I was born with Hydrocephalus. Most people don’t even know. I don’t go screaming it off the rooftops. I don’t have any physical drawbacks from living what Normies would call ‘a normal life’. My hydrocephalus was discovered when I was three months old. My head just started to swell. If it wasn’t caught by my parents and an astute medical staff at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, my life might be a lot different.

Hydrocephalus is literally translated to ‘water on brain’ or ‘water head’. I am a water head. I make spinal fluid to protect my brain like everyone else, but I don’t have the ability to drain the fluid down my spine. Hydrocephalus. My type is called Congenial since I was born with a naturally occuring version. Other ways to get it are from bad brain trauma, brain tumors, and spinal bifida.

I wasn’t allowed to play contact sports growing up but that didn’t spot me from breaking the tube…often. Between an older brother and the speed of The Flash, I was a one man tube wrecking machine. I’ve had, that I can recall, at least 5 shunt tube replacements (revisions). I’ve had one full shunt assembly replacement when I was 18. Again, this is mild compared to thousands of other children.

I was lucky. A lot of people with hydrocephalus are and were not. I can walk. I’m married with a kid. I know parents of a child with a shunt wonder if those things will ever come true for their children. Life with hydrocephalus isn’t all that bad. You get to say overly complicated words all the time and sound smart. But a VP or AP shunt is not a cure. It’s a lifetime detour. It’s a lifetime of looking over your shoulder for the ‘signs’ of a malfunction.

This October, the Hydrocephalus Association is hosting the WALK to End Hydrocephalus in Chattanooga to raise money for hydrocephalus awareness and research.

I’m doing my first Hydrocephalus Awareness walk this year. I’ve missed it in years past, but I’m making a point to do it this year. I want my son to see what I have doesn’t make me or anyone else different no matter how hydrocephalus affects us in our own ways. I’m walking for my family. I’m walking for those who couldn’t. I’m walking for a cure.

To donate, click here.

Beta Ray Greg is the Comic Critic for SoBros Network, the ‘Fangtastic 5K 2018 Mr. Irrelevant.’ The man has the single most impressive spreadsheet in existence that is used to document his historic collection. He’s a big time Spider-Verse guy. Follow on Twitter: @BetaRayGreg.

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