The speaker, Simone, shares her experience with brain surgery after being diagnosed with a grade 1 meningioma, which she nicknamed "Brian the brain tumor." She talks about the cost of the surgery, which was $232,736.56, and how she was worried about people who don't have insurance.
Simone describes the surgery and her recovery process, including the weird sounds she heard due to air bubbles in her skull and the challenges she faced while in the hospital. She also mentions that she had to take steroids, which made her hungry and angry.
After the surgery, Simone's personality changed, but she believes it's a positive change. She reflects on the experience and how it put things into perspective for her. She's grateful to be alive and feels a sense of relief.
Simone is now recovering and getting back to a normal schedule. She's also considering making a documentary about her experience and is grateful for the support of her online community. She jokingly rates having a brain tumor 2 out of 10 stars and makes a bad joke about brain tumors growing on you.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The speaker had a brain tumor called a meningioma.
2. The tumor was a grade 1 meningioma, considered a "good" brain tumor.
3. The speaker underwent surgery to remove the tumor, which included a craniectomy and craniotomy.
4. The surgery lasted for 9 hours.
5. The speaker had titanium mesh implanted in their bone to separate their brain from their eye.
6. The speaker spent 2 days in the hospital after surgery.
7. They experienced side effects such as vomiting, hip pain, and air trapped inside their head.
8. The speaker had to take steroids to reduce the swelling of their brain, which made them hungry and irritable.
9. They experienced mood swings and became easily angry while taking the steroids.
10. The speaker's eyesight was not affected by the surgery and remains 20/20.
11. They did not lose any cognitive abilities due to the surgery.
12. The speaker's surgeon was named Dr. Reddy.
13. The speaker had a catheter inserted during surgery, which was later removed.
14. The speaker had to follow a 6-week recovery period.
15. During recovery, they were not allowed to walk up and down stairs or lift more than 5 pounds.
16. The speaker is now allowed to resume normal activities, including walking up and down stairs and lifting more than 5 pounds.
17. A documentary filmer was hired to capture footage of the speaker's experience before, during, and after surgery.