Have you seen my brain lately?

You might not have, but I did for the first time today! I want to begin by apologizing to you all for the informality of posting health information online. The seriousness of it isn't great, but the quantity of information is so much that hopefully this blog will answer all preliminary questions and convey information to you all. I promised I would keep you all in the loop about life in Colorado, so here goes...
Many of you who have known me for a while, know that I've always had headaches. I've thought they could be sinus related, then there was the possibility they could be migraines. From about age 12, I've stayed well medicated to say the least! I've had a CT scan, seen chiropractors, downed oceans of water, sought massage therapists, and prayed, but have never kicked the headaches. They are more severe in times of stress or seasonal changes (which gives good reason to blame it on a number ailments!) They progressively got worse when I moved out to Colorado. I thought, it might be the job, or the altitude, or the arid climate. The difference was that the headaches occurred more frequently and in different places (basically all over my head!) The month of November brought roughly 30 days of headache...some days dull pain; some days sharp stabbing pain. So I once again sought a doctor's advice. Luckily, this doctor ordered an MRI.
On MLK day, I had my first MRI, thinking nothing would be found. Three days later, I found out I have Type I Chiari (Kee-ar-ee) Malformation. He gave me the name of a neurological surgeon and said I should set up a visit. Today, Tim and I met Dr. Sean Markey (voted in Top Doctors in Denver 2007.) He delivered good news, so for those of you who stopped breathing a while ago, you can start again.
Basically, Chiari is a condition where a part of the brain (that we don't use for anything) is pushing down through this little hole we all have at the base of our skulls that allows the brain stem to pass into the spinal cord. I'm about 10mm below where I should be. Chiari is much more common in females and often goes undiagnosed because it disguises itself so well. The best way to detect it is to have an MRI (yay for Dr. Boyle!) Surgery is the best way to fix it, but in my case, not necessary (yet.) Dr. Markey has advised that I first speak with a neurological headache specialist (Potters reading this...the NEUROlogical specialist's name is McNutt...yes, McNutt...he first wanted to be a psychiatrist!) He believes McNutt will be able to help me "manage" my headaches. He doesn't feel I will need surgery for a couple of reasons. 1-I've learned to live with pain a lot of people aren't used to. (Tim just has to learn to live with the complaining!) 2-The surgery is invasive, painful, and about a 6-week recovery--not something he recommends I do unless I get worse (more than 10mm of brain leakage.) He does want me to come back in 6 months for a check to make sure it hasn't gotten worse. So that's what we need to focus on...that it doesn't get worse (and there is a very good chance it won't.) The only other thing he advised was to discontinue going to the chiropractor...NO MORE NECK CRACKING!
All in all, I've got more brains than I've got head (not a bad problem to have.) I'm including a link from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chiari/detail_chiari.htm#102923087) that gives you all the medical mumbo jumbo and probably a better explanation to specific questions you might have. After all the specialist have seen my brain, I'll try to upload one of my films so that you too, can say you've seen my brain!

Snow, School, Skiing, Super Bowl, Shaving, and June?

What you see above are pictures of life as we have known it since we lasst blogged. Snow is a normal part of any week, and yet I still haven't gotten out of work! I am adjusting, but I ache for spring! We actually had unseasonably warm weather this weekend. I would have enjoyed the lovely weather except for the fact that school keeps me in front of a computer and I'm sick!

Though it's only been a month and a half since I last entered details about life in Colorado, it seems a lot has happened! Most exciting and time consuming is that I have finally begun my Master's degree. This is the reason for less frequent postings and emails in general. The program requires lots of reading and lots of writing, but hopefully (as long as credits transfer correctly) I'll be done in December. I vow to be more diligent than I have been with blogging. I really didn't know school would turn getting on the computer into such a chore!

