Chiari Malformation Awareness Month

Yesterday I started Neuro Rehab. Three hours a day dedicated to learning to manage these leftover symptoms. How fitting is it that I started on the first day of Chiari Awareness Month and that it also falls on the same month as my birthday?

So, now it’s Chiari Malformation Awareness Month. That special time of year where I will inundate Facebook with my daily facts, in an effort to help those who know me learn a little more about this little known disorder.

Chiari is a condition where brain tissue from the cerebellum extends too far into the spinal canal. Usually, as in my case, it is a birth defect, but it is often not discovered until later in life, on an MRI. It is often asymptomatic, but can just as often cause very extreme symptoms, as it does in my case. Symptoms include headaches, neck pain, coordination issues, dizziness…