Gwyneth Paltrow

Thanks for the post from Rashad Townsend




Gwyneth Paltrow is one of my favorite actresses for many reasons but more specifically because of her 'girl next door' type of personality that burst off the television screen when watching her performances. She has the rare ability to make every character she plays easily relatable. Paltrow can make you feel as though you know someone just like the character she is playing, which further enhances the experience of watching her on camera. Her role in the epic film Shakespeare in Love earned her an Academy Award for best actress, and is my personal favorite.



From her role as Jude Law's girlfriend in The ! Talented Mr. Ripley to her comedic performance as an overweight woman in Shallow Hal, she is able to succeed no matter how versatile the role she is plays. I recently watched her in the mega-blockbuster Iron Man on my satellite TV, that I got after seeing this http://www.directstartv.com/, and I was truly awe struck by her stunning beauty to say the least.



As if film and television success were not enough for Gwyneth Paltrow she has recently embarked on a career as a country music star. In late 2010 she took to the stage with country music legend Vince Gill to perform a track from her new film Country Song.

Endeavor returns

Space shuttle Endeavor returns from space on its final trip. Endeavor is scheduled to return to Kennedy space Center at a 2:48am or 4:11am.

Weather looks favorable for Endeavor to land. If Endeavor is unable to land NASA will reschedule the landing for tomorrow at Kennedy space center or Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Commander Mark Kelly has been keeping in touch with his wife Gabriel Giffords through the internet. She had surgery just one day after Commander Mark Kelly took Endeavor on its final trip into space.

Senator Giffords had a shunt inserted and part of her skull reconstructed. Commander Mark Kelly left seeing his wife wearing a helmet and maybe not feeling too sure of herself. He will now return to see "Gorgeous Gabby" with no helmet.

This morning on "Good Morning America" Commander Kelly confirmed what we have all hoped for Gabby. She will be doing her therapy outpatient very soon.

We look forward to hearing more great reports on her condition. I am also looking forward to seeing Endeavor come home for its final time.

This is a happy time for Senator Gabriel Giffords seeing her recover from such a horrible crime. But its also sad to see part of our history put to rest. But I understand our reasons for doing so.

How is Gabby Doing?

It's so  hard to find news on Gabriel Gifford. Only because her doctors and and family are not releasing much information. But I searched around and did find an update.

http://pagenine.typepad.com/page_nine/2011/05/how-is-gabrielle-giffords-doing.html

Nothing, except everything is fine. Not even the National Enquirer has obtained and released photos, in one of the most thorough blackouts of information in "news" media history

The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:

According to a knowledgeable private source in Tucson, where Congresswoman Giffords was assaulted and shot, "she is speaking in one-word and one-phrase expressions, and using a lot of hand gestures. She can take a few steps, and is weak on the right side. She is also expressing great frustration with not being able to say more, and recognizes Nelson. She called him by name." She still holds her democrat seat in Congress, but hasn't voted since the day before the crime. Rumors abound that her handlers will run her for office next time around, regardless of her ability to do the job, and she has gathered large sums for a campaign. We all hope she recovers from her wounds.

BIG MISTAKE!!!!

I so wanted yesterday to be a relaxing day. I wanted to enjoy the beautiful 80 something degree weather.

Go outside and tan. Spend the day with Pepper playing in the yard.

He recently got his sight back from being on too much insulin. Pepper has been such a happy little dog the past few days. I know its because he feels so much better. Plus he has the freedom of his sight again.

Saturday I had worked on my house cleaning and was looking forward to relaxing Sunday. But I did see I missed Friday's dose of Topamax. I had no idea how it would effect me though.

All the headaches ,vertigo,severely dizzy. I was in trouble. I will never miss another dose again!

I was miserable every time I tried to move. I'm still scared to get out of bed this morning. The vertigo is so bad I felt like my eyes were rolling around in my head.

With the dizzy spells my head felt like it was going to explode. Pressure was building up in so my ears were even stopping up so I could not hear.