Another exciting thing that has happened since I last blogged, was that we took a trip to Keystone to go skiing! This was my first skiing experience, ever. I had a good friend (thanks, Melissa) who was very patient in teaching me the ins and outs of survival on the slopes. Slopes that peaked at around 10,000 feet (yes, the greens too.) The slope I skied was School Marm, and she was tall, but not steep. To make up for the lack of steepness, she had length (3 plus miles to the bottom!) By the end of a morning in training and a 3-mile run, I enjoyed Bailey's and coffee in a local coffee shop in the ski village. I couldn't walk for the next week!!!! Here's a picture of the slopes and surrounding mountains:

The beginning of February brought about our first Super Bowl party as a married couple. Nothing too crazy, but tons of food. Here are some pics from the gang at the party...Tim is being his usual self in one of these!

We were all happy with the outcome of the game! I don't think I've met a single Patriot supporter out here!

Ok, so I've covered snow, school, skiing, and the Super Bowl. That leaves shaving and June. Well, just yesterday, we took Rocky to be shaved (groomed) at PetsMart. After many failed attempts at keeping him brushed (which he hates) we decided to start fresh (see below).

Meredith, you're right. He really does look like Falcor from The Neverending Story!

Finally, JUNE. This is simply put in the blog due to all the new little lives becoming part of this great planet that month! Tim and I will be uncle and aunt (respectively) at the beginning of June for the first time thanks to Matt and Michelle's little boy who will be born. I'm not quite sure what I'll be mid-June when Craig and Carly's little "something" is born. I'll be happy with Hil-po-bro. And, finally, at the end of June, I (and I guess Tim via marriage) will be counsin to the newest generation of Potters thanks to the wonderful bundle Richard and Rebekah will deliver! We are so excited for all of you!

As I said before, I will be better about blogging. Now that I've finally got a handle on the schedule, I should be able to work it in. Hopefully, I'll have more exciting news to share! With Valentine's Day just this week, we send our love and know that we think of all you daily. We miss you!

ahhh...Christmas

Christmas is quickly approaching, as is our trip back to South Carolina. It will be so nice to escape the FRIGID temperatures of below 10 degrees! I love bundling up, but there are only so many clothes a girl can put on to stay warm and still look presentable! While it definitely feels more like Christmas out here than it does in the south, Christmas will be enjoyed much more with family and friends we haven't seen in a while.

Since we are flying home before Christmas, Tim and I exchanged gifts with each other last night. Tim, understanding how cold I have been gave me some great gifts to keep me warm. I got lots of cozy lounge pants and pjs. He also gave me this luscious blanket from Restoration Hardware:

All of that coupled with some bath stuff, Chico's necklaces, chocolate, and a Barnes and Noble gift card makes Hillary a spoiled girl!

As many of you know, Matt and Michelle "blessed" us with a Nintendo Wii as a wedding gift. Tim is a huge fan (I am too, though I don't have as much time to play.) His one gift request this Christmas was Guitar Hero for the Wii, so I got it.
Tim is like a 12 year old boy. I have to admit that it is fun to watch as he shows off his "talents" with the guitar. So far, I've had Cream, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Rage Against The Machine, The Killers, AFI, Sonic Youth, Alice Cooper, and many, many more perform in my living room as I sit on the couch, under my new cozy blanket, drinking coffee and keeping warm in the frigid weather of Colorado. To all our family and friends in South Carolina, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Colorado...Merry Christmas to all and YOU ROCK!

6 months of marriage

This past Sunday marked a small, but notable, milestone in our marriage. We have now been married 6 months! Time has really flown by, but I guess that's what they say happens when you're having fun, right? Tim was a sweetheart and made reservations for brunch at a very elegant hotel in downtown Denver called the Brown Palace. Below are pictures of the hotel and the brunch we enjoyed. The brunch included made to order omelets, roast of buffalo, unlimited champagne (yes, you read that correctly), creme brulee, chocolate mouse, sushi, fresh seafood, cornucopia of fresh fruit...I could go on and on. Needless to say, it was wonderful (and so is my husband!)

Winter in Colorado

While South Carolina offers many wonderful things, it doesn't offer snow like what we've gotten in the last few weeks. I'm sitting on the couch staring out the window at a field covered in snow (the fluffy kind) and I LOVE it! I might eat my words in January, February, and March, but right now a cup of coffee and cozy sweats make this morning complete! Here are some pics of when my family came to visit and were blessed with the first big snow. These were taken while exploring Red Rocks Amphitheater: