that her daughter will definitely die and the last resort is to cut off the damaged part of her brain. Ok. But the doctor continued with his sentence that if she managed to survive, she might be left semi- paralyzed or full paralyzed or can't even remember them or the condition is even worse for her to survive. Wow... It's like the only best option is to die. The parent had to make a decision.. So they decided to do everything they can to preserve her life. The doctor began to cut of part of the dead cell in her brain. She managed to survive. But with her condition so weak, infection is the next thing to worry about. She woke up from her coma. That's not the end. She then suffer lapse of will to continue living. She's given up on physio-theraphy. She then developed high sensitivity to light, touch, and noise. Then, one day a nurse that opened her bandage to clean her wound found out...... ( I watched until here) For the remaining part of the story, click here and read. Of course from the picture above you can bet she's alive.
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5 comments:
Hi there. This is Shelley Cushing from the Discovery Channel episode. I just wanted to thank you so very much for posting this blog about my story. I am quite honored!
Plus, I agree, the surgery scenes are quite nasty to watch but I just fast forward over those! Also, yes, those were terrible words for parents(and sisters) to hear and we cry every time we watch it.
Thank you again for your wonderful words!
Hi Shelley,I am JUlia from Argentina,I just watched the Discovery Channel episode on your amazing story.I am so glad you made it. I feel you have such valuable inner strengh to keep up with your life and goals.
take care
Julia
Hi Shelley, I'm Sheila from North Carolina. I watched the show today, and was absolutely amazed that you not only survived, but that you are doing so incredibly well. Your post here shows that you communicate well, and you look absolutely beautiful in your picture! I would not have known anything had been wrong by just looking at you. God has plans for your life! It sure made me think that you should not just give up on someone. I just wish something had been done for Natasha Richardson - such a tragedy.
Hi!.
This is Michal from Poland. Just watched your story on the Discovery Channel. I want to say - you are an inspiration for other people to have faith and inner strength. I'm really shocked after watching this and I am thinking about all your story for hours. Congratulations because you managed to stay on the world and you also manage to be micro-biologists and you know how to enjoy the life. I wish you all the best, such stories - like yours - are inspiring and teaching us how to cherish the life. Thank you and sorry for my english.
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