I so know the topamax is helping my headache. I will not be missing another dose.

Lauren Alaina shares news with Piers Morgan

This is the first year I have evr watched "American Idol" I have to be honest I Divo'ed so I could fast forward through the singers I just was not into. But when I head Pia Toscano's story of her little girl with hydrocephalus I started watching her.

I was so relieved when she could sing. I was so scared I was going to have to hear something terrible from this woman I wanted to see go places not just because of her story but now because she could sing.

Pia was voted off in the 9th week. This had everyone stuned because she has such an amazing voice.

 But I had also seen Lauren Alaina at her try outs. She was just a spunky little country girl. I thought she was just great. I loved her voice and loved the way she cut up with Steven Tyler. I caught myself recording Idol after Pia was gone to watch Lauren, Scott McCreery and James Durbin.

Although, Lauren was my favorite. I knew Scotty had a stronger voice and would win. I wanted to see Scotty in first place and Lauren in Second. They are so cute together.

I know they have to be a bit more than friends he just makes some of the sweetest jesters toward her without even knowing. It maybe something that he was told to do but so many men could take notes.

He would comfort her each time they would come to eliminations. By not just holding her hand but putting an arm around her. At the end he announced they started Idol together day one and would finish this together.

Some think this meant something. They also exchanged a very nice kiss after Scotty won Idol. When he was singing his final song he was over heard telling her"I love you,baby."

OK! So I can't get enough of these 2 kids back to what I was telling you...

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

“America’s Got Talent” judge Piers Morgan received a bit of humiliating news from “American Idol” runner-up Lauren Alaina after he told the young singer she was a better vocalist than “Idol” winner Scotty McCreery.



“Want to hear something funny? I tried out for your show and didn’t make it,” Lauren told Piers during an appearance on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on Thursday, as the audience burst into laughter.



“Really?” Piers replied, shocked that his show passed on the 16-year-old powerhouse. “No!”



“Twice — and I got second place [on ‘Idol’] and you denied me,” she continued, laughing. “I swear. Look it up…I didn’t make it past the first round.”



“This is a scandal,” the humbled CNN host exclaimed with his mouth agape. “This is now what Americans call… this is awkward.”



The country cutie got in the last word, announcing, “So, for all of the people who try out for ‘America’s Got Talent’ and don’t make it, try out for ‘American Idol!’”



“That is so embarrassing,” Piers replied, hiding his face with hands. “I’m going to get these producers! The moment this finishes, I’m getting them!”



Following the embarrassing episode, Piers took to Twitter to share even more mortifying news.



“CORRECTION: My #nbcagt producers just told me it’s wrong that @LAlainaAI10 was rejected twice for the show,” he Tweeted on Friday. “Apparently it was three times!”

I bet Piers was having a talk with the other judges about the mess up here.

http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/lauren-alaina-calls-out-piers-morgan-i-tried-out-for-your-show-and-didnt-make-it_article_48588

Kinda funny story

Yesterday I felt good enough to do some house work. I would do a few minutes of work and rest. The nausea was not as bad. I still was not hungry. But I was able to eat.

I felt good to be able to clean my bedroom and bathroom. I was even able to eat through out the day.

Then I went to go to bed and realized why. I had forgot to take my topamax Friday night.

I was so excited that I was adjusting to the fatigue. My house has been needing cleaning. I have been wanting to organize.

I cleaned so much yesterday I irritated my back injury. So this morning I have a very sore back.

More side effects of topamax

I stepped on the scales this morning to confirm another side effect of topamax. In the past week or so that I have been taking the additional dose of topamax. I have lost nearly 4 pounds.

I have a friend that has lost over 100 pounds. She just takes 400 mg of topamax. 200 mg of the morning and 200 mg at bedtime.

I don't seem to be having as much nausea and dizziness. I have started taking my 200 mg of the evening during or after supper.

