I've been reading your writing on and off for about twelve years (since PLL on AfterEllen) and so often I have felt less alone because of it. You tell jokes that are on the tip of my tongue and you find wonder in the things I do. You make me cry from a personal vignette and you make me laugh by how beautifully you communicate your own joy from some show or book or WNBA game. This post in particular made me and my weird brain feel less alone today, so I wanted to thank you for that. I'm also really impressed that an east coaster has an accurate understanding of bears. Does your awesome brain also know what to do in an earthquake? You must have an all disaster prep section...like how I know what to do in a tornado....
I also was infatuated with my two scans ..... excepting the first of mine showed the exact reason my vision had been deteriorating so rapidly at age 48. I'm no brain expert, (hell, some think I don't even have one) but even I knew a small line sized black spot shouldn't have been there. Proof positive it was a pituitary gland cyst putting great pressure on both eye's blood and nerve things. It also moved me to the very front of the line for this kind of operation. There in Portland,Oregon they do about 50 a month so I actually wasn't too worried.... until I was in the gurney with the anesthesia guy and I heard the nurse telling my brother (who was flirting her up) that she "has become very good at cutting hair at just the right spot to put sensors for brain surgery."
I causally thought "brain surgery, that's sounds serious. I wonder who ahhhhhh DO NOT FREAK OUT. STAY CALM. BREATHE".
The anesthesia guy said can't backward from 10.
Seven hours later I opened my eyes and knew immediately I had made a spectacular recovery.
Shout out to the nurses at Emmanuel Hospital in Ptown. Love ya!!
What a great description of an anxious brain! I’m on a similar journey with the part of my brain that wants to protect me from failure and humiliation. We might fail! We might succeed! And we’re safe either way.
I'm meeting with a surgeon next week to see what he can do for my cervical stenosis, so this was really timely. Your newsletters have been like a visit from a good friend; comforting, bringing a sense of joy and reassurance that it's going to be ok. We can get through what life throws at us.
The brain stuff is fascinating but also I don’t know a ton of folks close to my age with serious cervical spine issues so, while I’m not glad that you had those issues and needed surgery, it makes me feel less alone for being in a similar boat! Most of my doctors are shocked when they hear the issues I have (3 herniated cervical and 7 bulging thoracic discs with lumbar lordosis) and how long I’ve been dealing with them (mid-late 20’s).
I've been reading your writing on and off for about twelve years (since PLL on AfterEllen) and so often I have felt less alone because of it. You tell jokes that are on the tip of my tongue and you find wonder in the things I do. You make me cry from a personal vignette and you make me laugh by how beautifully you communicate your own joy from some show or book or WNBA game. This post in particular made me and my weird brain feel less alone today, so I wanted to thank you for that. I'm also really impressed that an east coaster has an accurate understanding of bears. Does your awesome brain also know what to do in an earthquake? You must have an all disaster prep section...like how I know what to do in a tornado....
Yay for a much better brain MRI than mine!!!
I also was infatuated with my two scans ..... excepting the first of mine showed the exact reason my vision had been deteriorating so rapidly at age 48. I'm no brain expert, (hell, some think I don't even have one) but even I knew a small line sized black spot shouldn't have been there. Proof positive it was a pituitary gland cyst putting great pressure on both eye's blood and nerve things. It also moved me to the very front of the line for this kind of operation. There in Portland,Oregon they do about 50 a month so I actually wasn't too worried.... until I was in the gurney with the anesthesia guy and I heard the nurse telling my brother (who was flirting her up) that she "has become very good at cutting hair at just the right spot to put sensors for brain surgery."
I causally thought "brain surgery, that's sounds serious. I wonder who ahhhhhh DO NOT FREAK OUT. STAY CALM. BREATHE".
The anesthesia guy said can't backward from 10.
Seven hours later I opened my eyes and knew immediately I had made a spectacular recovery.
Shout out to the nurses at Emmanuel Hospital in Ptown. Love ya!!
heather i'm obsessed with this
This is A++++ 💛🧠 Thanks for sharing your brain with us via words
I love this. Also hooray for Actually Caring doctors
We love your brain too! Such a wonderful description of the constant hum of our brains
What a great description of an anxious brain! I’m on a similar journey with the part of my brain that wants to protect me from failure and humiliation. We might fail! We might succeed! And we’re safe either way.
I'm meeting with a surgeon next week to see what he can do for my cervical stenosis, so this was really timely. Your newsletters have been like a visit from a good friend; comforting, bringing a sense of joy and reassurance that it's going to be ok. We can get through what life throws at us.
I’m trying to befriend my brain - an ongoing journey, for sure. I often fear it’ll never fallen but this has renewed my hope 💜
This is brilliant
Omg. Stop making me cry. Seriously stop it. (Hugs)
The brain stuff is fascinating but also I don’t know a ton of folks close to my age with serious cervical spine issues so, while I’m not glad that you had those issues and needed surgery, it makes me feel less alone for being in a similar boat! Most of my doctors are shocked when they hear the issues I have (3 herniated cervical and 7 bulging thoracic discs with lumbar lordosis) and how long I’ve been dealing with them (mid-late 20’s).
Fantastic stuff!