Today marks 6 months since my spinal fusion. I started driving again this week, and feel a bit better every week. One day in September 2023 I had an “extra bad migraine” and I knew my life was forever changed… but I had NO idea my head was dislocated from my spine in two places. It’s been a heck of a journey from that day until now, and I am SO grateful for Dr. Gilete and the team in Barcelona for giving me the gift of life. Starting to write songs again, and get my stamina back. Healing from a spinal fusion is slow, and I am still dealing with immune system responses/ infections, but I know it’s all upwards motion from here. God is good.
27. It’s been a hell of a year, but dang am I happy to be alive + healing. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in the last year (+ more) while I fought to get my health back. It’s still a work in progress, but I am SO BACK FOLKS!!!! 🎂big thanks to my best friend @victoriapowell for making my birthday so special, even surprising me with making these matching @kendrascott bestie birthstone rings at the color bar! Don’t know who I’d be without you. 🥹💗 xo
WE’RE COMING HOME! ✨🦋 how do you say thank you to the people who gave you your life back? ❤️ the whole team at Dr. Gilete’s office + Teknon Hospital is the best of medicine, and the best of people. My wound has still not healed due to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) but we will be able to continue treatment in Nashville virtually with the help of in-home care and local treatments. See you tomorrow, Nashville! ❤️😭
For those still reading, my wound will hopefully heal in 3-4 weeks naturally. I had 2 surgeries to try to fix my skin, but my skin is too fragile to keep stitches. Won’t be fully healed from spinal fusion for about 6 months, but I am feeling SO much better. Truly feel as if Dr. Gilete saved my life- giving me the chance to *live* again, not just try to survive. 🙏🏻
final October photo dump/ update. mom + I are still in Barcelona as my surgical wound is still not healing (thank you ehlers danlos syndrome) but we are out exploring when we can. I’m in hyperbaric chamber therapy daily + having regular visits with my surgeons. so so grateful for my amazing team here, and know we will be headed home soon. 🤍 #craniocervicalinstability #ehlersdanlossyndrome #barcelona
I’m sort of still in shock, but it’s all starting to hit me how much God changed my life this month. I told Dr. Gilete I’m still waiting for the other shoe to drop. He said he doesn’t think it ever will. 🥹 I’m still in some pain from the second surgery, but the amount I heal every day is astonishing to me. I mean, I just had major surgery + my mom and I went to the Cathedral and shopping yesterday. I assumed I’d be paying for yesterday all week, as the past year if I did something out of bed one day it would take me a few days to recover. Woke up this morning migraine free, jumped out of bed and was ready to leave the house again. It still hasn’t fully set in, but I am praising God for bringing me Dr. Gilete + what feels like it may be a second chance at health + abundance. Still processing + will share more as the journey continues but I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for all your prayers. Though I have days where I feel like Frankenstein from all these stitches, I know this was the best decision I’ve ever made. I think I got my life back. 😭❤️ #thankyoujesus 🙏🏻 #heds #cci #aai #spinalfusion
feeling like the most lucky girl in the world to step outside my hospital room in Barcelona for a few minutes today (walking!!!!) with my mama by my side. I’d be lost without her 😭❤️ @barbbakermiller
I’m well + recovering from C0-C2 alignment with extra bone shaving and realignment. I will unfortunately need another surgery Monday or Tuesday to fix some skin complications due to my mast cell activation syndrome, but this should be pretty simple. Thank you all for the kind messages and the love and prayers. I am pretty drowsy and still on a lot of pain medicine. Will try to check in in a few days. XO love to you all.
Dr. G has my back (and my skull, and my arteries)… tomorrow at 8 AM neurosurgeon Dr. Gilete will perform the long feat of correcting my Ehlers Danlos co-morbidities of CCI/AAI/ Bow Hunters Syndrome over a 10-14 hour neurosurgery. (A lot of fancy words for “my spine turned into a slinky, not cool). God has this, Dr. Gilete is incredible, and the team here is wonderful. *My mom will post updates when I am out of surgery on my instagram stories for those wanting updates 🥹💗 thank yall for the thoughts and prayers, let’s do this! see ya on the flip side 🤠🦓💗#heds #zebrasnothorses #cci #aai #barcelona
obligatory photo of me turning my head (likely for the last time) before spinal fusion 🫠🫢 + some Spain camera roll dump… did some more pre-op testing today. more appointments tomorrow and Thursday, then check into hospital Thursday night for surgery Friday morning!! 🦓💗 #heds #cci #aai
