Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is the disease Billy Joel was diagnosed with last spring. And it is the disease I was diagnosed with six years ago.

He and I are lucky. The disease was detected early enough to be treated. Treatment involves brain surgery to insert a shunt that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid into the abdomen. For me, recovery was tough, but steady. For my first outside walks I clutched a cane in one hand while gripping my husband’s arm with the other. Each day he would insist I walk one house further until after a couple of weeks I finally made it to the corner.

On one of these painful episodes, a neighbor inquired after my well-being. We told him about my diagnosis and described my treatment path. He seemed stunned and then shared that his mom has the same illness,

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