Well, I guess I’ll start from May 31^st. I went back to the Glennox Baker MRI center this day to have my MRI taken. I was expecting it to be pretty lengthy (but it was super short J) because the one I had in August there was really lengthy. Last summer, they had had to take extra special scans of the cerebrospinal fluid flow around the cyst. But, I later found out (in September) that there wasn’t any CSF flow around it/my brain wasn’t very happy/this thing was really big, so that’s why I really needed the surgery. I’ve been giving this whole year a lot of thought. I usually do that around my birthday. It’s been a crazy, crazy year. I knew that it would be about one year ago. I can just remember being very anxious and not really knowing WHAT to expect. I never could have imagined that it would have ended up like this. But I’ve grown an awful, awful lot this year. I can’t get over how much stuff I’ve done and been able to do despite all of my health junk. It’s been unbelievable!!

 

Well, that day I also saw my neurosurgeon and PA. Peggy, (the PA) is super nice and did the basic neuro exam and then talked to me about how I’ve been doing. But the first thing she said to me when she walked into the room was “the scans look good”! That was pretty cool to hear. She is the first P.A. I ever met and is one of the main reasons I want to be one. I also know a bunch of other P.A.’s at Duke (this really funny Indian guy). Right before my op last year, he and I were joking about UNC/Duke basketball. That was kind of cool/crazy. Dr. Fuchs came in after Peggy and the first thing he said to me was “You were one of eleven to finish your C.N.A. class?” (I had told that to Peggy) and I think he was pretty amazed considering what I’ve been through.

 

He also showed me my MRI scans and I was just amazed. The cyst is all gone (there is only a very small little something from it’s remains. It was apparently filled with blood this time which is why the operation was such a big mess and so dangerous! My surgeon told my family that he was glad that he did it though (the night of the 21^st) because if he hadn’t done it, I could have just had a random stroke one day ……and that would have been a nightmare! Overall, I’m just amazed that I’m doing so well considering what shape I was in last winter. For awhile, I had really bad flashbacks from ICU and stuff (like last winter) but those went away (thank goodness) a few months ago. God is so, so good. He just keeps saving my life….

 

Yeah, because I was also in a really bad car accident in June!!! I was coming back from summer school and had to pull over, but then I didn’t realize that the ground had a slight slope. So I went right into the woods and my car was pretty much destroyed!! The windows were all smashed and my engine was smoking. My car was sideways and a bunch of tree braches smashed my rear window. That was good though because that was where I got out/escaped. I couldn’t open any of my doors. Well, I didn’t try at least! But guess what? I was so, so chill about it! I simply got all of the stuff out of my car, got out of the woods and went to the side of the highway. A really nice older man drove me to Exxon. I usually would be so careful before getting into a stranger’s car, but I trusted this person because he said he’s seen an awful lot of crashes in that same exact spot. Weird?(He lives in that area.) Well, he took me to the gas station and I called up my mom. She was surprised and called up towing company to get the thing out of the woods. Well, after calling her I called the police and told them what happened. They didn’t give me a ticket or anything (thank goodness) because I think I just had some bad, bad luck! Well, my mom eventually showed up to the scene of the crash and we just talked to all of the officials. After that we went home!

 

Since then, my Dad and brother have been looking at cars. They found a 2002 BMW!! Insurance gave us a decent bit of money because my PT cruiser was in really good shape and had low mileage! That was good! My brother will be driving the new car most of the time, but I’ll probably get to drive it when I’m at home/maybe bring it to Chapel Hill for parts of next year!

 

Summer school was a bust!!! My academic accommodations were not set up right. My verbal recall is really bad because of my brain injury and the school was supposed to provide me with lecture notes! (from the professor or another student.) Well that NEVER HAPPENED. The disability office gave me a lecture recording pen and special notebook, but I still missed a lot of the lecture material. Also, I didn’t even have this device before my first exam…so I missed even more of the lecture material. Over all, I was extremely disappointed with the school L. I had to withdraw…which was icky. I immediately went to the advisors/talked to the pre-health advisors and told him what was up. He said he’d look into PA schools and what to do in my unusual circumstances! Well,  I’m not too worried, because I’ll be able to explain my crazy academic stuff in my essay. I really hope that the school gets my academic accommodations set right, because I just don’t want another crazy semester.

 

My professor from the class was really great though! I liked her and she was empathetic and supportive! That was nice.

 

I changed my schedule around a bit for next semester after all of this happened and I think it looks pretty good! I just pray that things work out this semester!!!! I think it will be better ….because I like the classes I’m taking/they’re not too crazy hard (well kind of) but I’m familiar with a lot of the material. One class is one I was taking last year and actually dropped, so I already know much of the curriculum!! I also signed up for the class I was taking this summer. So I’ll have a head start on a lot of my classes.

 

On to the GOOD STUFF!!! I went on two vacations this summer! (Yes, in between work and school!!! :D :D) They were TONS AND TONS OF FUN!!!! I got to see  my dad’s side of the family at a really cool summer resort in the mountains of Virginia. We went ziplining and just hung out. It was so good to see them. I love my cousins so, so much. (We are all about the same age, so it’s always a good time!) My grandmother also came along and brought her new puppy, which was fun. My cousin, Jacob, also came to visit us (he’s from Denmark!!) and that was great fun. He just cracks me up SO MUCH.

 

I also went to Chicago with my mom a couple weekends ago! Her parents moved into a really nice retirement community. They have a great new house. Even though it’s smaller than the old one, I think it’s a lot nicer/more modern!! They also have a new dog, (he is really funny.) I also got to see my aunt and that was fun. She is hilarious!! My mom and I also went to see one of her old high school friends in the area and that was a blast. Her friend, Debbie, is like the fifty-year old version of me!! She is a red-head (well her hair is kind of sandy now, haha) and we just had a really good time. My family and I also got to go into the city one day and I just really loved that! We saw a really good musical and also went to Millenium Park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THAT PARK! We saw the bean and also watched a free symphony orchestra concert (which was fantastic :D :D :D :D)

 

Other than all of that, I’ve been working at Food Lion. But I don’t want to work there after this summer (I already know that I’ll be in Chapel Hill next summer though! I’ll be working at UNC Hospital!!!) But it hasn’t been all bad!!!!! I love my coworkers so much. They are great fun and I’m really going to miss them. Two of them go to State and a lot of the people went to Cary High and had my mom as a teacher! (Which is cool.)

 

August will be nice. I’ll see my neuropsychologist and she’ll help me with my academic stuff (she works at UNC hospital). I hope we get my school stuff all fixed up and ready to go!!! I’ll also turn 20 on the 8^th!!! YAY. I get my wisdom teeth out around that time too!!!!! :D haha…this should be a piece of BIRTHDAY CAKE (get it?) compared to my last surgery….. :D.

 

This was long, but now you all know what I’ve been up to!! I’ll see you all soon!! I’m almost done with our summer reading, btw!

 

BWL,

Courtney