Where have I been – Health Issue Trigger Warning

This article shares a personal story that includes a health issue. If you find this kind of content triggering, please feel free to explore any of the other hundreds of articles posted here and skip this one. I completely understand and would likely do the same in your position. Please don’t feel pressured to read anything that could affect your mental well-being. I’m simply sharing this to let you all know what’s been happening in my life and why I’ve been less active recently.

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Dear Friends,

I want to take a moment to explain why I haven’t been posting as frequently as usual these past few months. Some of you might remember that I mentioned having some eyesight issues back in winter during one of my beauty shopping roundups. The truth is, I’ve been dealing with eyesight problems for a long time—since 2007, in fact—but last year, things started to take a turn for the worse, and I needed additional treatment.

What I thought were just everyday struggles, possibly exacerbated by all the remodeling happening around my building (which kept the drapes closed and reduced natural light), turned out to be something much more serious. As the time for my annual labor medicine checkup approached, I decided to have an eye checkup earlier than usual. During this regular checkup, which has included an OCT or ocular CT for the past few years, my doctor noticed something alarming: there was an inflammation near my optic nerve. She recommended that I get a head CT as soon as possible.

The head CT quickly revealed that something was wrong. The left and right sides of my head were not symmetrical, which led to an MRI. The MRI confirmed what I could hardly believe—a 5.3 cm growth was pressing on my optic nerves and putting pressure on blood vessels, causing all the issues I’d been experiencing.

Within a week of finding out about this, I began looking into surgical options and found a private hospital with the most recommended doctor for cases like mine. The surgery happened quickly, and I expected to make a swift recovery, but that wasn’t the case.

It took me several weeks to fully grasp that the reason my recovery was so slow was due to the fact that this growth had been developing my entire life. Getting used to life without most of it—yes, most of it, as they couldn’t remove it all—will take some time. Additionally, the surgery affected the “command center” of my hormone production, due to the tumor’s location. This impact has been more challenging than the surgery itself. My digestive system, water intake, and other stuff have been all over the place, leaving me incredibly tired and confused.

While I am recovering – the confusion is finally gone and memory has been improving -, it’s a slow process. My three-month checkup showed that, in theory, everything is as it should be and that things should improve, but it will take time. The tumor is benign and hasn’t grown since the surgery, which is a good sign. My bloodwork has normalized, but the hormone situation is still a bit unpredictable and will require further attention.

I’ve been afraid to share this because I worry about how it might be perceived, especially by a future employer, should they ever come across this article. While I’m not currently looking for a new job and am incredibly grateful for my current employer and team for their support, I can’t help but worry about the future—what if things don’t go back to normal? What if things at work change? I am invisibly not in a position to be left by myself for days or weeks, at least not as how things are now.

I might share more about this journey in the future, but for now, I just want to encourage everyone not to be afraid of getting their checkups. If something feels wrong, don’t hesitate to seek help. I don’t want to scare anyone, but I lived nearly 31 years without knowing something was wrong until it was almost too late.

I’m truly sorry for not being able to share the same amount of content as before and for sometimes not finding the energy to post at all. I’m working on getting better and returning to normal, but it will take time. I’m not looking for donations or any special treatment—just your understanding. If you feel like helping, simply treat me as you always have, send me an email if you’d like, or use my links if you feel inclined (this helps me out without costing you a thing).

This message is just to explain what’s been happening and to express my deep appreciation for your continued support. Thank you for being here with me through it all.

And no, despite getting brain surgery, I still have all my hair – well with the exception of what has fallen out due to the stress. I know this is one of the things people are most curious about but will explain more in a later article :).

With love and gratitude,

Nana