Personal Narrative: Brain Procedure

Over the past four years I have seen more doctors than an average person would see in their lifetime. From endocrinologists to neurosurgeons, I have tirelessly sought medical help to overcome multiple traumatic brain injuries I incurred as an early teen. Prior to these head injuries I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do with my life or what my future would encompass. The outlook I had on life prior to my head injuries has drastically changed through the course of my recovery. Although my road to recovery has been filled with hardships, disappointments, and pain, I have found a new direction filled with opportunity to advocate on behalf of others.

Early October 2016 to January 2017, was the hardest time ever in my life. In October we found out that my Grandpa had a very aggressive form of stage four brain cancer. We knew that there was something wrong but we never thought it would be that bad. For the next month, the doctors ran tests, decided on a game plan, and gave results. My grandpa was in severe pain and confusions. We got the results that he would need to go through surgery on his brain to remove the tumor. This was around November 15. That was probably the scariest day of my life. His surgery and I will never forget, was at 12:10 pm. I remember sitting at the kitchen counter and I just prayed for half an hour. After that, I remember going on my computer and searching on Google

They (my family and doctors), for the first night, weren’t sure if I would make it or not. I was touch and go, because my oxygen level couldn’t be stabilized. I would be on oxygen and my level would be normal, but as soon as they took me off, my level would fall again. However, they had to stabilize me before they could do any kind of surgery. During this time, I think my dad as well as everyone involved got a taste of what it means that any moment, any day could be anyone’s final moment. My dad stayed every night with me. The first night, my heart quit beating twice. The first time, my dad said, “She’s a fighter, she can get through this.”. Then it happened again and my dad fell on his knees saying, “God, please don’t take her now!”. I ended up practically living in SICU for 3½ weeks, just trying to become stable enough, so I could make it somewhere else. Both my mom and dad had to become durable power of attorneys, so they could decide what my treatments would

This week at clinical I was able to have two different patients. My first patient was a seven year old girl that was in for right lobe pneumonia. She was in droplet precautions and receiving azithromycin. Since she was on her last dose of azithromycin, once I give her it, me and the nurse discharged her and she went home. I only worked with the seven year old patient for about 3 hours so I had enough time to get another patient for the day to do an assessment on and take care of.

My alarm went off at 6:00 am. "Thank God it's Friday," I whispered to myself as I got ready for the day. We still haven't found a case yet, this was just going to be another boring day at the hospital I guess. After I got ready I got in my car and drove to New York Mercy Hospital, which was only about 5 miles away. "Hey Jacobs, we got a case." Wilson said, handing me the file. I worked with two other Doctors; Zachary Wilson and James Miller. We take the medical cases that no other doctors can figure out. I got a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. "23 year old girl comes in after continually banging her head on the wall, says she had no idea

According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, 30,000 people suffer from a lethal brain hemorrhage rupture the United States every year. Forty percent of those people die and the other sixty percent endures some permanent brain loss. Despite the statistics, my grandfather, Bob, was one of the forty percent of the people who died from a brain hemorrhage, on February 16, 2010.

The brain-dead seldom seem like they’re dead. The rise and fall of their chests is so convincing, the ventilator seems like an ornament rather than the single source of oxygen that keeps their hearts beating. Their skin is warm to the touch, and condensation clings to the inside of the catheter from the fresh streams of body-temperature urine. Despite how peaceful they look, their bodies are undergoing progressive autolysis, utter and massive self-destruction. Without the helm of consciousness, my father and all of the patients in his section of the intensive care unit seemed adrift in a tiny boat on a wild, infinite sea – yet unconcerned about finding their way back to

Growing up I never understood why I acted and looked the way I did. By the age of ten I realized that I was different, I did not look like my parents and I did not act like them. Yes, there were some similarities but overall I was the complete opposite. Remembering back to sophomore year I was sitting in my Biology class, learning about genetics. My mom and dad have piercing blue eyes and dark brown hair, while I had more of a green color in my eyes and red-brown hair. I learned about recessive traits and later that day I went home and researched more. As I researched I found out about a non threatening disease called heterochromia iridium, which is where your irises are different colored. From that point forward I realized that I loved genetics.

Four years ago, my entire life changed without warning. I was in a bike accident that ended in a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), which left me unconscious for a few hours and caused several seizures. This injury was enough to make my doctors unsure as to if I would be able to walk, talk, and function correctly. Not only did this affect my life at the time, but it still affects my life every day, and may affect me for many more years. Most people do not understand the effects of brain injuries, even if they know someone who is afflicted, and may even assume that after that person is healed that they will return to normal. This single day in my life, one that I will never fully remember, is also one that I will never forget.

How did you feel when your father had to get rushed to the

The house wasn’t flourishing with the usual life and laughter of my faithful friends and family, but dead with their mournful sorrow. “Poor little Opal Parks”, they would all cry out. The oncologist called with some tremendous news. Brain Surgery would be outrageously unaffordable for a hopeless, poverty-stricken single mother like myself. Nevertheless, my tumor would soon force my body to expire. Most likely, the least of their concerns is what happens to my 11 year old son, Lucas. Funny actually, that this has become my greatest concern. It is not the physical pain, but the psychological self-condemnation felt when you know that your own life is soon to end and that not only yourself, but those around you will be harshly impacted by your

I don't remember clearly the day I started to think there was something wrong with my brain; I like to believe it was around the time I was first introduced to a self-destructive mindset but I'm certain that something must have been wrong for a long while before. I was twelve when I began to understand what my sadness meant, and from then on I was forced to find ways to cope with my thoughts without letting anyone in on the secret, because admitting that there was something wrong was shameful and I couldn't let people see how weak I was. In hindsight that was the most selfish thing I could have done to myself but there was nothing I wanted less than to be outed as the coward I felt I was.

Then I got the call that my dad was in a car accident. I balled my eyes out, thinking he was dead. I thought that because he hauled gas for Klemm Tank Lines, and obviously if you crashed a trailer full of gas it would blow up. After Surgery in Iowa City, he was transferred to Saint Luke’s for healing and physical therapy. So we had to drive to Cedar Rapids every day. In March he earned his way to come home and had to do more physical therapy up at the hospital in Manchester and in Waterloo. If he didn’t do physical therapy, he would incapable of getting out of his wheelchair. Every morning we had to give him his pills and get him dressed. It was laborious for him to get dressed for himself. It was easier for our family to do it, but it could be difficult at times. We accomplished through it though. Every Wednesday he had water therapy in Waterloo, which is where you walk and do exercises in the water. Tuesdays and Thursdays he had physical therapy in Manchester, which that’s more of the walking on land instead of in the water. Even though that was painful for him, he never gave up. He always had a positive attitude toward the obstacles that came his

This weeks videos on the brain taught me a lot of information that not only did I not know but that I would have never thought about. I didn't realize that the things that we do, or not do has such a huge impact on our brains. For instance the fact that the more weight a person gains the smaller their brain gets. I found these videos to be a huge amount of information and motivation for change. I found it good to know that you are not stuck with the brain that you have and that you are able to improve your brain function by the good choices in life that you make.

Needles don’t bother me if they aren’t going into my arm! Phlebotomy is where people draw blood to see if you have diseases, or illness. Phlebotomy is a one year course at North Central Michigan College. I am constructing an interview to see if this is the field I want make a career out of.