Katie Vilaranda - A Tale of a Broken Brain

A Tale of a
Broken Brain

Katie Vilaranda

A Tale of a Broken Brain

Copyright 2021 by Katie Vilaranda

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-0787-2 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-0788-9 (eBook)

Dedication

To everyone who may think your ending is near,
its only a detour in the road to where you need t o be.

Contents

Chapter 12 - How Many People Have S een
Me N aked?

Chapter 23 - The Picket Lines Are St ill
Going St rong

Chapter 31 - Still a Few Kinks to W ork
out in the Cont ract

All of these individuals below, I consider my angels who have come into my life for a reason and have changed me for the better. I would not be standing here (literally) if it were not for their grace, guidance, and sup port.

Si dney

There are no words or even a piece of paper that will describe your commitment and love to our relationship. You have taught me so much about being a partner and about compassion that I will never in three lifetimes be able to repay. Your smile gave me strength through my darkness, your laughter gave me something to look forward to during the difficult times when I saw no hope in sight, and your love gave me the power to keep going. I am so proud to keep doing this thing called life with you and now adding to our memories with Dean the Bean.

Mom and Dad

Every day when you walked into my hospital room, seeing the look of despair and true sadness on your face because your child was sitting in a hospital bed with uncertain circumstances was heartbreaking for me. It was utterly devastating for me to have to put you both through this situation. You have stuck with me through fourteen moves, schooling, degrees, diplomas, tears, laughter and everything in between. You have taught me to be the mom that I am today, which I am and will forever be eternally grateful for. I will never be able to repay you, but just know that you both are my an gels.

Hail to the Victors Val iant

Hail to the Winners of the

Hail, Hail to Laurie and Joe

The Best Parents Ever

Joey, Nick, and Al exis

You both have been my pillars of strength during this entire ordeal. It felt like roles were reversed, and instead of being the older sibling looking after, the younger siblings, you both looked after me and guided me throughout this process. You gave me laughter when I needed it, a shoulder to cry on, and an ear to listen during my darkest t imes.

Mimi and Papa

You are both such strong people that I am blessed to have in my life. Your visits, prayers, and compassion helped me heal and find strength during this difficult time.

Grandma and Grandpa Zi mmer

You both are strong examples of love and support. Thank you for your empathy, prayers, and kind ness.

The Vilaran das

Thank you for accepting me into your family and showing me the utmost love and support. I felt so loved and cared for, which helped me on this emotional jou rney.

Jess and Dave

You both are friends that have become family. I will always carry with me the kindness and support you gave me for ever.

Jeff

Thank you for your kindness, support, and of course, the best tv and movie recommendat ions.

Stacy, Ty, Aunt Paula, Uncle Chris, Trent, Ashley, and A aron

Thank you for supporting me during this difficult process. You made the word family take on a new meaning, and I will be forever grat eful.

Auntie Anne, Uncle Mike, Chris, Kelly, and C raig

Thank you for your unwavering love and kindness. It will be forever stamped on my h eart.

My Therapy Team:

An drea

You treated me with dignity and warmth when I had thought I had lost everything. I will be forever grateful and never forget what you did for me. You advocated for me and made sure that I had a voice when I myself had lost it. You changed my life for the better; please know that I will always keep a special place in my heart for you and remember what you did for me. Thank you.

Ja ckie

Your passion for your job is emulated in everything you do. Your empathy and compassion while working so closely with me helped me work through so much and taught me to embrace my new self. Your sunshine personality and positivity shone through with every session we had.

E llen

Words cannot even describe how blessed I am that you came into my life. You went above and beyond to help me through my journey back to health. You gave me back my way to communicate with the world, and for that, I cannot thank you en ough.

Kyla

You pushed me to do better and be better each and every day. Your belief in me helped me achieve my goals. I couldnt have done everything Ive been able to do in the timeframe I did it in without you. You are so amazing at your job, and you change l ives.

M egan

You were my saviour when I couldnt see past the storm. Im not sure I would have made it out of the overwhelming darkness without your guidance. Thank you for everything you did to help me make it to the other side.

Peach Physio: Kate and Steve after Peach Ph ysio

The incredible kindness you showed me during one of the most vulnerable and traumatic times of my life will never be forgotten. You two are one of the main reasons I was able to walk down the aisle. Thank you for this gift.

Katie Vilaranda is a thirty -s omething mom to Dean and her dog Ace, a marketing consultant, a blogger at abrokenbrainstory.com, and a wife living in Southwestern Ontario. Katie has suffered from migraines for close to thirty years, with more than six years as a hemiplegic migraine sufferer. In 2015 she experienced a life -c hanging event that turned her world upside down. She has learned how to navigate her medical diagnosis while also living her life to the fullest one step at a time.

Life can change in a matter of secondsfrom a perfectly planned out life to the uncertainty of the unknown. Significant life changes have a grandiose impact on your life not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally. I learned quickly after my lifes plans crumbled before me that my coping skills were pretty much nil. But learning how to adapt, weave through the circumstances, and adjust to changes made me a stronger and better pe rson.

This book featuring essays written during my rehabilitation and recovery journey, provided me with a cathartic retreat when I couldnt tell my story to others and had emotionally shut off. My brain went on strike and I did not know when the picket lines would stop. I was able to turn to writing to find solace during my chaotic experience. I desperately needed stability instead of hearing, wait and see if and when youll get better. This writing experience has contributed significantly to my growth as a pe rson.

A Tale of a Broken Brain takes you through a journey of learning how to adapt to a new life, a hazy medical diagnosis, and the powerful impact that compassionate healthcare individuals have on a patients life. Its a tale of a true adventure through the healthcare system and my own personal journey of acceptance that my health may not always be my best friend, but instead, my enemy. I suffer from hemiplegic migraines, and every occurrence brings me back to the life -c hanging day that began this journeynot a dream, but a new reality. Hemiplegic migraines are a severe and rare type of migraine headache. Many of the symptoms mimic those of a stroke, including muscle weakness and temporary paralysis on one side of the body, a pins and needles sensation in the hands and feet, numbness on one side of the body, slurred speech, vertigo, loss of balance, and more. Three genes are linked to hemiplegic migraines: CACNA1A, ATP1A2, and SCN1A. Defects or mutations can exist in any of these genes, leading to a breakdown in the bodys ability to make a specific protein needed for clear communication among nerve cells. I was born with this condition, and its a part o f me.