The most striking difference in these two images is how my septum is no longer deviated. Dr. Javer did nice work.

I had the MRI on May 19. The technicians told me that the results would be available to my neurologist right away as he is at Vancouver General and on their network. I received the radiology report from my neurologist’s assistant on Friday, June 1.

The radiology report gives good news. There is “no evidence of displacement of deviation of the cisternal segments of the trigeminal nerves bilaterally. No significant abnormality is demonstrated within the cerbellopontine angles.”

There is the possibility of some bad news. “The distribution and appearance of T2/FLAIR hyperintense lesions within the supratentorial and infratentorial brain are consistent with demyelination. Further characterization with a complete MRI brain study, including sagittal FLAIR imaging, is recommended.”

They also mentioned that “mild mucosal thickening of the maxillary sinuses is demonstrated bilaterally.” I had no idea they would report on the sinuses in an MRI. Imagine if my neurologist had decided to put a bit of a rush on the MRI instead of just ignoring me — we would have seen the infection in the right sinus and perhaps I could have been spared several months of pain.

My working theory on the observed demyelination is that the infection in the sinuses spread to my brain, resulting in some areas of demyelination. Last year, on July 10, I woke up with a stiff neck and a fever. I monitored the temperature, on the alert for meningitis. It returned to normal on July 13, so I didn’t think much about it. I will monitor symptoms over the next while and assume that my neurons will regrow myelin.

I’ve been waiting for my neurologist to contact me to review and to schedule the recommended follow-up MRI. I’m wondering how long it will take. At this point, he has no idea I had sinus surgery or that I am doing relatively well. I wonder if his caseload is so large that he has difficulty managing it or if he just doesn’t care.

We had good weather for the walk this morning. Our team raised $2445 for the Sinus Centre at St. Paul’s in only 12 days. Thank you!!!!

At the registration table, we ran into Adriane Carr, Vancouver City Councillor and Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada.  Adriane and I know each other through the Canadian Women Voters Congress. When I was President, we invited Adriane to be the Honourary Co-Chair of the Women’s Campaign School. We walked the 5K together and had a chance to catch up as I haven’t seen her since she was elected to council.

After the walk, we went back to the St. Paul’s table. I met another St. Paul’s fundraiser there, St Paul’s Hospital Foundation board Chair, David Poole. He is the Vice-Chair and Senior Vice-President, BC & Yukon, Scotiabank — the sponsors of the event. He has a killer handshake.

The event was fun and well-organized. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday this year.

UPDATE: Another contribution came in, putting us at $2495! Thank you all!!

FINAL UPDATE: Total — $2550 for the Sinus Centre!

This morning at 11:17, a donation came in that took me to 100% of my personal fundraising goal of $2000. I’m really pleased with this as I only decided to enter this walk/run 11 days ago. I asked almost everyone I knew for support as I know that you can’t raise any money unless you ask. I know that people get asked to contribute to so many things and people have many reasons for supporting or not supporting. I learned a few years ago from Terry Axelrod’s organization ‘Benevon’ that you make your pitch and if people say ‘no’ or don’t respond, you ‘bless and release’ them.

I am really grateful to all the people who sponsored me. I appreciate the support and hope that the Sinus Centre continues to thrive and help more people like me.

I picked up our t-shirts yesterday at the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation office. We’ll be at Stanley Park early on Sunday morning.

My birthday is later this month but I’m not quite ready for a celebration. However, I have decided to celebrate by participating in the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge to help raise money for the Sinus Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital. I was fortunate that this skill and expertise was available to me here in Vancouver. I am hoping to raise $2000 before the event on June 24. You can sponsor me here .

Here’s a bit more info about the Sinus Centre:

Based at St Paul’s Hospital, a major academic health science centre, the Sinus Centre provides vital care to patients of all ages, from every walk of life, and from across Western Canada and beyond.

In 2001, Dr. Amin Javer was recruited from the U.S. to transform sinus surgery at St. Paul’s. Dr.Javer performs minimally invasive surgeries, sparing patients facial scarring and pain, as well as long recovery times and hospital stays associated with alternate treatments.

Under his leadership, the Sinus Centre has become the most advanced and comprehensive of any hospital-based program in Western Canada. Every month, over 250 patients are treated and 30 surgeries are performed.  The Sinus Centre is also an active research and teaching centre, which ensures our patients receive the most up-to-date treatments.  Advancements made here have been adopted around the world.

Donors are key to the Sinus Centre’s leading care.  Their generosity helped St. Paul’s become the first centre in Western Canada with computer-assisted sinus surgery equipment that enables specialists to perform critical minimally invasive surgeries to correct chronic sinus conditions and remove tumours and pre- or cancerous lesions.

Feel free to contact me at 604-874-0797  or e-mail [email protected] if you would like to join my team.

I would greatly appreciate your support through my personal fundraising page .

A nice video from Mr. Rogers — dedicated to the health professionals I encountered recently who have forgotten how to remain curious.

Today is the first of June and a day for new beginnings. As I continue to work on healing from the physical, emotional and psychological trauma of the past two years, it’s now time to shift my focus to the many things I have to be grateful for in my life.

Fourteen years ago today, Daniel and I met for our first date at a coffee shop in Kerrisdale. Our lives have been full and rich. The past year presented a significant challenge for our relationship as my pain became intolerable. Now that we are moving forward with the worst behind us, we are confident that there are more good things in our future.

I am grateful for the friends who stuck by us with calls, e-mails, visits and gifts of food. I know it’s a cliche, but in times like this you learn who your real friends are. I know it was difficult for people to come over and see me in pain or wonder why I was losing so much weight.

I am grateful for my health care heroes who helped me so much. Also to the TNA/Facial Pain Association for education, information and support. And to St. Paul’s Hospital for developing a Sinus Centre and creating a position for Dr. Javer to return to Canada from the U.S. I’m not exaggerating when I say that he saved my life with the surgery six weeks ago.

Although June is Aphasia Awareness Month, my personal focus this month will be on sinus awareness.