NaAsiaha Simon’s path through a rare brain condition

[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
NaAsiaha Simon's path through a rare brain condition]

[Music playing]

[Text on screen: NaAsiaha Simon
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Patient]

NaAsiaha Simon:
I started to have a lot of headaches and tightness around my head. I knew that wasn't normal. I kind of just went with it for a while until I wanted to get new frames, but my eye exam came back with a lot of red flags so that they referred me to another doctor. I was diagnosed with IIH.

[Text on screen: Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension]

Ciaran Powers, MD, PhD:
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

NaAsiaha Simon:
I have a lot of fluid around my brain and there's nowhere for it to go.

[Text on screen: Ciaran Powers, MD, PhD
Endovascular Neurosurgeon
Ohio State Wexner Medical Center]

Ciaran Powers, MD, PhD:
And that high pressure causes the headaches, can cause the ringing in the ears, but can also cause pressure behind the eyes that can lead to vision loss.

NaAsiaha Simon:
So when I met Dr. Powers, he felt like an uncle. It was very calm. I think he could tell I was nervous. He told me that we would exhaust all options. He wasn't in a rush to take me into surgery and so I was really appreciative of that. So we exhausted a lot of medicine and those didn't work so we ended up having to go to surgery. I had three stents placed around my brain and the idea was that the stents would help with the fluid flow. After my first brain surgery, I was diagnosed with situational depression. My therapist had said, "What is one thing that you like to do? And I love taking selfies. It was about seeing your best self." So I had to have a second surgery. We have all these veins in our head that helps the fluid flow. For me, that wasn't happening. They went back in and they had put in two more stents and we thought that was going to be the solution. I was at a dance practice and I passed out. The stents weren't working and they were going to try another method.

[Text on screen: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt]

Ciaran Powers, MD, PhD:
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The components of the shunt are the tube inside the brain right here that goes into the fluid fill space and then that tube comes out through a hole in the skull and connects to a valve system. And then it's a very long tube that drains all the way down from the head into the space around the intestines and the belly.

NaAsiaha Simon:
And it was causing me a lot of stomach pain and discomfort.

[Text on screen: Ventriculojugular Shunt
Ventriculoatrial Shunt]

Ciaran Powers, MD, PhD:
Another option is what's called a ventriculojugular or a ventriculoatrial shunt.

NaAsiaha Simon:
The tube goes from the top of my head down the ear somewhat of my chest cavity, but it loops to my heart atrium. So right before surgery, I wanted to do a TikTok.

Ciaran Powers, MD, PhD:
It set a great mood in the OR. There is no line that separates us from patients. We're just people and I could just as easily been on the bed and maybe I would've wanted a TikTok video and it would've meant a lot to me if the people taking care of me were on the same page.

NaAsiaha Simon:
And that was the best literally 30 seconds of my life. The last thing I remember was laughing and then I woke up in recovery. Ohio State has the best team because they care about their patients.

[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
For more information, visit: go.osu.edu/NI]

[Music fades]