Wow is right. I still can't believe it when I look at those scans!!
  No Matti, I never really had much in the headache dept. My big problem was equilibrium and double vision, especially toward the end - and of course increasing deafness which I started noticing since 1999. I remember in January, 2002, the double vision started and I lived with that with no problem, even though I knew something was terribly wrong with me. Working as a musician 4-5 nights a week I figured that it was all ear related and had even come to the conclusion in my internet searching that I had an acoustic neuroma. But I needed the proof that only an MRI could provide.
 The average night at work went like this: I'd show up at the venue looped; feeling like I was on the verge of coming down with the flu, almost feverish and achy and always lightheaded. Yet, when it came time to work, to move gear and exert myself, I felt fine. By the end of the night at 2:00am I'd feel almost normal. This went on for two years or so. I was also jogging 5 miles a day during this period and when I'd complain about my symptoms, my friends would quip, "You're not jogging enough!" I thought at times I was hypoglycemic. I had friends that had type II diabetes. Several times they'd test my blood sugar with the kits that they carried around with them and my readings were always normal. They'd say, "whatever it is that's bothering you it's not that!"
 It wasn't until Feb. 2005 that my equilibrium really went on me. I couldn't even walk downhill without having to grab hold of something to break my forward momentum. I was staggering around like a drunk. I began to think I had either M.S.or a brain tumor. There were a few times the soles of my feet were burning. I remembered reading that Montel Williams, the tv talk show host and former Navy Seal that has M.S. reported having the same symptoms. Also, my handwriting was deteriorating.
 There were several moments that I remember as being especially powerful that I'll never forget. Moments that demonstrated to me very clearly that I was in deep trouble and something had to be done about it because there wasn't much time left.
 The first moment came when I drove out to a place where I used to run alot - a huge cranberry bog. I walked out to the path to begin and I just couldn't do it. I couldn't even take the first step. I knew I was done. The next moment came when I was trying to run, or let's just say, walk, at this point, down a trail in the woods - very hilly terrain. This was in March, 2005. I could not even remain upright going downhill. I ended up on my ass and crawiing down the hill and it was cold and rainy that day. I went to see my family doctor who always saw me as as an extremely fit and healthy person. At one point, during the exam, he looked down at his paperwork and declared, "I'm sorry.......You're sick, I feel bad". It was at that point things started happening in the way of treatment.
 After that MRI, the doctors were kind of looking at me like a freak of nature. They couldn't believe that I had gone as long as I had.
I was lucky to have the people working on me that I had. The neurological staff at Mass General and Mass Eye & Ear are top notch.
  I had problems with fluid as well. Still have the shunt in.
These days I'm doing well and back to my old routines but I still have more healing to do. I really haven't had to take so much as an aspirin since October! I have another MRI coming up next Thursday.
            Paul
