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>> Yank it back. (laughter)
As you can see from my yard, I love my flowers.
These are my calibrachoas, I talk to 'em every day, too.
My husband takes all these planters and adds Miracle Gro
to 'em, and then he fills the planters for me
and then I plant them myself, because I love it.
(laughter) I love it.
I was out here weeding one day,
and I started falling backwards and I couldn't stop.
One of the worst things is watchin' my body deteriorate.
I couldn't find a diagnosis.
>> I was real frustrated for the whole thing,
for about 18 months there, we just went from one doctor
to another, and you know, they would tell you things like,
"It's just because you're gettin' older."
And, I've known her almost 40 years,
and I knew better'n that.
>> At this point, I had lost so many abilities,
and I was getting slower and slower in my walk.
I noticed for the first time, there was a change
in my bladder control, like having to go more.
So, when Mrs. Wright came to us, she had all three
cardinal features of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
She had balance problems, she had difficulty controlling
her bladder, and she was starting to have memory problems.
>> I've looked at it like this, finally somebody knows
what I'm talkin' about, and I had enough faith
in what they were sayin' to me, that it's my only hope
and I gotta go for it.
>> Once we got into Dr. Moghekar's office and I talked
to him, and I knew right then, that they were gonna
take care of the problem.
That was a big relief factor, right there.
>> These three symptoms are very common
in the general population.
And, even a combination of these symptoms
is not unusual.
But, when you have these combination of these symptoms
with big ventricles, or excess CSF in the brain,
that should raise your suspicion, that this could be
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
>> When a person's hydrocephalus and fluid builds
in the head, we can drain it, with essentially, a tube
that goes from the fluid spaces, in the ventricles
in the brain, into the abdomen, the area
around the intestines, which can absorb fluid quite easily.
>> I have a shunt in my head and it has a little gauge here.
And, they check it every time.
The first time it was set at 2.15.
And, here it is, right there. >> Yeah.
>> There are a system of valves, which have certain amount
of resistance, and open under only certain pressures.
And, those allow some fluid to be kept in, and draining,
in a sense, the overflow.
>> And, that's the right setting, 2.0.
Patients with hydrocephalus should come
to the Johns Hopkins Center for CSF disorders
for two main reasons, a comprehensive assessment
and a rigorous follow-up.
Let's see a couple of more things on your balance.
Let's step down.
Don't worry, I won't let you fall.
>> Okay. >> Perfect.
We don't just put a shunt in and say, "Adios."
We actually see them every six months, initially,
and as long as they're doing well, once a year at least,
to ensure that the shunt is doing well.
>> I started rehab and I went three days a week,
from then on.
I didn't think I could do it, but I did.
These are my lap pull-downs.
And, that resistance training,
that's 18.5, and normally,
again I try to shoot for 15,
when I do 'em, the reps.
There was so much I had lost.
And, I went through this physical therapy,
in every aspect it was gettin' me stronger,
and stronger, and stronger.
When you go through somethin' like this,
you're whole attitude changes, and if if doesn't
somethin's wrong.
You learn to appreciate so much more.
>> She is energetic, full of life, a woman
with a very positive attitude towards life.
And, that's helped her deal with all the things
that she's faced.
>> All right, every day. (laughter)
And, I just want those up like that,
and it's done.
Dr. Moghekar, he's very caring, and I think he's guided me
through this whole thing.
And, I just, I really like him a lot. (laughter)
Thank you, again.
>> Well I'm, I'm so happy for you.
>> Me too.
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