Another day with Topamax

I was really surprised that I had very minimum to nearly no headache yesterday. But I did have crazy side effects.

I am still nauseated and having trouble eating. I get full or sick of eating really fast.

I've turned to eating soups and soft food. Things easy to eat. I get full after a third of a cup of soup.

I'm still feeling dizzy at times. But nothing as bad as the first day.

This morning I woke up with a bit of a headache. But I can't tell for sure what its going to do until I get up and move around.

Things could be so much worse I could be dealing with this and the Tornado Damage others are. Please take a moment to think about these families. My heart hurts for them.

Another day with Topamax

Yesterday due to uncontrollable fetal position headaches I upped my dose of Topamax from 150 mg to 200 mg. It did not take long for the side effects to take effect.

I started getting nauseated yesterday which in result took my appetite.

I wanted to walk out side since it was the first warm day in 3 week. I started walking towards my parents house. All I could see was the ground rolling and jumping.

Today I have had a lot more nausea. It is becoming more difficult to eat.

I am still having trouble with my headache. It comes and goes. I'm having to take a lot of medicine to keep the nausea down. I'm hoping this won't last too long.

I don't mind not being able to eat. Bad thing....not eatingmakes my headache worse.

Headache for nearly 2 weeks now

I just had my 6 month visit with my neurologist. I told him I only have headaches really bad a couple of days a week.

My headaches have been horrible ever since then. So I called my neurologist and he has upped my Topamax.

I'm now up to 200 mg. I just started yesterday and I'm alreay having side effects.

Its been taking my appetite. I'm dizzy. My vision has been bothering me.

For part of the day my headache was not as bad. Until about 4:00. Now its back and really bad!

Crossing my fingers this helps. August 24 2010 was my last surgery. I want to put some more time between us.

Gabriel is now Gorgeous Gabby

Senator Giffords had surgery to add a shunt and replace her skull with a permanent plastic piece shaped just like her head was before the shooting. She no longer need to wear the helmet to protect the part of her head that did not have bone or skull to protect it.

Her doctors now refer to her as "Gorgeous Gabby." Her doctors say the next step she can be discharged and continue her occupational, speech, and physical therapy outpatient.

When gabby's doctor didn't see a need for a shunt just after the shooting when they put in the external shunt. I really worried. I figured when they tried to repair or replace her skull the spinal fluid would over compensate because of her injury and she would eventually need a shunt.

My question now is what kind of shunt does she have? Neurosurgons love putting programmable shunts in because the thought is it saves them from doing numerous surgeries.

If the shunt is over flowing they can just change the shunt setting with a magnet and you are fixed.

If you remember with me. Not everyone can deal with a fixed pressure all the time. I had a non programmable for 20 years with very few problems.

When I was switched to a programmable I was having to change the program every 3 to 4 weeks. I constantly had a fetal position headache.

The theory was my body had grown to absorb the spinal fluid from the non programmable. If I had been younger and my skull softer I possible could have got use to the programmable.

Final episide of Greys

In the last episode Derek and Meredith rushed off to get formally married. They had just done surgery on a baby from Africa that was an orphan with hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida. Which she is shunted for.

I was so happy to see Greys have a story line with a hydro baby. I just hope hydrocephalus is address is the show more..

Derek left Meredith last night when she was given temporary custody of the baby after it was reveled she had messed with an Alzheimer's trial. He questioned her standards. If she really knew right from wrong.

Meredith is now left wondering if Derek will be a dad to this beautiful baby. But if the social workers find out about Meredith switching the trial could this hurt her chances for adoption? Could Meredith still adopt this little girl as a single mom?

Will Derek come through and be a dad like he should be or does he look like he is walking out on his child?

Gabby's shunt placement

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/national/southwest/view.bg?articleid=1339064&page=2&listingType=natsw

Even the shunt — or tube — placed in Giffords’ head to drain excess spinal fluids from her brain will not ruin the image, Friedlander said.

