Jade really has a successful story to share. Through her own admission she has pushed herself, maybe a little too hard at times.......... but that really is the power of PMA!

Jade continues to have a positive outlook on things and has never let this condition beat her. Here's her update.

Well the past year has been a bit of a rollercoaster to put it simply, from my bad health and diagnosis to decompression and recovery and finally getting my life back!
People never seem to surprise me but somehow I seem to surprise myself a lot! When I was given the diagnosis of Chiari Malformation, it shattered my whole world and destroyed my dreams of the future I had hoped for myself, I thought I was beaten. I never imagined this would happen to me but in reality why not me???
So if you’ve followed my older blogs you’ll know I’m stubborn and rarely let anything stop me doing what I love.
So here I am 6 months post op and surgery feels a life time ago it really does but I have to keep reminding myself it was only 25 weeks ago and I’m still not fully repaired. My symptoms vanished after surgery, once the initial healing process got under way I had very little pain to worry about, my neck still gets sore from time to time when it’s cold or I’ve overdone it and still have the odd headache and dizzy spell but I can live with that.
Surgery has changed my life for the better and I would do it all again if I had to! It’s given me a new feel for life. I try and fit in as much as I can and do what I want, because you don’t know what’s around the corner!
I went back to work at about 9 weeks post op and things have been going really well and I find the days got easier every day, yes I get tired (who doesn’t!) I think the only thing that drives me crazy is my foggy brain; it’s still a little forgetful so I have to set daily reminders! I work around it.
I went back to the gym at 8 weeks, some would say a bit early I’m sure but I was under the care of a convalescent home through work and it helped so much. I started doing a bit of swimming and yoga to help my poor posture and my work as increased at a steady pace since then. I still haven’t returned to running (that’ll be soon) but I go to the gym and go to several fitness classes a week. I try not to overdo it, but sometimes I need someone else to tell me to slow down as I can get washed away with the buzz and end up there 6days a week or 3 hours a night(last night!)
Surgery changed me as a person too, the distant memory of me being short tempered with family and friends and being miserable is a thing of the past. I’ve been told on more than one occasion I’m more caring and grounded which initially made me ask was I really that bad?
Chiari doesn’t have to be the END! Yes it’s a battle and is hard but the outcome for me was more than I could have wished for. I know I’ll never be ‘cured’ but I’m going to live my life the way I want and if somewhere down the lines something happens, I’m prepared for it.
So that’s me up to date and enjoying life, taking a day at a time and keeping my life positive!
Thank you for listening to my ramblings!