Text translated from Portuguese
I Survived.
In September 2021 I was diagnosed with cerebral cavernoma – a benign tumor in the right temporal lobe – and was told that this tumor had been with me since I was born.
Four years before diagnosis, I started to experience symptoms of memory loss and epileptic seizures. In July 2022 I had brain surgery to remove my cavernoma at Santa Casa de Misericórdia in São Paulo. The operation was almost 6 hours, and left me with 42 stitches and a beautiful scar… which today tells the story of what I’ve been through. Fortunately, I was surrounded by great professionals and while I’m still undergoing treatment, I feel recovered. I have had to take many drugs, each time in larger doses and with devastating side effects: being medicated to avoid generalized seizures is never easy!
Patience, acceptance, resilience, obedience, courage, perseverance and FAITH are the words I would use to tell someone what it takes to get better and to have good results. My recovery was somewhat complex, I’m still in the process of healing. For example I have certain difficulties with memory and motor skills, but I keep persisting so that I can improve. Let us have faith and acceptance of our problems, persistence to get good results and gratitude above all! I am so grateful for the people I had by my side, without whom a good part of this story would not have happened.
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You can follow Flavia’s recovery journey by following her Instagram account.