Ladies: another question

[Lauren88]

Anybody who has had hydro from birth/soon after know why/how hydro affects puberty? I started my periods at about age 10 which my then paediatrician said was normal but as with the height thing never said why!

I don't think early puberty has affected me that badly (and I know early is relative) I was and still am being told 'oh when you get to such-and-such stage - secondary school/uni etc you'll be much happier and be able to make friends easier because the people will be more on your level' OK, nearly finished high school and still waiting :( maturity sucks lol

I would love to hear experiences and also advice from people's memories of adolescence particularly dealing with surgery in the middle of school - exams, coursework etc :( how long do you give before you're back to normal? I'm pretty sure my ETV is still working just feel that the op has knocked the stuffing out of me - never used to - any advice on how I can get teachers/parents to understand/make accommodations? I always get told 'but you look so well' I sometimes feel it's a curse - when it was my 18th and family came over practically EVERY SINGLE PERSON managed to unwittingly either pat (hard) or kiss my ETV scar! :( :p

Thanks

[baitcatcher35]

glad to hear you are doing well. I have had Hydro since birth and am doing well myself. I started puberty at age 11 and am 5'6, I have no idea how hydro affects that . But the pre-matuity issue may have something to do with it. As for school its really hard to make people understand and ask for accomidations when you appear to be doing so well. Only you and your parents know what you are really feeling and going through. I had a shunt revision 1/4 way through my 7th grade year and could not attend the rest of the year because of it. I was held back and it emotionally devestated me . But in the end I survived.

[baitcatcher35]

oh by the way I have a 13 year old daughter who was premature and she is perfectly normal and healthy. She is also 5'1 and was told she is done growing. She has a real problem with her height(especially since she is in love with basketball)

[Lauren88]

and the support re school especially - i'm trying not to repeat the year because i 'outgrew' the school a long time ago and i think the maturity gap etc would be harder to deal with, even more than it is now. Most of my teachers are being quite flexible though which is good. Thanks for the support and here's to no hydro problems for anyone for a good long time! lol

P.S. I'm resigned to my height, just sucks that with CP I can't wear heels! :rolleyes: lol but could be worse :)

[LIZARD]

P.S. I'm resigned to my height, just sucks that with CP I can't wear heels! :rolleyes: lol but could be worse :)

Ya know what, hon'? I don't have CP, and I can't wear heels, either. Can't walk in 'em fer nuthin'. Big deal. ;)


(((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))),

LIZARD :)

[Lauren88]

I totally agree Liz - I've never been into that have-to-suffer-to-be-beautiful/tall thing lol I'll stick with how I am! lol

[Nat Hyland]

Many people (myself included) with hydro go through early puberty. It is due to the effects that hydro has on certain parts of the brain. Both males and females can be affected by early puberty due to hydro. One boy who went to my primary school who had hydro too was about 170cm tall in grade 4. I am only about 163 cm tall myself, and it doesn't worry me that much, execpt I think that if I wasn't so short, I wouldn't have the weight problem I do :rolleyes: !

I had two operations for hydro when I was thirteen and in year 8 at school. I didn't have to repeat the year, because I took work home with me and completed it, eventhough I wasn't at school. I have found though, that it gets more difficult to recover from surgeries as I get older. I remember feeling quite unwell for a month after my last operation in 2000, but I was in the unfortunate position of having to return to work after having only a week off due to my financial situation.

It is diffuicult to explain to people how hydro affects you, even to people who know you well. My parents would say I look really well most days, even when I feel "odd" - I can't even describe the feeling myself :D ! I sometimes think it would be nice to be able to step into someone else's shoes for a minute, and experience a "normal" body!

Sorry I haven't been around for a while by the way. Busy with a thesis for uni - due in 10 days, so hopefully I'll be "back" again soon!

Nat.

[Lauren88]

Many people (myself included) with hydro go through early puberty. It is due to the effects that hydro has on certain parts of the brain. Both males and females can be affected by early puberty due to hydro. One boy who went to my primary school who had hydro too was about 170cm tall in grade 4. I am only about 163 cm tall myself, and it doesn't worry me that much, execpt I think that if I wasn't so short, I wouldn't have the weight problem I do :rolleyes: !

I had two operations for hydro when I was thirteen and in year 8 at school. I didn't have to repeat the year, because I took work home with me and completed it, eventhough I wasn't at school. I have found though, that it gets more difficult to recover from surgeries as I get older. I remember feeling quite unwell for a month after my last operation in 2000, but I was in the unfortunate position of having to return to work after having only a week off due to my financial situation.

It is diffuicult to explain to people how hydro affects you, even to people who know you well. My parents would say I look really well most days, even when I feel "odd" - I can't even describe the feeling myself :D ! I sometimes think it would be nice to be able to step into someone else's shoes for a minute, and experience a "normal" body!

Sorry I haven't been around for a while by the way. Busy with a thesis for uni - due in 10 days, so hopefully I'll be "back" again soon!

Nat.

Nat re the weight vs height thing, that is my problem too! If I was taller it would have more places to go! lol oh well. I also identify with the impact of surgery being greater getting older, I felt pretty much as knocked-the-stuffing-out-of-me type feeling after my recent ETV (1 op) as I did at 12 after about 11 operations in about 7 months! :eek: lol although the fact I think they used a bigger intubation tube didn't help - I was coughing like mad!:(

I'm too old for this :rolleyes:

What are you doing at uni? I'm hoping to get there eventually (tis part of the reason I want to catch up my work and do my exams etc don't want to have to hang around immature high school kids any longer than I have to! lol I do have friends in my current year but I think I would be too frustrated if I had to repeat. Plus I want the three day week (that's what my brother has at the moment anyway lol)

Also just a technical thing - is there a way to only quote part of other people messages? i.e. the bit you want to respond to like your weight vs height thing

[LIZARD]

Also just a technical thing - is there a way to only quote part of other people messages? i.e. the bit you want to respond to like your weight vs height thing

Do what I just did. :) When you hit "quote," the message will come up. Just delete whatever you're not referring to.


LIZARD :)

[Nat Hyland]

I am doing a Masters in Aged Services Management, with one year to go - YAY! It has been a long hard slog. But all in the name of getting a better/better paid, less physically exhausting job. A funny thing happened when I was doing reading for my thesis, I found a journal article that said something like, why would anyone work as a personal care attendant (which I am) with all the responsibilities and difficulties involved, when you would earn the same amount of money as a check-out chick at the supermarket with almost no responsibility :eek: ! No wonder there is ahortage of aged care workers.

Nat.