My brother Mike flew me to Los Angeles to dogsit while he was on vacation. I had grand plans to go to the beach in the mornings then tackle the Thank Yous for my Gofundme and really dig into the job search. Unfortunately, last Monday those plans hit a snag. I went to the beach in the morning and at noon I was going to hop in the ocean then head home for some computer time. When I sat up, the whole world spun. The girl next to me was spinning like crazy and the ocean was tilting at a 45° angle. I knew immediately it was vertigo. It took me 5 mins to pack the little stuff I had and was only able to walk off the beach using the beach chair as a walker/crutch. I laid in the back of the car for 5-10 mins before driving the 15 mins back (I know I know- but I was scared with no one to call and just wanted to lie in bed). I couldn’t walk straight and was extremely nauseous. I laid in bed and watched the room spin. In all this, it never once even crossed my mind that I had just had brain surgery. However, my two older brothers and their wives all said “what are you doing??? Call your surgeon! Go to the hospital!”. Duh! 🤦🏻‍♀️I spoke to my surgeon’s nurse who said I needed to go to the ER immediately for scans. I took an Uber to Cedar-Sinai in LA. Wow. It was insane. Knowing my story and the scare I may have a brain bleed, it still took 4 hours to be scanned and another 2 1/2 to be brought back to a bed (in the entrance of the ambulance bay as there were people in beds lined up and down the halls!) and for a dr to read the scans. Thankfully there were no signs of a brain bleed. The dr however did not feel comfortable letting me leave. After blood work they gave me potassium pills as my potassium levels were low and an IV for anti-nausea and anti-motion sickness medications. After 9 1/2 hours I finally was released and took an Uber home. My following days were taking the dogs on short walks, taking the prescription meds for the nausea and motion sickness and a lot of tv and sleep. The vertigo is mostly gone although the room is spinning every morning when I wake up and I have bouts of dizziness throughout the day but the meds help. Thankfully my brother called one of his friends I had met years ago and said “my sister is alone at the hospital with a potentially scary situation, will you go?” So his friend Dave sat with me for 5 of the 9 1/2 hours. I have not cried much during this but I did cry a lot that day. I cried because I am tired of not feeling good-although I have felt great since my surgery, vertigo and constant headaches and migraines have plagued me for years. So it is frustrating to feel sick again so soon after surgery. I cried because I didn’t want to go to the hospital. I cried being alone in the waiting room (as much as one can be alone with 50 other miserable waiting people) before Dave called (wouldn’t take no for an answer) and said he was on the way. Then I cried when they wouldn’t let me just leave when the scan was clear. I also cried at the kindness that Dave showed by sitting with someone he met years ago for hours in a crazy hospital. Honestly, vertigo is worse than my recovery from the surgery was. But I am confident it will continue to improve. The surgeon doesn’t think it is linked to the surgery but I will be keeping in contact with them for a bit to monitor. I wish my wild ride in LA was the ferris wheel on the Santa Monica pier or being swept off my feet by some handsome celebrity. But I did get to spend some amazing time with my niece Frankie and sisinlaw Jenni, and a night laughing a lot with my brother Mike. So as I was heading to the airport after seeing Barbie with my niece and brother Mike, all I felt was grateful for being alive . This year has been a struggle in multiple ways, but after my surgery, the biggest thing I have taken away from it is that I am grateful for being alive. 

On another note, my nurse (who was great) kept looking at me saying “I can’t believe you just had a craniotomy 2 months ago! They didn’t shave anything! It looks great! You can’t even see it unless you look really close”. So again-kudos to my amazing surgeon, Dr. Nussbaum!!!! When every medical person I have met comments on how great and unnoticeable my incision, now scar, is, you know it was an incredible job!!! 

I included two pictures. One, me being pathetic and sad at the hospital once in the bed and alone after insisting Dave go home now we knew the coast was clear. Poor guy was way more scared and stressed than I was 😂 -I did take him to lunch later in the week to thank him. The second is much better with me and Frankie, one of many many many pictures we took the night before I left, playing with filters on my phone.

As always, thank you everyone for the continued support, reaching out, love and caring. I could not be more grateful for who I am surrounded by in life, near and far. Xo Kellie