That tube, which is permanent, is generally placed in the front of the head and is no more than a small bulge under the skin, usually hidden by hair. The tube drains the fluid into the abdomen.

"Externally ... once the swelling is gone, her head will be nice and round the way she was beforehand," Friedlander said.



From the start, doctors have marveled not only at Giffords survival, but also at her recovery.

Within weeks of arriving at TIRR Memorial Hospital in late January, Giffords’ family and staff reported she could speak a few words, then sing some songs and string together short sentences. By March, she was able to walk with assistance, according to her doctors, and her personality was shining through.

On Monday, according to her staff, she said "good stuff, good stuff" while watching her husband rocket into space.

Still, doctors caution that she has a long recovery ahead of her and have repeatedly talked about reaching a new "normal."

Wednesday’s operation is considered fairly routine, though there is a 1 percent chance of infection or bleeding, Thompson said.

Infection, normally resulting from the introduction of a foreign body, would not be apparent for a few weeks, but bleeding could occur in surgery when doctors lift the skin to reach the open area, Friedlander added.

Yet doctors say it wasn’t necessary to have Kelly on Earth to go ahead with the surgery.

Not only can closing the hole alleviate some of the headaches associated with brain injuries, it helps prevent any future injury, Thompson said.

The surgery itself is only about 90 minutes long. From start to finish, including recovery from anesthesia and pre-operating preparations, the procedure will take no more than three hours, the doctors said.

And once it’s over, the real countdown for Giffords’ release will begin, they added.

"That may actually be quite soon," Thompson said

I just found this article this morning. I was going through my support groups reading updates when I read a question about what kind of hydrocephalus Giffords has. So Apparently Senator Giffords was shunted at some point.

Giffords has skull surgery

Gabby Giffords recovery involves surgery just one day after she watched her husband fly off into space. Reports were she was in a wheel chair and wearing a helmet to protect her head where the piece of skull had been removed.


Giffords will undergo surgery Wednesday so doctors can replace a piece of her skull with a plastic implant, another encouraging step since the Arizona congresswoman was shot in the head more than four months ago.


"This gives her quality of life because she won't have to worry about the helmet and protection when moving around," said Riggs, who is not involved in Giffords' care.


The main risk is infection, Ashton reports.


The implant is placed under the scalp, allowing hair to grow on top so it is not visible. Riggs said the piece of skull that doctors removed likely was contaminated or shattered by the bullet that pierced the left side of Giffords' brain. That would make the skull unfit to be reattached, which is why doctors would use an implant, Riggs said.


"The actual piece of plastic they're using to replace that missing part of her skull with has been custom molded using CT scans to conform to the exact shape of her skull and brain, more accurate than the bone fragment removed and much better shape than the bone fragment removed in January."



They decided to use a fabricated segment as opposed to her original bone because they feel it's safer, cleaner and actually will prove to be a better fit, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton reports.



Dr. Richard Riggs, chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said the surgery to place the plastic implant is relatively simple. Recovery is short — a day or two at the most — and is mostly from the effects of anesthesia, he said.


Her doctors have said she has made remarkable progress in what will be a long recovery.


The next step will be to release her from the hospital. Then she will continue speech, occupational and physical therapy at an outpatient clinic.

CBSnew.com

Endeavor lift off

Endeavor made a picture perfect lift off yesterday into space.

During the 16-day mission, Giffords will provide two wake-up songs dedicated to Kelly and she will talk to him in a video conference from Houston. She headed back to Houston hours after the 8:56 a.m. launch to return to the rehabilitation center where she is staying.

Shuttle Endeavor Launch

NASA fueled Endeavour for a Monday morning liftoff on the next-to-last flight of the space shuttle era, confident an electrical problem that
grounded the mission more than two weeks ago had been fixed.

The mission commander is Mark Kelly, the astronaut husband of wounded Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who's back for the second launch
attempt.

