# My best friend's husband has a spinal fluid leak- prayers and good thoughts needed **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 27, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304 "2005-12-27T01:28:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/1 "2005-12-27T01:28:14Z")
I just checked my email and found out that my best friend’s husband has been having headaches for a few weeks, and after visiting several doctors they’ve concluded that it’s caused by spinal fluid leaking somehow or other into his head. He’s also started bleeding (I don’t know from where, but he’s got a genetic disorder which causes huge medical problems) and because of the bleeding plus fluid leak has been hospitalized. He’s 23, and has had lungs collapse, open heart surgery, and a lot of other really serious medical problems. Please pray or send good thoughts to them and to their families. I’m off to phone my friend. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/2 "2005-12-27T01:41:21Z")
**Lissla** , prayers and good thoughts are headed his way from south Jawja. Please let us know how he’s doing. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/3 "2005-12-27T02:31:37Z")
Sorry to hear that he has had so many difficulties. ☹ I hope he feels better soon. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/4 "2005-12-27T20:24:12Z")
I have no idea what’s causing the leak for your friend’s husband, but some years ago, I had a lumbar puncture (aka spinal tap) and it leaked the next day. That was some of the worst pain I’d ever known - it truly felt like my brain was resting on sharp bony bits at the bottom of my skull. After an LP, a leak (if any) is readily patched with a little blood injected at the tap site. Hopefully, the docs can do something similar for him. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/5 "2005-12-27T20:28:05Z")
May whatever god(s) there be, be with your friend and her husband. Sending supporting thoughts your/their way. ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/6 "2005-12-27T21:00:42Z")
Sending best wishes and healing thoughts to your friend and his family. Hang in there **Lissla.** ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/7 "2005-12-27T21:05:26Z")
**lissla** , Anachi good vibes are on their way. Let us know how things turn out. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/8 "2005-12-27T21:40:54Z")
Good luck to your friend, **lissla**. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/9 "2005-12-27T21:55:59Z")
Thanks, everyone. I haven’t been able to contact my friend- she was flying back to Philly today sometime and almost immediately driving back up to Canada. It’s really a blessing they were at his family’s for Christmas, because his Dad’s a doctor and his Mom’s a nurse. He’s got Marfan’s (sp?) Syndrome, which causes a helluva lot of health problems. I’ll update as soon as I get a reply from her. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/10 "2005-12-27T21:58:39Z")
Thanks for the update **Lissla**. Please let us know as soon as you know something. More prayers and good vibes headed your friend’s way from Jawja. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/11 "2005-12-27T23:07:26Z")
I hope things take a turn for the better for your friend soon. It sounds like he deserves a break. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/12 "2005-12-28T01:56:26Z")
Just got an email. He’s stable, and may be able to go home to his parents in a week, but first they’ve got to figure out his drugs. Because of the heart surgery and a ton of other health problems he’s on a bunch of different meds, which makes everything complicated. My friend’s flight home was cancelled, so I’m off to research phone numbers. Thank you again for the good thoughts, and keep them coming. They’re both in grad school, and even though schoolwork isn’t a major problem, it will still complicate their coursework considerably. Have you ever found that in crisis situations you worry way too much about peripherals? I do. That’s one of the peripherals. Sorry, babbling. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-best-friends-husband-has-a-spinal-fluid-leak-prayers-and-good-thoughts-needed/337304/13 "2005-12-28T03:12:28Z")
_hugs_ You have my e-mail if you need to talk, hon. I’ll keep your friend in my thoughts and prayers.