Moments can change the course of your life.
One second, I was probably dreaming about landing an Axel, followed by a long blank space. The next moment, I was awoken by a bright light. Shining in my face. I heard a voice, “Oh, think she’s coming around.”
On September 10, 1991, that’s what happened with my first seizure. Six days later, I was diagnosed with my first brain tumour.
I was 15 years old.
Actually, the surgery wasn’t too bad. I’ve had others since then, and the first surgery was probably one of my best experiences.
On October 17th, I checked into Winnipeg’s Children’s Hospital. My surgery was the next day, early in the morning. At that point, I wanted the tumour gone. I wanted to focus on recovering and preparing for the following skating season. The brain tumour sidelined me for the season while I adjusted to my anticonvulsants, which were revamped after surgery.
First, I’ll eliminate the low light of the Children’s Hospital. The day my neurosurgeon removed the bandages. When he was finished, he handed me a mirror. I almost cried. He said, “We had to shave more hair than we thought, she has a low hairline.”
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