Kelly and his five crewmates waved, gave a thumbs-up and shook their fists in the air as they headed to the launch pad in the pre-dawn hours.
Liftoff was slated for 8:56 a.m.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) asked for a memento from husband Mark Kelly,The congresswoman,who continues to recover from a January
shooting attack, exchanged wedding rings with Kelly.

Giffords and Kelly married in Nov. 2007. Giffords' ring bears the inscription: "You're the closest to heaven that I've ever been."


"Mark wanted a part of Gabby to go into space with him and Gabby wanted a part of him to keep here on Earth," Giffords' spokesman
Mark Kimble told the Houston Chronicle.

Endeavour is bound for the International Space Station one last time before heading to retirement at a Los Angeles museum. The shuttle's
experienced, all-male crew will deliver and install a $2 billion particle physics experiment during the 16-day flight, as well as spare station parts.

One final shuttle mission remains, by Atlantis in July.

This is also the next to last flight for the 30-year-old space shuttle fleet.
And it is the final flight of the shuttle Endeavour, NASA's youngest orbiter, which has flown 116.4 million miles in 24 previous flights.

Wounded Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords arrived in Florida on Sunday to witness the final launch of the space shuttle Endeavour.Gabrielle landed
safely in Florida together with the family of Greg Johnson, another astronaut on the shuttle crew.

Gabby's plane did a fly by of (the) launch pad" before landing.

On Gifford's Facebook page, her staff posted a message saying: "Gabrielle landed safely in Florida" together with the family of Greg Johnson,
another astronaut on the shuttle crew.

The Facebook post thanked NASA for allowing the airplane carrying Giffords to do a "great fly by of (the) launch pad" before landing.

Giffords, 40, was critically wounded in January as she held a public meeting with constituents outside a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona.

She has been recuperating at a hospital in Houston.

Authorities have accused Jared Lee Loughner, a troubled college dropout, of shooting Giffords in the head at point blank range in an attempted
murder.

I have followed Senator Gifford's progress on my blog ever since there was a scare she may possibly be shunted. She had to have a external shunt
for a period of time to reduce swelling. With the injuries she has she is very lucky to be recovering as fast as she is.

She is walking with assistance. Talking in short phrases. She is now left handed. She knows she was shot. But is still unaware of major details
of the shooting. For example she doesn't know the 9 year old little girl that was looking to her in admiration died that day.

Doctors don't want to put too much stress on Gabby. They say it may postpone her recovery. It is reported by her doctors that she is recovering by leaps and bounds.

Billy Graham returns home

Rev. Billy Graham went home today After spending a week at Memorial mission hospital in Asheville with pneumonia. He was released early today and returned to his home in Montreat.

On going debate

To me I say there is no debate at all. I rather be safe than sorry. the issue is to take antibiotics before dental procedures if you have a VP shunt.

It is thought an infection from your teeth can't travel from your gums to your blood streem to a VP shunt. But it is possible to travel to a VA shunt.

I have been told ever since I had a VA shunt in 2003 I needed to go by the American Heart Association. Take premeds before any kind of procedures.

Some dentist much rather be safe with their VP patients and give antibiotics. I think if I had realized the danger of infections with my shunt and failure I would have done everything to prevent failure.

its scary now to think of how much my family and I did not know. I had a working VP shunt for nearly 20 years.

Are you watching Grey's

Grey's Anatomy is doing a whole story line on a baby from Africa with hydrocephalus. I was so excited to see Deric and Merideth going through the process of wanting to adopt her this week.

Billy Graham Hospitalized

I heard in a quick update on the news that Rev. Graham Was hospitalized. With suffering from a severe headache yesterday myself the first think I feared was shunt failure.

