A brain drain - or a drain brain?

As regular readers of this blog will know, I very rarely devote an entire post to one person. However today, for about the third time ever, I shall do so, because I have some photographs of my daughter which cannot go unpublished!

A couple of readers queried my statement in the post about 'hats' that was published on 2nd December 2013, where-in I mentioned that we had been to South Africa to take one of my daughters for medical evaluation. Folk asked which daughter, and what was the problem?

This, then, is my daughter whom we took to South Africa...

The problem goes all the way back to February, when she started complaining of sore calves after sport, and she found that whenever she went on a long bus journey, her legs 'went to sleep'. Initially we thought it was a torn or damaged hamstring, but he situation developed to the point that when she swum 2 lengths in a gala (swim meet) in November, she cried from the pain. This is a kid who won a gold medal at a Level One Gala in South Africa a couple of years ago competing against children from all around Southern Africa.

She also plays squash, and in January was selected to play for Zimbabwe in her age group at a tournament in Harare...

Those of you who know her, will attest that she never does anything by halves, and this was a worrying time for us.

Here she is - in a typical pose of quiet reflection. (This photo was taken as she was studying hard for an important mathematics exam)....

So what 'evaluations were done - not just in South Africa, but also in Zimbabwe? Well, the list is impressive. All in all she underwent 3 MRI's, an X-ray, an ultrasound scan, a CT scan, and a nerve conduction test. She also had a brain scan, and these are the images I would like to share with you today. Here is the top view:

Then  the side view:

 

Then there is this - most astonishing picture, which proves that not only is her brain devoid of tumours and swellings, but it is, incredibly, of normal size! I sincerely hope her teachers will print it out and keep it as proof to show her when next she does something unexpected...

So - my daughter has a normal brain.

Hard to believe, isn't it?

In conclusion, the problem was eventually traced to a viral infection of the nerves in her leg, and she is now taking medication which will, hopefully, remedy the problem.

A large and sincere 'thank you' to everyone who included her, and us, in their prayers over this most difficult time.

Have a great day!