To remind some of you if you don't remember for several years doctors thought Rev. Graham had Parkinson when later it was found he had normal pressure Reverend Billy Graham Hospitalized




The Reverend Billy Graham remains at Mission Hospital Wednesday night after suffering a health episode Tuesday evening. The 92 year old evangelist is being treated for pneumonia but, is said to be resting comfortably and alert. Graham's close friend Glenn Wilcox, Sr. told News-13 "Now is the time to pray and ask God to help the family and help him and protect him. He's meant so much to so many people especially to me personally". "I do know he is ready and he's anxious to go to heaven to be with Ruth but he said I don't need to go right ...

 hydrocephalus. He was shunted after that in Winston-Salem. Since then he has had one revision to the dismay of his daughter.

She was on the news making a comment that she had no idea the shunts had to be replaced. This is one of the main reasons I blog because so little is told to us the patient.

I heard the news and it is not shunt related tonight. This is what News 13 reported.

Reverend Billy Graham Hospitalized


The Reverend Billy Graham remains at Mission Hospital Wednesday night after suffering a health episode Tuesday evening. The 92 year old evangelist is being treated for pneumonia but, is said to be resting comfortably and alert. Graham's close friend Glenn Wilcox, Sr. told News-13 "Now is the time to pray and ask God to help the family and help him and protect him. He's meant so much to so many people especially to me personally". "I do know he is ready and he's anxious to go to heaven to be with Ruth but he said I don't need to go right ...

Rain and Hail

Tuesday night I was woke up by a rain and hail storm. It sounded like I was being shot at over and over. It was really loud on my metal roof. My nerves were a wreck but it passed after about 45 minutes.

Then at 4:30am I was woke up with this stabbing pain in my head. My neck was hurting. My eyes felt like they could explode at any moment. I don't think I would have hurt any more if I woke up to being beat in the head.

I thought the storm had passed and I had got away without a headache from it. Boy! Was I wrong? My head felt like it really was attacking my body.

I took medicine. I then grabbed swimmers ear to see if I had water in my ears. There was no water. It was after effects from the storm the night before.

I was miserable. I still have some pain as I write this post from my phone. But I wanted to tell how I was feeling while it was fresh in my mind.

Hydrocephalus patients need their Vitamin D checked

Thank you Hope Welker for this great information.

Depression is very common with hydrocephalus and may be situational (as in frustration with headaches, seizures, or surgeries) or chemical, and chemical depression, especially if you take epilepsy medication, can be due to a vitamin D deficiency, as the absorption of D is inhibited by AEDs.

I'm not sure if I could have issue with my vitamin D level since I was not born with hydrocephalus but I am still going to have mine checked.

Happy Mother's Day

I looked yesterday and realized how long it had been since I had posted a blog. I was surprised to see where certain people had been checking in on me. It made me feel good that you were at least looking for my post. Thank you my friends for your support.

First I hope everyone is planning a wonderful mothers day. Its going to be a beautiful day here. I'm going to take momma for a day of getting her toes and nails done for mothers day.
guess I should let you in on why I've been on "Blog Blackout" I was in water aerobics about a month ago and hurt my back. I know you are asking how can you hurt your back in the water. Well, I did it.

I have been still drinking my protein shakes and eating right. Exercising more but it seems my weight loss had just stopped.

I'm not ready to go into the gym yet so I thought I would add weights to build muscle. Hopefully to boost my metabolism.

I had been working out like this for about a week and even lost a bit. One day during a workout I felt something that was not right. I tried to stretch it out but nothing helped.

Now 4 weeks later I'm in physical therapy for muscle and nerve damage.

It hurts to lay in bed. It hurts to walk. It hurts to sit at the computer.

I haven't been on the computer at all because I can't stand to sit and even log in. I know I'm missing out on some great coupons. I feel guilty not blogging. But all I'm doing is trying to find a position I can sleep more than 3 hours.

I suppose this is what happens when someone hasn't been active like I have then jumps in too fast when I get to feeling better. It's kind of depressing though.

I have come to realize that my hydrocephalus is now under control and I'm ready to get my life back. But it will be better because I know now what I can loose.

Just know I am still alive. I will be back.